ok .. since im too cheap to take this thing to the shop.. (500 bucks worth of shop) can someone with half a brain please give me some 'instructions' on what the best way to replace this plenum intake gasket on my truck.. the pinging is driving me out of my head.. and i just plain dont have the $$ to drop into the gasket to get it fixed unless i do it myself.. hell the gasket i can pick up at the local auto parts store for 35 bucks.. where as the dealership wants 100 for the gasket and 400 to replace it.. anyone that can help .. i appreciate it.. thanks.. also with this thing.. i an hearing a constant kind of metal to metal sound in the engine.. almost sounds like water pump is going.. i looked and looked last night and i could not figure out what it is.. i watched the water pump.. looks great.. alt. looks good.. all looks good under the hood.. the belt will get a little slack when i hit the gas on it.. and it will let out a short squeel.. but i cant see anything moving out of place.. theres no leaks.. and all guages are in proper specs.. any ideas?

 

not sure about chaning gasket but the noise you are hearing is the idler pulley. my sounded like that on my 97 5.2. all of a sudden it squealed real loud than froze up. next thing truck died because i melted the belt off the pulley

 

first of all, if you replace the gasket with a regular gasket youre gonna end up with the same problem again. you need to upgrade. http://www.hughesengines.com/partDet...p?partID=11698.
its really easy.you dont really need instructions because its not difficult.look at the engine... everything on the top of the intake comes off (you really dont have to remove the injectors) (you should pick up a fuel line disconnect tool). the alt and ac and brackets on the front of the intake come off. the hughes kit comes with the gaskets you need and instructions onhow to torque them. you put four drops of rtv sealent in the four corners where the gaskets meet the heads. everything goes back on in the order you took it off.

 

a mechanic told me to put a vacuum gauge in the hole of the oil dipstick and if there is any vacuum then the plenum gasket it gone not sure if this holds true but worth a shot there shouldnt be any vacuum there any way.

 

Last I checked ... that's what the PCV valve is for ... supposed to have a bit of vacuum in the crankcase.

Here's the procedure: http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2000/09-05-00.htm

Oh ... and +1 on the Hughes Kit.

 

totally agreed on the Hughes kit. I have one... it was easy to install, came with good instructions, and helped 100%

 

well.. it warmed up a bit today... changed out the idler pully.. to a cost of 70 bucks.. wasnt the problem.. the on eon there was pretty stiff.. didnt self adjust like it should.. but i took off the belt.. started it up.. and the engine sounded good.. none of that noise.. changed it out.. and put the belt back on and it was there again.. so i guess.. i will start out with the water pump.. then the alt.. power steering.. and lastly the a/c compressor... hoping it dont get that far.. im thinking its either the pump or the alt. gonna put a stethoscope on it later to try to narrow it down.. gotta get this done b4 doing the plenum.. a thing on the plenum.. the mechanic told me it was the belly pan gasket.. im guessing its the same thing?

 

does 89 or 93 octane help any ?
here you go...

https://dodgeforum.com/m_334375/tm.htm
https://dodgeforum.com/m_589670/tm.htm
https://dodgeforum.com/m_654297/tm.htm

copied from trippinout post in the thread above...
I have NEVER taken anything apart on the engine and I found this to be a fairly mid level job (consider air filter and oil change beginner job). Have a 98 5.2L Ram 1500. Paid $180 to APS for alum. plenum pan deluxe kit (comes with new bolts) and next day shipping. $30 in cleaners, new fuel injector o-rings, and anti-freeze. $40 for oil and filter. $250 total!

Drain the anti-freeze
Take off the belt
Remove Air cleaner assembly
Remove AC compressor and bracket. set out of the way in engine bay.
Remove Alternator (be careful of the ground wire, I snapped mine because I was not being patient)
Remove pulley by alternator
Remove the radiator hose and bypass hose
Remove throttle body and cables
Remove Fuel Rail (if you keep all of the injectors in the rail, you do NOT have to depressurize the fuel system. If you cant keep all of the injectors in the rail, your fuel pump does the re-pressurization for you.)
Remove vaccum lines
Remove the Intake
Remove plenum pan
Scrap off the old gaskets on intake for plenum pan and intake manifolds.
Use 80 or 100 grit sand paper to take to bare metal.
Climb up into your engine and place towel over the guts of engine (rods and standing oil)
Scrap the old gasket off the intake manifold. Towel will catch the big junks so they dont cycle thru the engine.
Use 80 or 100 grit sand paper to take to bare metal.
Use cleaner to clean the oil out of the intake manifold and throttle body.
Put the light coat of Ultra copper sealant on the intake where plenum gasket will sit.
Put the plenum gasket on the bottom of the intake.
Put the plenum pan on top of gasket.
Finger tighten the bolts for the plenum pan
Use Torgue wrench to tighten the bolts. 24 inch pounds, then 48 inch pounds, and finally 84 inch pounds.
Put some ultra copper sealant on the intake manifold.
Place the gaskets on top, be sure that they are facing the correct way.
Place intake back on engine block *be careful not to slide the intake or you may damage the new gaskets*
Tighten intake bolts
Reconnect vaccum lines
Reseat the fuel rail, fuel injectors
Replace the throttle body and cables
Replace the radiator hoses and by-pass hose
Replace alternator
Replace pulley
Replace the AC compressor and bracket
Replace the fan belt (get a new one if your not sure about the old one)
Refill the anti-freeze. Also good time to add some rust stopper or alum-a-seal if you need to.
There is some debate about letting the Ultra copper harden for 12 hours or not. Read the tube and you decide.
Test drive the truck! Warm up and cycle the oil thru the filter.
Change the oil and oil filter.
Check your anti-freeze level over the next couple of days to make sure that you have topped it off.
Check your spark plugs, wires, and ignition cap. Replace if necessary (plugs had to be replace before truck really began to run nice. Plugs fouled up something fierce. Wires and cap were still good.)

This took me about 6 hours to do, 5 not counting time spent looking for that damn inch pound torque wrench. The torque wrench can also be in the 1 pound to 10 pound range. NAPA had one for $70. Sears has some ranging from $80 - $250.

If worried about losing bolts, get some ziploc bags and a sharpie. Label them accordingly (ie alternator, throttle body, ac compressor, ac bracket, pulley, intake, plenum) I did it because that is what I have the most trouble remembering. It looks like a big bad job, but it really is pretty easy.

 

https://dodgeforum.com/m_249261/tm.htm

DIY by steve05ram360

 

nah.. it dont matter what grade goes in it.. and steve.. looks good.. imma give it a shot.. havent done much with this dodge.. i love my truck.. fraid to jack it all up i guess.. but im going to give it a shot here in the next few days.. be prepared for my cryin like a lil b*tch when i mess it up and come beggin for help lol