Introduction / Initial Plan

[JJB]

Hi everybody.. my name is Joey, and I bought a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 5.2L with ~140k miles on it and I just stumbled upon the issue with the plenum. I've been looking through a bunch of these threads and put together an initial list to do:

Plenum Repair Kit: Hughes Magnum PRK $119.95
O2 sensors:
NTK Pre Cat $36.99
NTK Post Cat $47.99
Distributor Cap/Rotor: Davis Unified Ignition Cap and Rotor Kit $35.00
Sparkplug Wires: Summit Racing $31.97
Timing set: COMP Cams Magnum Double Roller $42.97
Tune:

I've already replaced the spark plugs.

I'd appreciate any other suggestions
I'm not looking to spend too much, seeing as there are already 140k miles on it, just get it to where a 5.2L V8 should be performance-wise.
Thanks!

 

[Blackram]

Hi everybody.. my name is Joey, and I bought a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 5.2L with ~140k miles on it and I just stumbled upon the issue with the plenum. I've been looking through a bunch of these threads and put together an initial list to do:

Plenum Repair Kit:Hughes Magnum PRK$119.95
O2 sensors:
NTK Pre Cat$36.99
NTK Post Cat$47.99
Distributor Cap/Rotoravis Unified Ignition Cap and Rotor Kit$35.00
Sparkplug Wires:Summit Racing $31.97
Timing set:COMP Cams Magnum Double Roller$42.97
Tune:

I've already replaced the spark plugs.

I'd appreciate any other suggestions
I'm not looking to spend too much, seeing as there are already 140k miles on it, just get it to where a 5.2L V8 should be performance-wise.
Thanks!

Get yourself a set of hs 1.7 roller rockers. Great mod. After that, a ported throttle body.

 

[WarrenRam]

The Hughes kit is great. I did the kit on my 98 5.2 and it was issue free for the rest of the time I had the vehicle, 4 years and 60 thousand miles or so. When you see the Hughes and the stock belly pan side by side, you'll see the difference.

 

[dodge dude94]

Don't get Hughes. If you read my plenum write-up you'd have seen that I recommend the plenum pan from an eBay seller. He is a Dodge enthusiast with a heavily modified Dakota RT and he cuts plenum plates as a side business. I personally have one in my truck and I can tell you it's a nice piece of equipment. He ships them with plenum bolts and you have to buy the gasket kit seperately. The gasket kit hughes sends is ****** compared to what you actually need. Spend your money better and support a Mopar guy.
You can get pretty much all your parts from Rockauto fairly cheap. The timing set for example, is 33 bucks or so at RA compared to that on Summit. Granted it's not Comp, so if you're looking for a "nice" brand, you won't find it, but Cloyes works perfectly fine.

 

[Johnn123]

Hi everybody.. my name is Joey, and I bought a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 5.2L with ~140k miles on it and I just stumbled upon the issue with the plenum. I've been looking through a bunch of these threads and put together an initial list to do:

Plenum Repair Kit: Hughes Magnum PRK $119.95
O2 sensors:
NTK Pre Cat $36.99
NTK Post Cat $47.99
Distributor Cap/Rotor: Davis Unified Ignition Cap and Rotor Kit $35.00
Sparkplug Wires: Summit Racing $31.97
Timing set: COMP Cams Magnum Double Roller $42.97
Tune:

I've already replaced the spark plugs.

I'd appreciate any other suggestions
I'm not looking to spend too much, seeing as there are already 140k miles on it, just get it to where a 5.2L V8 should be performance-wise.
Thanks!

The full "list" for a plenum, as I always recommend, is the plenum itself, distributor cap and rotor, plugs and wires, front o2, catalytic convertor, water pump and DRTS. Your cat will be toast from the burning oil, if your gonna fix it you should replace that. Same reason behind the o2. Wouldn't worry about the rear o2.

Seafoam after everything. Never forget the seafoam.

Read the stickied plenum thread, will tell you everything. Check out rockauto.com too. No need to spend $35 on a cap and rotor thats insane. I spent $10 on them and they work just fine.

 

[JJB]

Thanks for the replies, it's very helpful seeing as I was in kind of 'information overload' about everything that could/should be done.

I recommend the plenum pan from an eBay seller. He is a Dodge enthusiast with a heavily modified Dakota RT and he cuts plenum plates as a side business.

Is this the seller/part you were talking about?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DODGE-JEEP-...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item3a86c03366

What is a DRTS?

Also, thanks for the rockauto link.. always nice to save money.

