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Fred
Dodge Dakota
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7/02/2002
21:58:09

Subject: Changing Spark Plugs
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Does anyone know if you should or should not use the gasket seats that come with the plugs?
I have the 5.2 v-8 and I'm giving her the 3923's.
I hope this helps cure the pinging!
Fred.



Travisb
Dodge Dakota
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7/02/2002
22:10:10

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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I did and they work great.



handi2
GenIII
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7/02/2002
22:21:57

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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If the plugs have the gaskets use them. If they are a tapered seat, do not. Very simple.

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Fred
Dodge Dakota
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7/02/2002
22:29:28

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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Thanks, I'll have to wait to pull the original plugs out and see if they have them, I was just looking for the info before I get dirty.
Fred.



DAKATY
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7/03/2002
14:23:38

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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FRED

You must use the gaskets with the Autolites.

Other brands may not have gaskets. So the plugs you remove may not have any.





Demon Dakota
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7/03/2002
14:27:45

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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The Champions that I pulled out of my '02 CC 4.7L had the gaskets, and so did the Autolite 3923's that I put in. I think the Autolites actually helped smooth out the idle, and I know it gets better mileage right now then with the Champions. The Champions were gapped wrong from the factory. They were set at .044-.045. Wonder what the hell was up with that?



Fred
Dodge Dakota
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7/08/2002
19:59:25

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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Thanks, everyone for the info, the Champs did in fact have the gaskets, I haven't noticed any difference in performance yet, I'll have to wait for a few tanks of gas to see if I get any improvements in mileage, I haven't noticed any pinging, but I think it is too early to tell.
Thanks again everyone.
p.s.-(factory gap was a little wide on champs)
Fred.



WallyR
Dodge Dakota
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7/09/2002
11:47:39

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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Swapped plugs in my 4.7 last night. Spec calls for 0.040, half of them were in the 0.030-0.032 range. The Autolites were all at 0.040. Pretty sloppy coming from the factory.



Bobby Daniel
Dodge Dakota
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7/25/2002
09:49:06

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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Which way does the tapered gasket go on the 3923???? Thanks



Demon Dakota
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7/25/2002
15:25:22

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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I've always put the big end down in any plugs with gaskets...



Bobby Daniel
Dodge Dakota
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7/25/2002
23:41:54

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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I am sorry to sound dumb, but I have never installed plugs with gaskets before. When you say down do you mean toward the engine or the plug. Thanks again for your help



polchartude
Dodge Dakota
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7/26/2002
10:34:44

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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you can't tell what the factory gap on ur plugs was dude. U pull them out after thousands of miles, check the gap and say the factory is slopy? (elecrode erosion, it's not gonna be the same for every cylinder after they've been burned on)Jerk them autolites out after the same amount of time and check the gaps on them(perfect .040).Theres nothing special about autolite plugs that make them that much better than the rest. It's the heat range of the plugs ur runing that makes ur V8 run smoother. But if there is some mechanical reason that can be verified why autolite plugs are so much better than say a champion or any other plug with the same heat range please inform me of the physical difference.

P.S. I also don't belive I would list A brand of spark plugs as modification as so many do in this forum. How much HP did u gain from that mod dude?
(stupid)



nuckenfuts
Dodge Dakota
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7/26/2002
10:46:54

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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$1.18 a piece, they have to be the best. LOL. Hey I run them too, cause there cheep and I've never had problem with them. They definitely don't make me go faster than any of the others I've had./same heat.



WallyR
Dodge Dakota
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7/26/2002
11:13:03

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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Hey Pol,
Go back to Reading Comprehension 101. I pulled my factory plugs at about 1800 miles and the gaps were LESS than the factory 0.040". Yes, believe it or not, 0.032" < 0.040". Since when does "wear" create material and induce a smaller gap?? Based on common sense and basic mathematics I stand by my statement that the factory is sloppy.

As for performance gains I've never seen anyone declare outright that they gained X HP by changing plugs. The comments I have seen are in regards to idle quality and driveability which are both easily affected by plug quality. Champion plugs are crap. I learned this back in the mid 80's with a heavily modded L-body 2.2. NGKs solved all my problems with that one. Lastly, changing the plugs is a tweak, not a mod.



nuckenfuts
Dodge Dakota
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7/30/2002
07:47:07

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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hey walleye,
1. Since when does "wear" create material and induce a smaller gap??

