Dodge Ram is a prominent vehicle among Americans. However, they are also popular in other parts of the world. Dodge makes some of the most powerful and superior engines of any vehicle present today. Their engine is made up of a motor which is divided into two pieces. However, today we will discuss Dodge Ram Plenum Gasket Recall.
The upper part of the motor is made up of cast aluminum. This makes the motor very sturdy and rigid. Further, it precludes the motor from rusting as it is made up of aluminum. Aluminum has an oxide layer that prevents the oxidation of the metal part further protecting it from rusting. We all know rusting is an unwanted hazard of vehicles and this is an impeccable way to prevent it.
Moreover, the down part of the motor is made up of stamped steel plate. However, they needed to connect these two metals in between with a gasket. The advancement leads to problems too. The gasket fails over time as you use the vehicle. The reasons can be several as there are tons of viewpoints of why the gasket fails.
There are several signs to know when the gasket fails. Let’s dive into details and the signs of its failure.
Contents
Some Signs Of A Failing Gasket And The Solve
Here we will know some of the signs for a failing gasket. They are listed below.
- The surge of oil consumption.
- A pinging noise from the motor.
- Blue smoke from the tailpipe of your dodge ram.
- Motor miss in cylinder 8 most of the time.
- Not smooth idling.
- Fault in the spark plugs.
- Poor performance of the vehicle.
So is there any way to test if it is leaking? Let us see below
Leaking Test?
You need to open the TB of your Dodge Ram. Now, look at the intake and see if there is adequate oil in there. However, this is not a good test to find out. This is because there are several vortexes inside the intake.
Those vortexes might put the oil somewhere else inside the intake. Therefore, the idea of looking inside the intake from the TB is not a wise idea of diagnosing it.
So what harm can the leaking plenum gasket bring to the motor of your Dodge Ram?
MORE: Chevy Truck Blower Motor Problems
The Harm Of A Leaking Gasket
The leaking gasket can harm your spark plugs. Moreover, the results are more severe if you leave the leaking gasket for too long. The oil spill might impact the spark plugs and burn them. Resulting in foul spark plugs.
Moreover, the oxygen sensors might also get impacted. Spilling oil in the oxygen sensors damages the sensor permanently resulting in foul oxygen sensors.
Your catalytic convertor might also get damaged. Catalytic converters convert harmful exhaust gases into less harmful ones. However, damaging the convertor will result in greenhouse gases and toxic gases. Similarly, catalytic converters are expensive and will cost you a lot to change. Moreover, if you run the cat plugs in that way, it has a high chance of breaking down the weak heads which are already weak.
So how can you see if the gasket has been fixed before?
Place a telescopic magnet on the TB. Check if there is any steel plate or any aftermarket aluminum plates. Your magnet should stick to the bottom. However, if it does not stick to the bottom, it has been changed to an aftermarket aluminum plate. This is because aluminum plates do not attract magnets.
There are some ways to fix the gasket. Nevertheless, if you have already fixed it before, do not attempt these steps. Although, if you have not fixed it before, proceed to the steps below.
Moreover, note that your magnet might get filled up with sludge. This is sure of on the amount of dirt your intake has. Further, this process may work or may not work at all. We advise you to seafoam before starting the process.
The Fix
There are a few advertisements on how to deal with this problem from Dodge. One such way is to route the spark plug wires. The further step is the Death Flash. Both of these TSB’s are TSB 18-48-98 and TSB 18-34-97.
However, both of them are just pointless. The main TSB is 09-05-00. This is where the work is done suitably.
The Aftermarket Solution
Aftermarket solution offers you aluminum alternate plates. You will get one on eBay and another on Hughes Engine. Moreover, this is one of the ways to solve the engine problem.
Replacement Intakes
The options are one Mopar M1. And the other two are Hughes F1. Both of them are expensive and will cost you tons of money. Regardless, you should use both of them with supporting mods.
So, can you fix the dilemma by yourself?
Affirmative, you can do all of it by yourself. However, many make a common mistake. They mix up the torque settings for the bolts intake. Moreover, notice that the torque settings are in Inch Lbs. Further, the other problem is the break of intake bolts. However, they can be removed with a vise grip.
READ NEXT: How To Disable Alarm On Dodge Ram Pickup
Verdict
You know by now why the dodge ram plenum gasket breaks down. Further, you also know the fix to the problem. This was all about the dodge ram plenum gasket recall.
The repair process might be expensive. But we advise you to fix it as soon as possible. Letting the gasket leakage will lead to severe problems. Some such problems are faulty oxygen sensors, foul spark plugs, foul catalytic converters.
Moreover, catalytic converters are very expensive. In some countries, driving with faulty catalytic converters is illegal as they remove greenhouse gases to prevent global warming. Ravage in the catalytic converter will release those harmful gases and harm the environment.