New to Durangos, but not the 5.9, with questions

monkey sammich · Jan 16, 2011

I've "inherited" an 02 5.9 D and it's everything I remember in a gasser Dodge.

I used to own a 98 Dodge 1500 4x4 with the 5.9 that I dumped when the tranny crapped out and, before I traded it, I remember the intake plenum began leaking oil into the intake so it was pinging and burning oil. The fix was to either replace the plenum with a steel pan or to have the dealer reflash your computer to neuter your vehicle.

So, four years later, has Dodge fix the problem with the 360 or am I looking forward to another pinging, surging truck? The transmission already bit the dust and was replaced under warranty so it should be good for a few thousand miles.

dakattack · Jan 16, 2011

Nope.The magnum motors still blow those gaskets. They have a newly designed gasket for them that's suppose to prevent it, but I've still seen those fail.

MWeed · Jan 16, 2011

Unfortunately, the above is correct, except for one major improvement for the 5.9. There's now an M-1 manifold available. It's a radical but permanent repair. You replace the stock manifold with what's basically an aluminum "old school" style manifold so no more belly pan gasket to blow out. It also provides a better power band and throttle response with a tune of your PCM to give more hp and power. Still not CA smog legal (if you have a very smart and unbending inspector) but it won't really change the numbers out the exhaust for the sniffer. Expensive, but fun. It uses a stock TB or you can go to "The Fastman" and get a re-sized one for better airflow that can't be distinguished from stock (it's a stock TB with larger bores.)

Mod fever is a contagious and wonderful thing. wahaha!

IndyDurango · Jan 16, 2011

monkey,

Hello and welcome to the Durango Owners Club.

There's no need to jump to conclusions on your Durango. There were many hundreds of thousands of 5.9s sold between your 98 Ram and your 2002 Durango. While the transmission on the 5.9L needs to be serviced on a regular 30,000 mile schedule, it can last or outlast with the best of them. Failure to provide the proper maintenance and the resulting problems are on the head of the owner.

The plenum is know to leak, however it's tough to tell the conditions that LEAD to the failure. Again, proper modifications and maintenance (cooler stat, plenty of air, good and timely oil changes, good plugs, etc) and you may NEVER end up with a plenum issue.

The three plenum solutions are:

- good, clean "living"
- never replace with stocker replacement, instead use this repair kit from Hughes
- replace the stocker beer barrel intake with the performance M1 intake

My 5.9L is a 2000 with 225,000+ miles on it and no tranny issues and no plenum issues? ever. I have my fingers crossed that it won't become a "when", however if it does happen, it's earned whatever replacements it gets after so many faithful miles.

HTH

IndyDurango

SvynD · Jan 17, 2011

I had the plenum go around 86k and then again 10k later. The second time I looked around at Hughes and APS precision for a new plate. I don't use this vehicle as my fun toy so I decided it wasn't up my alley for the M1. I wasn't going to install it again with the knowledge that it'd let go yet once more and I didn't want to pay the money they wanted for a piece of aluminum. I simply found a piece of aluminum, traced around it with a scribe, clamped it up and drilled the holes first, then cut the outside with a scroll saw. After that I used a die grinder/sander to make it smooth and simply installed that. It did take a little time, but saved me some coin in the end. I'd have made this part the first time around except I was under a time crunch so I decided to try just replacing the gasket.

To be fairly honest, the reason the gasket went the second time could have been avoided, so I'm not blaming it for going the second time. Knock on wood, no problems yet and it has yet to use a drop of oil between changes with almost 110k on the clock. These motors might be old tech, but it's hard to beat their reliability.

<img src=http://thunderforked.com/dalecclark/images/2010/durangoplenum/P1290055.jpg width=640>

<img src=http://thunderforked.com/dalecclark/images/2010/durangoplenum/P1290056.jpg width=640>

<img src=http://thunderforked.com/dalecclark/images/2010/durangoplenum/P1290057.jpg width=640>

<img src=http://thunderforked.com/dalecclark/images/2010/durangoplenum/P1290059.jpg width=640>

<img src=http://thunderforked.com/dalecclark/images/2010/durangoplenum/P1230050.jpg width=640>

FSTDANGO3 · Jan 17, 2011

Nice big garage!

xbxjunkie · Jan 17, 2011

I'm liking the supercoupe :thumbsup:

MWeed · Jan 17, 2011

His garage is as big as my house.

SvynD · Jan 17, 2011

Thanks for the kudos on the garage and the SC! The garage is always too small? it always seems you manage to fill it all too fast! One day I'll have a lift dream and it'll get finished. We're working on building our house currently and just got married last year, so money is a bit tight for a while? which kind of puts the garage in a holding pattern.

tomk · Jan 17, 2011

SvynD said:
We're working on building our house currently

Perfect time to do the garage right!

SvynD said:
and just got married last year

Er, maybe not QUITE perfect.

New to Durangos, but not the 5.9, with questions

monkey sammich

dakattack

MWeed

IndyDurango

SvynD

FSTDANGO3

xbxjunkie

MWeed

SvynD

tomk

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