This statement is indicative of ur limited automotive knowledge capacity. A spark plug resistor contact with a high heat range can get extremely hot during break-in and also cooled quickly, causing the gap to shrink. not uncommon.And as for reading comp 101, perhaps u should check out a few theory and metallurgy rags.
2. As for performance gains I've never seen anyone declare outright that they gained X HP by changing plugs. (Me niether ).
3.The comments I have seen are in regards to idle quality and driveability which are both easily affected by plug quality. (Again the brand name has nothing to do with niether and I don't care what u say non of the spark plug co.'s are crap especially chpn. or they wouldn't be oem.)

learned this back in the mid 80's with a heavily modded L-body 2.2. NGKs solved all my problems(sh!t if it worked 22 years ago on what u call a heavily modified 2.2 lol... why didn't u go and purchase the jap plugs for ur dak? Furthermore why did u buy a truck from such a slopy automaker- U must be one of those "should have purchased a tundra fella's"
4. Changing the heat range of a plug is a tweek. not the brand of the sparkplug.

P.S. why would someone mod a 2.2 ? seems it would be a waste of money. only thing i could see u doing is changing cam profile shave the head and bolt on some weber side draft carbs , even then u would end up with basically an inline 4 motorcycle engine in a car, whats the point?



nuckenfuts
Dodge Dakota
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7/30/2002
07:49:06

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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Sorry mis-spelled Wall-eye, it's wally.



T.J.
Dodge Dakota
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8/07/2002
13:45:30

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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Sounds like ol, nuckenfuts wins again.



Twin10
Dodge Dakota
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3/18/2004
12:16:12

Spark Plugs
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Bought some 5224 Autolites for my '99 3.9 DaK...seems to run better but gets worse mpg. Any ideas? I haven't changed my wires and/or distributer cap yet.



slopehead
Dodge Dakota
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3/20/2004
11:36:32

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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some of you must think that spark plugs are hand gapped at the factory, they are not I know for fact, because my company makes parts for the gapping machines that Champion uses and has for over 30 years, that they are gapped in a machine that trims the center electrode length, then sets the gap and then gages the gap and if the plug gap is off by more then .001" either way from the nominal dimension, it is rejected. Champion on avereage, rejects less then .001 percent of all plugs manufactured. If the plug in your new engine is out of tolerence most likely some ham fisted idiot on the engine assemly line banged the plug into something he/she should not have when installing the plug. Or more likely a ham fisted shade tree mechanic does not know how to either properly handle plugs and banged it or just plain does not know how to gage a plug. I'll bet that most of you use a flat feeler gage to test the gap in a used plug. WRONG and COULD NOT BE MORE WRONG IF YOU TRIED, the correct method is to use a wire gage not a flat gage, but only on used plugs. However the correct method on a NEW plug is a flat feeler gage.



slopehead
Dodge Dakota
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3/20/2004
11:36:56

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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some of you must think that spark plugs are hand gapped at the factory, they are not I know for fact, because my company makes parts for the gapping machines that Champion uses and has for over 30 years, that they are gapped in a machine that trims the center electrode length, then sets the gap and then gages the gap and if the plug gap is off by more then .001" either way from the nominal dimension, it is rejected. Champion on avereage, rejects less then .001 percent of all plugs manufactured. If the plug in your new engine is out of tolerence most likely some ham fisted idiot on the engine assemly line banged the plug into something he/she should not have when installing the plug. Or more likely a ham fisted shade tree mechanic does not know how to either properly handle plugs and banged it or just plain does not know how to gage a plug. I'll bet that most of you use a flat feeler gage to test the gap in a used plug. WRONG and COULD NOT BE MORE WRONG IF YOU TRIED, the correct method is to use a wire gage not a flat gage, but only on used plugs. However the correct method on a NEW plug is a flat feeler gage.



slopehead
Dodge Dakota
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3/20/2004
11:41:05

RE: Changing Spark Plugs
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one other thing, if the plug you buy is correct for the application that you bought it for ie autolite 3992's and it comes with a gasket, use the gasket, and most likely it will already be installed on the plug. It is there for a reasen, to seal out blowby, and plugs that don't have a gasket have a taper machined around the shell and that taper matches a taper machined into the head that the plug seats into to seal out blowby.



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