Great how-to piece makes changing the spark plugs in a 5.7-liter-powered Ram much easier.
The 5.7-liter Hemi V8 in the Ram 1500 is an incredible engine with some unique features. One of those features – or actually, 16 of those features – are the spark plugs. The modern Hemi engine in the Ram trucks rely on a two-plug-per-cylinder head design, making tune-ups more costly. Fortunately, you can save yourself some money by changing the spark plugs yourself, but parts of the job can be a real headache without a good plan.
Today, we bring you a look at the perfect Do-It-Yourself write-upon how to change the spark plugs in your Hemi Ram without going insane.
The Introduction
The 2010 Ram 1500 5.7-liter Hemi oil change DIY was written up by “merv” and it begins with him explaining that the job will take up around two hours depending on your experience and how many breaks you take. It should be noted that this piece focuses on the 2010 Ram with the throttle body at the front of the engine bay, but the portion that relates to the actual plug removal applies to the older trucks as well.
The OP begins with a list of the items needed to do this job:
Standard 3/8″ ratchet
12″ extension (for the easy ones)
2″ extension
1″ extension
5/8″ spark plug socket
5/8″ deep socket
Standard 1/4″ ratchet
Standard 10mm socket
Slotted screw driver
Anti-seize
Spark plug gapper
First Step
The first step of the Hemi Ram spark plug change project is to remove the engine air intake system and get all of that out of your way. On the 2009 and newer models, the throttle body is at the front of the engine bay while on the pre-2009 Hemi engines, the throttle body is located back near the firewall. In either case, you want to clear some space around the engine to make accessing the plugs easier.
Removing the Plugs
The next step of changing the spark plugs in your Hemi Ram is to remove the coil packs covering all of the plugs in pairs. As you remove each coil pack from the valve cover, you want to remove the wiring running to each coil pack and as you set the coil packs aside, make sure to keep track of which unit goes to which cylinder. Once all eight coil packs are out of the way, it is time to take out the spark plugs.
The spark plugs for cylinders one through five are pretty easy to change, but six, seven and eight are tough. Seven is against the firewall and you have to wade through the heater hoses to get to the plugs, but the real nightmare comes with cylinder six and eight.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
