Tune UP

[Magnum5.9]

Tune up
I bought a 01 5.9 4x4 Ram 1500 with 83,000 miles from the original owner about a month ago and love the truck! Truck runs great but figured it could use a tune up to possibly increase mpg (I get around 10mpg). So I bought new cap, rotor, wires and campion plugs but haven't started the tune up yet. Anyone have some advice on the tune up for the 5.9's or is it pretty straight forward?

From what I can tell the wires/distributor cap are factory. Plugs were changed about 40k ago with is about 7-8yrs ago. Also I've read that when using antiseeze on the plugs to decrease the torque by 20%. And the plug torque range is 26-30 foot lbs so should I just go to 26 foot lbs?Again any tips are greatly welcomed!

However after researching what can go wrong( breaking off old plugs, stripping out threads in the aluminum head, etc) I am possibly thinking of waiting until next summer because I only drive 2-3k miles a year and I don't want to do it a week before I drive back to college and have issues arise and have to pay someone to fix it because I'll be too busy. It runs great but plugs/wires/etc do have some miles on them

Apologize if there's other threads just like this!

 

[Magnum5.9]

This is one of the plugs out of the motor... Roughly .065 gap so it's well over why it should be.

 

[dodge dude94]

I haven't used antiseize on my plugs and they come out just fine. Autolites DO have a habit of seizing in the heads, Champions aren't AS bad, but I also live in Texasland.

As for torque, there IS a torque spec and I think you're right on that number, but I've never used a torque on plugs. I go old school: snug, then 1/4 turn.

If you're afraid of breaking them off, soak them in some PB Blaster before hand to blow some of the crap out. I found with my truck that I had more trouble getting the plug wires off then getting the plugs out. You don't have aluminum heads, you have cast iron heads. The intake manifold is aluminum, only part on these engines that is.


Also, just FYI, plugs number 5 and 7 (driver's side engine bank) are going to be a ***** to get at because of the brake system right there....still easier than a Hemi.

 

[Magnum5.9]

So I just finished and started the truck( after discounting the battery and resetting the computer) and it seemed to run normal. Smooth idle and no pingin or other abnormal noises! However I followed the snug and 1/4 turn trick because when I used the torque wrench it worried me that I would strip the threads when wrench was set at 26 foot
Lbs. So after doing the snug an 1/4 turn trick I tested it with my torque wrench and it read anywhere from 12 foot pounds to 22foot
Lbs depending on which cyclinder I checked....

Do I have anything to worry about if I did the snug and 1/4 turn trick( the
plugs are definitely tight). Blow the plug out of the head maybe? Plug come loose maybe?

Any thoughts will be helpful!

 

[Magnum5.9]

thoughts?

 

[MoparMagic'00]

just a fyi and i have not checked the torque specs on these but make sure you are in correct perimeters there are INCH pounds and FOOT pounds... it would make more sense to me for it to be inch pounds... ive always used the snug method myself...

 

[Magnum5.9]

That's what I thought! But both my owners manual and chiltion manual said 26-30 foot pounds. Inch pounds would make much more sense...

 

[dodge dude94]

I've had no issues going old school. And you don't have to worry about plugs blowing out, these aren't Fords.

 

[Magnum5.9]

Bring this thread back up because I have a few questions... so after doing the full tune up(everything went just fine except cyclinder 7 threads may be a little damaged from previous spark plug change because it doesnt quite cinch down as hard as the other plugs), I have herd some kind of whistling only when I accelerate and the motor hasnt warmed up yet... however I have checked the plugs about 5 times since installing to make sure they are still tight and none of them have been loose at all...

Would the whistling be my intake?

I dont think its lose of compression due to losse plug because I havent noticed any lose of power, infact I felt an increase in power when I am clombing hills on the freeway but thats mostly likly due to the fact that my old plugs had up to a .070 gap!

Just fyi, I did the tight plus 1/4 turn on my plugs

 

[dodge dude94]

It's likely your air intake is warped or missing the little gasket between it and the throttle body.

 

[Magnum5.9]

It's likely your air intake is warped or missing the little gasket between it and the throttle body.

The gasket that goes on the tb is there and the airbox is tightened down on the tb but where the airbox comes apart to change the air filter there is a gap between the two halfs that go together because the tabs in the back are broken but thats how I bought the truck and I only noticed the whistling on cold acceleration after the tune up. And the colder the engine, the more pronounced the whistle is on cold accleration. But that because I really listen to my truck, but none of my passengers have ever noticed the whistle

 

[dodge dude94]

The gasket that goes on the tb is there and the airbox is tightened down on the tb but where the airbox comes apart to change the air filter there is a gap between the two halfs that go together because the tabs in the back are broken but thats how I bought the truck and I only noticed the whistling on cold acceleration after the tune up. And the colder the engine, the more pronounced the whistle is on cold accleration. But that because I really listen to my truck, but none of my passengers have ever noticed the whistle

I'd be willing to bet the broken air box is what's causing your problem.

 

[Magnum5.9]

I'd be willing to bet the broken air box is what's causing your problem.

Another great reason to get a CAI

 

[dodge dude94]

Another great reason to get a CAI

Or build your own.

 

[Magnum5.9]

Or build your own.

Only thing idk about would be how to effectively make the heat sheild without a welder or metal bender and how to attach the whole thing to the tb.....

 

[dodge dude94]

Only thing idk about would be how to effectively make the heat sheild without a welder or metal bender and how to attach the whole thing to the tb.....

Sheet metal with lots of screws and you get a Dakota/Durango air hat from the salvage yard.