Ha! You spend a lot less of my money that the guys down at my neighborhood mechanic. Thanks a ton. Air filter and O2 sensor are now on the list.

 

Thanks Moparite - I've heard a few people mention this. What symptoms would I be looking for to indicate this is weak or failing?

Sorry, I'm noob1000 on anything but a motorcycle.

 

excessive oil consumption, lack of power below about 3K RPM, possibly mystery misfires, fouling plugs (especially number 8), bad gas mileage. (worse than normal..... I now it ain't exactly great even when everything is working right...) You can look down the throttle body, crack it wide open, see what you see. If you see oil pooling in there, gasket is blown.