I hear you brother. Owning one of these things can be interesting. I have been appreciating your thread for the fact it is detailed and you've taken pics. Hope the best comes from all of it. I haven't been that far into mine yet...but close

 

A learning experience for sure. The place my truck broke down. He's our engineer on the Seine boat! So he's been keeping a close eye on me! Because, yeah! This is the furthest I've ever torn into an engine.

My buddy on the other hand. Told me he has taken plenty of heads off an engine and has never once seen all the cylinders with water in them? He's convinced the gaskets failed? He's a better engine guy then I am! But, I still think the heads are cracked and it's gonna fill back up with water as soon as I put it back together. Hope I'm wrong! Just have a gut feeling. Plus all the research I've done. Parts were only $250 to put this thing back together. So my fingers are crossed! But I ain't hold n my breath! Saved a pile of dough doing this myself. It's really been pretty easy so far! The passenger side header is the only thing that has given me any grief!

Even if this works? Those main bearings have 215,000 miles on them and got an antifreeze bath! Buddy told me to get it run n and sell it! I ain't that way! Besides, I need my truck!

So what's the moral to all this BS????? Change your radiator when the plastic cracks and save your engine! Foolish lad, I am sometimes! Seems to be the way I learn?

 

As far as the fuel injectors. A mechanic I know said the truck wouldn't start because the screens were all plugged on the injectors? He was gonna charge me a pile of dough. So I took it home and did it myself! That wasn't the problem! I changed the O rings on the injectors and put it back together. It wouldn't start initially because the camshaft position sensor was bad. Should have changed it months ago. Instead, I changed every other part! Battery, all the cables, map sensor, IAC Valve, coolant temperature sensor, did a tune up last march before I drove thru Canada. Changed the plugs but not the wires. I spent good money a few years ago on beefy 8mm wires with ceramic boots to take the heat from the headers I installed a decade ago! Never used the truck much, until the last few years. Bought 57 foot boat and definitely need a truck to move all the gear around! Gas mileage is my only complaint when this truck runs properly! It's been a flawless vehicle for years! Shame I had to treat it like an ex-wife!?

 

I PM'd you

 

Roger! The fact I'm on an island in Alaska makes it difficult to do anything about parts for this, as they say, orphaned V10 dodge! We shall see what the ultimate diagnosis is if and when we get it run n? I will keep you posted!

 

Progress! Almost have it back together. Couple more hours!


Look at the crud I blew out of the vent hose from the driverside valve cover to the upper intake plenum???? Not good!

 

Figured out the easiest way to install the upper plenum gasket! Slide the plenum in place without the gasket. Then tilt the plenum to the passenger side and slip the gasket between the upper and lower manifold! I put 1" blue tape on the back three long bolts between the head of the bolt and the plenum itself. This holds the long bolts up out of the way when you slide it on! Helps to have little tiny hands of which I don't! Gotta relax and take your time with this piece. Cheers!

Slide plenum onto intake manifold without the gasket. Move the plenum into place and tip it to the passenger side of the vehicle. Slide the gasket in and tighten! Easy peasey!
Make sure you have a 1/2" gear wrench for those three back bolts! It will keep the blood pressure down! Much easier!

 

It's all back together! It's late. Everyone is sleeping. So I can't fire up the truck until the am! Need water in the radiator and to hook up the battery! Stand by........

Only broke on plastic hose clip and have no extra bolts!

 

What? No extra bolts? What did you do wrong?

 

Learning from past experience. I put every bolt back where they came from right after I removed the parts! No questioning where they went! Saved me some time too. The old upper plenum gasket had to be scraped off and cleaned up. That took a couple hours! Looks like about 25 hours of labor. 10 hours to take it apart and 15 to put it back together! Saved thousands doing it thru this site! I really appreciate the cyber assistance! Now the million dollar question is...........? Did it work?

Had to work on my boat after I left the shop. Didn't get to bed til after 3am. It's 0917! Time to go back to work! Stand by y'all!