schwartzy18510
Junior Member
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2023
- Posts
- 16
- Reaction score
- 42
- Location
- Sturgis, MI
- Ram Year
- 2008
- Engine
- 5.7L HEMI V8
New owner of a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4x4 w/the 5.7L HEMI. Looking to perform a minor tune-up before doing some towing this summer, but ran into conflicting specs from Dodge when it came to spark plug gap and was hoping someone could shed some light on the situation. I've found OEM sources recommending .040", .043", and .045" and would like to know which is deemed to be correct.
I have attached photos of the various sources I've consulted thus far along with the gap each recommends, and have summarized my findings below:
1) Owner's Manual — .043" (PDF page 513)
2) Factory Service Manual — .040" (PDF page 845)
3) My Underhood VECI Label — N/A (missing)
4) Random 2006 Ram 1500 VECI Label — .045"
5) 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Rock Auto Catalog — .040"/.044"/.045" (with a damning note that OE-recommended gap is .044"!)
As you can see, there appears to be no consensus, even amongst the OEM Dodge documentation. The fact that the listed spark plug type of REC14MCC4 in the Owner's Manual and Factory Service Manual doesn't exist and appears to have been a typo instead of the correct RE14MCC4 number inspires even less confidence.
At this point I'm inclined to simply purchase the OEM Champion 570 (.045") or NGK 5306 (.044") copper plugs and gap them to the minimum spec I've found thus far of .040", but would like input from others on ideal gap, particularly 2006-2008 Ram 1500 HEMI owners who can consult their underhood VECI labels.
I have attached photos of the various sources I've consulted thus far along with the gap each recommends, and have summarized my findings below:
1) Owner's Manual — .043" (PDF page 513)
2) Factory Service Manual — .040" (PDF page 845)
3) My Underhood VECI Label — N/A (missing)
4) Random 2006 Ram 1500 VECI Label — .045"
5) 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Rock Auto Catalog — .040"/.044"/.045" (with a damning note that OE-recommended gap is .044"!)
As you can see, there appears to be no consensus, even amongst the OEM Dodge documentation. The fact that the listed spark plug type of REC14MCC4 in the Owner's Manual and Factory Service Manual doesn't exist and appears to have been a typo instead of the correct RE14MCC4 number inspires even less confidence.
At this point I'm inclined to simply purchase the OEM Champion 570 (.045") or NGK 5306 (.044") copper plugs and gap them to the minimum spec I've found thus far of .040", but would like input from others on ideal gap, particularly 2006-2008 Ram 1500 HEMI owners who can consult their underhood VECI labels.