Plenum Gasket

[96GreenMachine]

Ok so i got my 96 1500 with the 318 in it. And well i seem to burn oil constantly, adding a quart a month. I was wondering is it the plenum gasket that is causing my oil to dissapear. There is no visible oil residue anywhere. Also my check engine light is on and i was wondering if the plenum gasket could trigger that. I'm going to get a reader so i can know what code its throwing. The truck lags in acceleration and has constant backfiring on acceleration and deceleration. I think possibly my cat has clogged as well. That would make the third one for this truck that i know of. Input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[lilfroger]

Oh yeah you'll be doing the install.  i11m10c2 just posted a tear down on it.

The CEL is more than likely going to give you a vacuum leak or MAP sensor error because of the plenum gasket failure.

The lack of throttle response is also going to be fixed by the plenum.  Hard for the truck to get up and run when their is oil in the air.

This side of the plenum plate is supposed to be clean...it's the air side:

[96GreenMachine]

do you know if it will also fix the backfiring issue. The truck has always backfired when i let off the gas and i'm goin down a hill in high rpms but now it does it on acceleration and idle even.

[lilfroger]

Our 99 didn't ever do that...so not 100%

[i11m10c2]

yupe...if the leak is bad enough you'll get a back fire from the plenum gasket failure.

[96GreenMachine]

well then my gasket must be pretty well blown away then. I got what sounds like gunshots coming out of my truck. I start the project tomorrow morning and can hopefully have it done in one day.

[96GreenMachine]

do the injectors just pull out? I think they'll come if i pull and pry but i don't want to damage anything.
And is there anything i should be looking for as far as possible damage to the plate or manifold due to the bad gasket?

[Pappa Gluth]

The injectors are sealed with a o-ring. If you gently rotate them they should pop out pretty easy. You should also use new seals when you put them back in.

[Batman]

When I did that plenum gasket (also called belly pan gasket) on a '99 5.2L I left the injectors in the intake.  Of course, '99 may have been different, this was the intake that looks like a beer barrel on top of the engine.  Just had to make sure and not get the injector connectors mixed up, i think they were all marked anyway.

[i11m10c2]

i pulled the injector o rings and lubed them with oil then reinstalled btw check the spark plug wire routing if they are touching you could get a misfire that would explain the backfiring  these motors are sensitive to the route the wires take there was a dodge tsb on the subject

[96GreenMachine]

ok so one of the injectors popped off of the fuel rail. The chilton manual says they just push on and that clip holds them on. But i can't get the injector to go in far enough so i can get the clip on.
My question is, whats the secret to getting it back on? When i press on the schrader valve nothing comes out, no fuel or any sign of it releasing pressure. So i don't know if theres still pressure in the line and thats why i can't get it to go back or what the issue is.

[lilfroger]

So you were trying to lift the rail & one of the injectors stayed in the intake and the other 7 came out?

When you do the schrader valve it wont seem like anything happens...that's OK.

[96GreenMachine]

yeah, all 7 came out on the rail except for one. And of course its one of the back ones so it's a real pita to try and put back.