Should you DYI - coil and plug change or have a mechanic do it??

[EdGs]

........A topside creeper is in my future. Getting old sucks!

I bought a topside creeper a few years ago. Best money I've spent in a long time!.

Yes, makes life easier, but I get a sore abdomen from laying my fat a$$ on it.......lol.

 

[Sherman Bird]

You've padded those sharp corners like I did!

 

[Sherman Bird]

Just a small comment on .... "That high KV demand likely damaged the plugs" ........ Over my 55 years in this trade, I've seen a few things and one of those "things" is that a coil will only produce enough spark to fire a plug. The old days, when using an engine analyzer, we'd pull a plug wire to check coil output, then, we would ground the plug wire to see what the circuit resistance was on that wire. So, if a coil is continually putting out a higher than normal voltage, there is "higher than normal" circuit resistance in the secondary part of the ignition. Yes, indeed other components might be damaged as Sherman Bird says.

Without fail, I have had to remove so-called "performance" or "hot-rod" coils from EVERY stock application I've brought back to proper running in OBD systems. Ditto for non-stock plugs.

 

[EdGs]

You've padded those sharp corners like I did!

That was my FIL.

He built that shop, and planned to fix up and flip vehicles when he retired.

He worked on heavy equipment, concrete mixers, etc., for 45 years. He was very good and very sharp at learning how to do big jobs by himself. He was a really good person.

He had aggressive prostate cancer and beat it, but after he retired the cancer had returned and metastasized to the bone. He fought hard, but we watched it get worse and worse. A very strong 200 lb. man ended up 120 lbs when he passed.

He's on the left.


F ing cancer.

I miss him tremendously.

 

[Sherman Bird]

That was my FIL.

He built that shop, and planned to fix up and flip vehicles when he retired.

He worked on heavy equipment, concrete mixers, etc., for 45 years. He was very good and very sharp at learning how to do big jobs by himself. He was a really good person.

He had aggressive prostate cancer and beat it, but after he retired the cancer had returned and metastasized to the bone. He fought hard, but we watched it get worse and worse. A very strong 200 lb. man ended up 120 lbs when he passed.

He's on the left.
View attachment 572429

F ing cancer.

I miss him tremendously.

The cautionary sign reminds me of one I saw every day in the Oil Field Services machine shop where I worked 3 years right out of high school... "Machines Have NO MERCY! Wear PPE and observe ALL safety precautions."

 

[PowersOf12]

I just did mine at 180K miles (previously just did plugs at 60K and 120K) and I can't believe the quality improvement with the new coil packs, idle, acceleration, and even pedal feel.

Overall a somewhat easy 2 hours with a $300 kit from 1A Auto and tool from Amazon (GEARWRENCH 3/8" Drive 6 Pt. 5/8" x 6" Magnetic Swivel Spark Plug Socket - 80546)

 

[Wild one]

I just did mine at 180K miles (previously just did plugs at 60K and 120K) and I can't believe the quality improvement with the new coil packs, idle, acceleration, and even pedal feel.

Overall a somewhat easy 2 hours with a $300 kit from 1A Auto and tool from Amazon (GEARWRENCH 3/8" Drive 6 Pt. 5/8" x 6" Magnetic Swivel Spark Plug Socket - 80546)


View attachment 572861

Keep your old coils,as your aftermarket versions have a terrible rep.

 

[Zoe Saldana]

What are those 4 plugs behind the air filter?

I just did mine at 180K miles (previously just did plugs at 60K and 120K) and I can't believe the quality improvement with the new coil packs, idle, acceleration, and even pedal feel.

Overall a somewhat easy 2 hours with a $300 kit from 1A Auto and tool from Amazon (GEARWRENCH 3/8" Drive 6 Pt. 5/8" x 6" Magnetic Swivel Spark Plug Socket - 80546)


View attachment 572861

 

[Wild one]

What are those 4 plugs behind the air filter?

ECU/PCM

 

[PowersOf12]

I think that is the computer. This is old enough to only have 1 PCM

 

[PowersOf12]

By the way, I get a small step ladder in front of the radiator, put a moving blanket on the engine, and lay belly down on the engine. Take my time and all are easy except for passenger rear plugs which requires moving those wires and heater hoses a little by tugging on them. I have done this 3 times so far and that swivel tool from Amazon is the key. Dodge wanted $900+ just to change the plugs.