 

[WarrenRam]

Don't get Hughes. The gasket kit hughes sends is ****** compared to what you actually need. Spend your money better and support a Mopar guy.

Well, by your stated age I suppose you don't have a personal real world 4 year/60k mile testimony to back up whatever part it is your pushing here. I don't have any experience with your suggested plenum upgrade but I do have it with the Hughes I used. And I'm far from the only one; search the web. 60,000 miles (and still operating correctly when the vehicle and I parted ways) doesn't equate to '******' to me. It equates to money well spent.

 

[dodge dude94]

Thanks for the replies, it's very helpful seeing as I was in kind of 'information overload' about everything that could/should be done.


Is this the seller/part you were talking about?
Dodge Jeep Aluminum Plenum Plate Belly Pan 318 360 5 2 5 9 Manifold Repair Kit | eBay

What is a DRTS?

Also, thanks for the rockauto link.. always nice to save money.

Yep that's the plate.
DRTS is a Double Roller Timing Set. Stock timing sets are Morse-style, where the links are plastic coated. They're quiet, for about 50k mi, then the plastic flakes off and gives the chain tons of slop.

Well, by your stated age I suppose you don't have a personal real world 4 year/60k mile testimony to back up whatever part it is your pushing here. I don't have any experience with your suggested plenum upgrade but I do have it with the Hughes I used. And I'm far from the only one; search the web. 60,000 miles (and still operating correctly when the vehicle and I parted ways) doesn't equate to '******' to me. It equates to money well spent.

And if you'd have done it all over again today, you'd find that the gasket kit is ****** when compared to what you can get from Rockauto for less money then you spent on the Hughes stuff.

 

[WarrenRam]

And if you'd have done it all over again today, you'd find that the gasket kit is ****** when compared to what you can get from Rockauto for less money then you spent on the Hughes stuff.

Highly doubt you can speak for me. If I get another Magnum that is in need of the plenum kit, I will get the Hughes again based on my actual previous experience, not based on anecdotal stories from an internet gangsta that has shown his penchant for bullying in other threads within the past 24 hours, and appears to prefer shoving his opinion down the throats of forum members while flippantly downplaying conflicting input from other users. I appreciate you putting a gun to your head, but really, it's not necessary. Just mature a bit and accept that there are other opinions aside from your own.

OP is looking for tips and advice. I buttressed his decision to use the Hughes kit and you said it was '******' with no supporting evidence of premature failures to support the claim. I'm here to tell you that the one time I used the Hughes kit, it held up with no issue for 60,000 miles and beyond, and that is first person testimony. From here he can make his own decisions.

 

[dodge dude94]

Highly doubt you can speak for me. If I get another Magnum that is in need of the plenum kit, I will get the Hughes again based on my actual previous experience, not based on anecdotal stories from an internet gangsta that has shown his penchant for bullying in other threads within the past 24 hours, and appears to prefer shoving his opinion down the throats of forum members while flippantly downplaying conflicting input from other users. I appreciate you putting a gun to your head, but really, it's not necessary. Just mature a bit and accept that there are other opinions aside from your own.

OP is looking for tips and advice. I buttressed his decision to use the Hughes kit and you said it was '******' with no supporting evidence of premature failures to support the claim. I'm here to tell you that the one time I used the Hughes kit, it held up with no issue for 60,000 miles and beyond, and that is first person testimony. From here he can make his own decisions.

You do what YOU want to. I don't care. I am, however offering the OP an alternative to what people still blindly use and tout.

 

[WarrenRam]

You do what YOU want to. I don't care. I am, however offering the OP an alternative to what people still blindly use and tout.

Blindly use, lol. Yeah, that 60,000 mile test drive is hardly enough to convince me to give the Hughes another try . I'm offering the OP the piece of mind that if he pursues his current route, he will not be disappointed. I have no skin in the game. I'm not affiliated with Hughes in any way. But, it's a good kit, with belly pan, new pan and intake bolts, and needed gasketry. By the way, it worked for me, and held up just fine until I sold the truck, 60,000 miles and who knows how many more after it left my care. Do you still think it's '******'?

 

[dodge dude94]

Honestly, I think you're still pushing the argument.

 

[WarrenRam]

Honestly, I think you're still pushing the argument.

Kinda wasn't one until you decided the Hughes was junk, is how I see it. Your kit may well just be fine, but I don't see how it makes the Hughes kit ******.

