probably your upper intake manifold.  That manifold on your engine is made of plastic and usually cracks about now.
On a ten year old car with no major maintenance  having ever been performed I would plan on a new belt and automatic tensioner,  flushing the cooling system, replacing the hoses, spark plugs, ignition wires  and all the filters.  Also have your mechanic look it all over real good to spot and hopefully avoid other potential trouble.

Dear JB,

mate to the transmission, so that makes it an engine and transmission swap.  Then the drive shaft won't work out, so there's a custom made driveshaft ($300).  The mount on both the engine and  transmission won't fit so there's some custom fabrication (5 hours at $75 =  $375).  The exhaust pipes won't fit: custom exhaust ($250).  None of  your linkage cables will be the same such as throttle and transmission shift  cables, so there is added expense and aggravation (let's round that one off to $100).  Here's a short list of additional problems to consider before we move into the real problems: brackets for the alternator, power steering and air conditioning, a radiator with the inlet and outlet pipes in the correct places, the right power steering pump and the correct fuel pump system.  (Since none of us know what all that would entail let's attach a $750 value to it.  We can always laugh at ourselves  later).
Now we can address the real problem - the  electrical system.  Your truck has a sophisticated OBDII computer which not only controls the engine, but shifts the transmission and controls all your dashboard gauges as well as the speedometer.  To do this it relies on a myriad of sensors which you plan on dumping into the nearest trash can.  In short, there really is no way to do what you are wanting to  do and still have your truck even remotely resemble its factory self.


JB Griffin is an ASE Certified Master Technician.  He owns and  operates JB's Japanese and American Auto Repair in Evensville, Tennessee.  You may e-mail your car questions to jeepster1515@yahoo.com (mailto:Jeepster1515@yahoo.com). Be sure  to watch him on WDEF News Channel 12 each Thursday morning at 7:30 AM.  You  can have your questions answered live!  Listen to The Saturday Morning  Garage on Saturday mornings from 7-9 on WGOW 102.3 FM where you will have the  opportunity to have more of your questions answered by JB, Steve Ray and Don  Britton.