TOPIC: 1998 Dodge 5.9 L ALERT

Hi guys.

Yesterday, I was called on to modify a 98 Dodge Ram 1500, what the owner called his "Hunt Truck".

After the modification and capping the vacuum port to the PCV, I was checking the hoses when I discovered there was an active vacuum on the breather hose.

One of the guys there waiting for mods was a full-time mechanic some four hours North. As we could find no other source of vacuum to the crankcase, we theorized A) Bad Intake Manifold Gasket Bad Intake Manifold -or- C) Bad Head.

When he called his boss-a 24 year veteran mechanic-he said without hesitation the intake gasket had blown. Further, this is a common issue on these vehicles.

So, when you do one of these engines, CHECK THE BREATHER HOSE FOR VACUUM AFTER CAPPING THE PCV PORT. IF THERE IS VACUUM PRESENT, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OR THE GASKET and the customer needs to be alerted to that IMMEDIATELY.

Ron