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Intake Gasket Leak?????????

14K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  ColoDak 
#1 ·
:huh: :anyone: :help:
I have an 01 Dodge Dakota with the V8 5.9L; Dodge Service Dept. is saying that I have an intake gasket leak. The man said that if you look down the carburator or throttle body it is full of oil. This is how they know the gasket needs to be replaced. ???Is that true????

What are your thoughts or experiences with this?? Is the man true about the leak or just trying to break me???
 
#4 ·
Yes, what he's telling you is true. It's a very common problem with these trucks. Whether or not yours is really leaking, well you'd have to open up the butterflies on your throttle body and look for yourself. But chances are it's blown. My advice would be to go down to the dealership and ask the service tech to show you, so you can see for yourself before authorizing the work and paying out the arse for the labor.
 
#5 ·
/\/\/\ What he said. It's a fairly easy fix, but time consuming so if you're paying to have it done, it's the labor that will add up. The gasket itself is cheap.
 
#6 ·
Had mine done under warrenty, you can tell by oil smoke when running (especially at idle) that is how I found mine. Plus it increased my oil usage. Dealer did mine under ext. warrenty, $100.00. Have been told that most dealer charge about $400.00 to do the work. Also, if you have the money to upgrade to the M1 manifold, now is the time, if the dealer does it, you'll have a factory warrenty on the upgrade.
 
#8 ·
Look at the upper radiator hose and follow that to the engine. You will see it connects to a metal tube with 2 bolts holding it on. The T-stat is between that tube and the intake manifold. Just need an extension and a 13mm socket I believe.
 
#9 ·
nickxrunner said:
:huh: :anyone: :help:
I have an 01 Dodge Dakota with the V8 5.9L; Dodge Service Dept. is saying that I have an intake gasket leak. The man said that if you look down the carburator or throttle body it is full of oil. This is how they know the gasket needs to be replaced. ???Is that true????

What are your thoughts or experiences with this?? Is the man true about the leak or just trying to break me???

did you look down the tb? does it look wet? if it does, the gasket is done. as what other have said, its a very common issue. problem is, is the ban is steel and the intake is aluminum. go figure why they did it that way, but the two dissimilar metals react to heat differently, thus needing the gasket there, and it being prone to failing.
 
#10 ·
Here is how the local dealership in my area checks for the belly pan gasket.

1)Take the flexible tube off the air hat,
2)Take a clipboard, flat piece of card board, something flat and lightweight but big enough where it won't get sucked in.
3)With the engine at idle, take that flat, lightweight piece of whatever and cover the hole coming out of the air hat.

Results: If the object gets stuck to the air hat and kills the engine, your belly pan gasket is good. If the engine keeps running like nothing happened, your belly pan gasket is shot.
 
#11 ·
Drdan524 said:
Here is how the local dealership in my area checks for the belly pan gasket.

1)Take the flexible tube off the air hat,
2)Take a clipboard, flat piece of card board, something flat and lightweight but big enough where it won't get sucked in.
3)With the engine at idle, take that flat, lightweight piece of whatever and cover the hole coming out of the air hat.

Results: If the object gets stuck to the air hat and kills the engine, your belly pan gasket is good. If the engine keeps running like nothing happened, your belly pan gasket is shot.
I would stay very far away from that dealership and it's technicians.
 
#12 ·
nickxrunner said:
Does anyone know for sure, with my motor the V8 5.9L, how hard it is to change the Thermostat and its gasket? Where is it located at on the motor and how hard it is to get to???
Again, thanks so much for all your help.

I just did mine (last week), go to the dealer and buy a new upper hose, water neck, and gasket (water neck is a dealer only item and runs about $10.88), I think my total parts cost was $69.00. The front screw is a bitch to remove. The reason I say to replace the water neck, they are very thin alum. and the first time you unbolt it, it will warp. It is located between the alt. and a/c compressor, you'll need the following tools to acomplish it.

3/8 drive ratchet
9" of extensions
1/2 9/16 sockets

You need to remove the support bracket between the alternator and the manifold to make access easier. The bolts are PITA to remove, when putting them back in, use heavy grease or similar substance to hold the bolts into the socket when dropping them into place. Even with the new water neck and gasket, use a little bit of RTV between the gasket and the waterneck and the gasket and the manifold. Depending on your talent, about a 1 1/2 to 2 hr job. Be very careful with those bolts, if you drop them, they will get lost very easily.

VERY IMPORTANT: The radiator drain plug is concealed behind your fan shroud. If you have someplace to safely drain the coolant, just unbolt the hose at the radiator and at the block and let the coolant drop to the ground or catch pan. You will lose maybe 1/2 to 3/4 gallon. Would be a good time to flush the system while your at it.
 
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