 

[Matt Luken]

So I tried a plug change on my 6.4. Started with less than adequate tools, watched videos, read threads. They seemed stuck. Decided to check with a garage, I had the plugs their estimate was 3hrs and 350 for cost. Thought that sounded more than reasonable. They tried and couldn't get the easy ones out. Said they're stuck. Said they've done a lot of hemis and this is the first. So they quit on mine. Since I've bought the recommended tools and looked at more information I'm getting closer at trying it again. Only 100k for miles. Going to try the PB blaster ahead of time. Read a thread that you should get the motor up to temp before doing it. The author said there was a TSB on the triton motor that had similar issues with the aluminum heads seizing the plugs. I don't want a nightmare fix if one breaks or strips the threads. When I tried the first time it was a cold motor and no PB and inadequate tools. The garage tried a cold motor and some oil. However I don't think they waited very long.

 

[Sherman Bird]

So I tried a plug change on my 6.4. Started with less than adequate tools, watched videos, read threads. They seemed stuck. Decided to check with a garage, I had the plugs their estimate was 3hrs and 350 for cost. Thought that sounded more than reasonable. They tried and couldn't get the easy ones out. Said they're stuck. Said they've done a lot of hemis and this is the first. So they quit on mine. Since I've bought the recommended tools and looked at more information I'm getting closer at trying it again. Only 100k for miles. Going to try the PB blaster ahead of time. Read a thread that you should get the motor up to temp before doing it. The author said there was a TSB on the triton motor that had similar issues with the aluminum heads seizing the plugs. I don't want a nightmare fix if one breaks or strips the threads. When I tried the first time it was a cold motor and no PB and inadequate tools. The garage tried a cold motor and some oil. However I don't think they waited very long.

As a professional, and, having had lots of experience with "stuck" spark plugs, I'll tender this:

I'd start out by using a VERY powerful injector flush that also removes carbon in cylinder. This is done using a canister tool, disabling the fuel pump, and performing the flush AT TEMPERATURE, so that the most carbon is removed from the lower part of the spark plug threads.

THEN, I let the engine cool down to warm/tepid, remove the coils and then, loosen the plugs about 1/8 turn. I then put a copious amount of PB blaster in the cylinders, shut the shop down and let it soak overnight.

This method, which I adopted about 12 or 13 years ago, has been 100% successful to remove plugs from the infamous Ford 5.4 3-valve Tritons and I've NEVER broken a single one since.

I've used this method on other aluminum head vehicles with stuck spark plugs, and enjoyed positive results... and never stripped the threads in the cylinder head, either.

 

[Bigskyroadglide]

I kept my old stock coils, however I heard the newer coils from the 13 plus years are better then the former coils 09-12.
Is this true? Right now I have the MDS Street fire coils which are a little better then the old stockers, however would it be best to buy the newer coils? I’m currently looking to upgrade my coils. Would the 13+ coils work in my 2011? Would like to upgrade the plugs to. Right now those are the mopar nickel plugs.

When I put iridium plugs in my 11, that came with copper plugs from the factory, I purchased new coils for a 2016 truck.

I don't think they made a difference but. I never had any issues and the truck ran to 150k when I sold it, guy is still driving it with over 225k, no issues. I don't think he changed plugs, I did all this at about 120k.

 

[04fxdwgi]

What worked when I did my Ford Triton motor was running sea foam thru it for 2 tank full s of fuel before attempting. Then removing the plugs while hot and using a PB blaster soak in the plug tube once they broke loose and waiting about 15 minutes. Once they started coming out, don't stop till loose.

The ford problem was carbon would build up in the space between the smooth extended nose of the plug and the head. The big change was plug design from a 2 piece plug body to a 1 piece (they broke at the sectional junction) and using high temp copper (or nickel) antiseize at factory. Used high temp copper antiseize on reinstall to prevent. Pretty sure the Rams don't have that smooth nose and void in the head to hold the carbon.

 

[Sherman Bird]

When I put iridium plugs in my 11, that came with copper plugs from the factory, I purchased new coils for a 2016 truck.

I don't think they made a difference but. I never had any issues and the truck ran to 150k when I sold it, guy is still driving it with over 225k, no issues. I don't think he changed plugs, I did all this at about 120k.

The broken spark plug problem was resolved by late 2008 going into the 2009 YM Ford Trucks om the 5.4/3V engines. So, unless the truck is an early 2008 back, it is not an issue.

 

[04fxdwgi]

The broken spark plug problem was resolved by late 2008 going into the 2009 YM Ford Trucks om the 5.4/3V engines. So, unless the truck is an early 2008 back, it is not an issue.

There was a head redesign in 2008 to correct t also. Mine was an '04