you have no reason to run a colder plug unless you are pinging. Run the stock heat range in whatever plug you want.

I've run NGK V-powers and personally think they run a bit smoother than the Champion Truck plug. Right now I'm running the NGK Iridiums and they seem to be holding up a bit better to the MSD ignition box than the copper core did.

I'd also experiment a bit with spark gap. Try going from .35 to .45 in .02 increments and see where it runs the best.

 

they were on the truck when i got them but visual they look not that old im thinking its had a tune up befor i bought it but i just want new plugs because im getting a new plenum gasket and thermastate just want it to run cooler im this is the right thing to do then correct me?

 

haha well aims you got it she pings like crazy

 

I would think that pinging should go away after you finish your plenum job. I'm funny in that I prefer to keep everything to specs. First it makes it easier to diagnose problems, and second it helps me pass emissions . Same as some people like to put the 180 tstat but the 195 is factory spec. I replaced mine and went with the 195 because I was told a warmer vehicle runs cleaner and more efficient (all the smog stuff runs better warmer). The last thing I want is to fail a smog test and have to hassle with the DMV and their stupid regulations. Heck, they may want to junk my truck! OMG H*LL NO!!!! Here in Cali they are always trying to get older vehicles off the road.

 

Several of us have tried this with unsatisfactory results. Some guys they seem to work fine. Others it seems like it makes their truck run rough. Mine ran fine for a month then started seeming sort of like it had a slight miss. I put Champion plugs back in and have run them since. I would stick with Champions. I ran stock plugs first then the Platinum or whatever now as they were out of the truck plugs. Both seem to do great.

 

Yeah I'm this way too. I went with the 195 T-stat too. I'm not going to have less heat in the winter months just so I can say I run a 180 degree t-stat.

I'd do the pleneum first it may fix your pinging issues on it's own if it's bad.


As for NGK I've never tried them in a Dodge as I know the Champions work so have only used them but everything else, Honda's, motorcycles, lawn mowers that I've used NGK stuff in I've been very happy with them.

My buddy that used to work at the Dodge dealer told me to stick with Champions too. He also told me that the Autolites would foul and run like crap shortly after I put them in. He was exactly right. He said he saw this often and to just stick with the plugs the company uses from the factory. This guy normally doesn't recommend factory stuff.

So that would be Champions in Dodge, AC Delco in GM's, NGK's in Honda's, Denso in Toyota's, Autolite in Ford's, and not sure what's OEM in Subaru or Nissan.

 

i only mentioned the 3923s because i've seen it on here quite a few times. i have a set of the autolites sitting on a shelf still in the package because i want to try them out.

I ran a set of bosch platinum +4 for about 40000 miles and liked them but i took them out because someone on here said they're too hot for our engines. when i took them out they still looked about brand new with just a little gray on the porcelin coming from the center diode to each tip. i want to know how hot they are compared to stock because i didn't have any running issues with them. i also got a bunch of flak about using them for a while, then finally about a month ago someone finally told me why i shouldn't (heat). but if the were too hot wouldn't i have a pre ignition/detonation problem and wouldn't that lead to a pretty rough running state?

I tried the champion truck plugs (4436) and didn't like them, the truck felt a little sluggish and didn't idle as smooth as with the +4s.

now i have champion 3436 platinum power and according to the butt dyno they still don't feel like they're as good as the +4s.

rc12yc4 is the stock champion btw, not ry12c. i was close but not close enough.

 

This shows a complete lack of understanding about spark plug heat ranges. Using a "colder" plug will have zero effect on your engine's actual running temperature.

 

+1, and don't waste time or money on anything until the lower intake gasket is fixed, and the cat is not too far behind if it's not already seen better days. There is tons of crap on the valves too if the plenum is shot. So just changing the plenum and plugs is not going to be a miracle cure. It will take some time for them to get cleaned up, no matter what means you use, like seafoam or MCCC or techron.

 

I know a lot of people that run +4's have had bad experiences too. However, if you find a plug that your truck likes I'd use it. That's how I am anyway. Just so happens my truck was one of the ones that didn't seem to like Autolites.