 

[Johnn123]

Well, by your stated age I suppose you don't have a personal real world 4 year/60k mile testimony to back up whatever part it is your pushing here. I don't have any experience with your suggested plenum upgrade but I do have it with the Hughes I used. And I'm far from the only one; search the web. 60,000 miles (and still operating correctly when the vehicle and I parted ways) doesn't equate to '******' to me. It equates to money well spent.

Yep that's the plate.
DRTS is a Double Roller Timing Set. Stock timing sets are Morse-style, where the links are plastic coated. They're quiet, for about 50k mi, then the plastic flakes off and gives the chain tons of slop.

And if you'd have done it all over again today, you'd find that the gasket kit is ****** when compared to what you can get from Rockauto for less money then you spent on the Hughes stuff.

Sorry man I'm on WarrenRams side on this, yes the Hughes Kit costs a little more, but it works just fine I've had it installed for nearly a year now no issues. I would buy it again. Just the fact its an all in one kit is what I likeTo each his own though.

+1 on the double roller timing set (DRTS).

 

[JJB]

Get yourself a set of hs 1.7 roller rockers. Great mod. After that, a ported throttle body.

What all goes into installing roller rockers? Is it something that can be done later without too much hassle, or is it much easier when changing the plenum?

 

[dodge dude94]

What all goes into installing roller rockers? Is it something that can be done later without too much hassle, or is it much easier when changing the plenum?

Pull the valve covers off, remove the old rockers, install new ones. Pretty straight forward. I think the hardest part would be moving all the wires, heater hoses, and cleaning all the crap off from around them.


http://www.summitracing.com/search/...ding&keyword=harland sharp 1.7 roller rockers

I forget which ones are the right ones to use. Maybe if I filtered better.





As for the plenum, I'm a cheap *******. That is all.

 

[heavymetal]

Don't get Hughes. If you read my plenum write-up you'd have seen that I recommend the plenum pan from an eBay seller. He is a Dodge enthusiast with a heavily modified Dakota RT and he cuts plenum plates as a side business. I personally have one in my truck and I can tell you it's a nice piece of equipment. He ships them with plenum bolts and you have to buy the gasket kit seperately. The gasket kit hughes sends is ****** compared to what you actually need. Spend your money better and support a Mopar guy.
You can get pretty much all your parts from Rockauto fairly cheap. The timing set for example, is 33 bucks or so at RA compared to that on Summit. Granted it's not Comp, so if you're looking for a "nice" brand, you won't find it, but Cloyes works perfectly fine.

got a link for this ebay plate guy? i was thinking on making my own..but if the price is right

 

[dodge dude94]

got a link for this ebay plate guy? i was thinking on making my own..but if the price is right

Dodge Jeep Aluminum Plenum Plate Belly Pan 318 360 5 2 5 9 Manifold Repair Kit | eBay

He also bores and polishes out stock throttle bodies. I've seen his work, it's up there with Hughes and Fastman.

 

[heavymetal]

Hi everybody.. my name is Joey, and I bought a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 5.2L with ~140k miles on it and I just stumbled upon the issue with the plenum. I've been looking through a bunch of these threads and put together an initial list to do:

Plenum Repair Kit: Hughes Magnum PRK $119.95
O2 sensors:
NTK Pre Cat $36.99
NTK Post Cat $47.99
Distributor Cap/Rotor: Davis Unified Ignition Cap and Rotor Kit $35.00
Sparkplug Wires: Summit Racing $31.97
Timing set: COMP Cams Magnum Double Roller $42.97
Tune:

I've already replaced the spark plugs.

I'd appreciate any other suggestions
I'm not looking to spend too much, seeing as there are already 140k miles on it, just get it to where a 5.2L V8 should be performance-wise.
Thanks!

theres a list of cheap, quick bolts on's or how to's on this forum. i've had a handful of these 318/360 motors in 4 different trucks now, most guys will tell you the same

basic/cheap - cold air intake, chip, good tune up, bit of exhaust work, port and polish stock throttle body...coil spacers, 1 size bigger mud/ a/t tires

power/money - roller rockers, headers, bigger throttle body, true duals, injectors...long arms with 6-8 inch lift, 1 ton axle swap, gears and 38's

best advice i can give you is think about where you want your truck to be long term, build it once.

post pics

 

[heavymetal]

Dodge Jeep Aluminum Plenum Plate Belly Pan 318 360 5 2 5 9 Manifold Repair Kit | eBay

He also bores and polishes out stock throttle bodies. I've seen his work, it's up there with Hughes and Fastman.

Looks great , thanks. I did my TB when i first got the truck, posted pics. i have 1 more buggered up spark plug to get out and then intake gaskets..from rockauto.