It's best to remove the throttle body and clean it thoroughly. Also, pick up a throttle body mounting gasket while you're at it to ensure there won't be any vacuum leaks. They're pretty cheap. The stock throttle body is made by Holley. I went with the Hughes Big Gulp upgraded throttle body and I could feel a difference from the driver's seat.

 

Once I purchased the used ring and pinions, I took the parts to my local friend that does driveline work for a living and he installed them on the truck as a side job for me. Swapping ring and pinions is best left to someone that knows how to setup differential gearing and has the appropriate tools to do the job correctly. If you can find the whole Dana 60 differentials reasonably, that job is much easier to do, especially for the rear differential. I swapped the rear Dana 60 on my truck to a late model 2nd gen Dana 60 with disc brakes. That rear differential swap on my truck was a direct bolt-in with only my speed sensor swapped to a '96 model sensor and using disc brake style parking brake cables for the later style rear. If you undertake swapping the front Dana 60 differential, you will need one from a '94 - '97 Ram 2500 for compatibility.

 

FYI, here is information about all things related to the known intake plenum issue with the 5.9 magnum engine - feel free to read and review - https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...um-thread.html

 

Ok, when I go to town, I'll pick up a gasket so I can clean it and also get a better look at my plenum. If I end up doing an upgraded tb, I think that's what I'll go with.
Right on. Thanks for the help! Trying to think if I know anyone that does that kinda stuff.
I've read quite a bit of that thread, probably should go reread it. If it is bad, is there normally a lot of pooled oil that could be seen in the bottom just by looking down through the throttle body?

 

Yes, you should see oil in the bottom floor of the intake if the plenum gasket is blown.

 

Again, thank you all for sharing your knowledge with me. I feel like a complete newbie as I grew up with Fords. This is the first Dodge I've been around (unless you want to count my first (running) truck, 91 Mitsubishi Mighty Max) as a Dodge.
That gives me some hope that I might not have to change it. Been doing a ton of reading onto that thread, and it sounds like a decent sized job.
How much oil are you talking? From when I looked this afternoon, there was a little bit of almost greesy sludge. I'd say maybe 2 or 3 times as thick as the oily carbon build up on the butterfly? valve on my tb.

 

If your throttle body has never been cleaned, now is a great time to clean it, given how much time has passed since the truck was new.

As for the plenum gasket, I'd suspect that yours may be blown as well given the sludge on the bottom of the intake floor. You may also want to consider changing the PCV valve as well, since a stuck PCV valve can cause the engine to suck in a bit of engine oil. If you make the PCV valve change, please try to use a Mopar PCV valve, as they are properly calibrated for that engine vs. what's available in the aftermarket.

 

Yep, planning to clean it asap.
Well, bummer! I hope it's already been done, but if not, that would maybe explain my lack of power. Weird thing is, it doesn't ping at all, which seems to be one of the first sites people notice.

 

Take it off and clean it. Easier that way, and the gasket it like 3 bucks.

Sensor on the right side??? Do you mean drivers side??

The 'greasy' look is likely normal. You don't get some crap in there via the PCV system. That's ok. Pooling oil though, is not.

 

Alrighty, I'll pick up a gasket tomorrow so I can clean it. That way I can check the plenum better. Really hoping it doesn't need done! Yeah, my bad, drivers side.