You might want to give a look at this article on dodgeram.org.

If you want to get really picky about it, check out this article in the BULLITT archive.

Various manufacturers (Accel and Moroso come to mind) make "spark plug indexers" that make it easier, after the first time, to get your plugs indexed without having to install them. Just mark them up once and afterward you can do your indexing on the sofa the night before the tune-up.

 

Why is everyone suggesting the FR6's when everywheres calls for FR5 for my particular year? And where were all you guys before my second trip in to town??? I know the 6's are a bit cooler plug, but is there a reason why I shouldn't run the 5's, if that's what my motor calls for?

Just wonderin..... I have faith in you guys, don't worry

 

It's fun to mess with our Canadian brothers, eh.

 

I took the numbers I gave you straight from NGK's website for your year and engine. I'd trust their website above all others. 1998 5.9L, correct?

As far as indexing goes, if you shoot straight for 12 o'clock (opening in plug toward the intake manifold) you should be fine. The intake valve actually alternates left/right for each cylinder, so unless you know where it is, you might actually aim toward the exhaust valve on accident. For those of you that want it perfect, the intake valves are the ones that are always nearest the next cylinder in the pairs 1/3, 5/7, 2/4, and 6/8. So cylinder 1 should skew the opening slightly toward cylinder 3, and 3 skew back towards 1, etc., for all those pairs.

Maxx, sharpie on the plug will work, but you have to keep pulling the socket and recheck that you got it right. Sharpie on the outside of the plug socket lets you see it while you're spinning the socket. You can usually always line up the plug gap within the socket to be very close (if not right on) the line you make on the outside of the socket. I wrap masking tape on the socket and mark on top of that so that as it gets dirty, I can peel off a layer and make a new line that's easy to see.

It's a personal preference I guess.

 

I'm headin out to go at it now, and I think I will use tape or some other mark on the socket because I can't easily see the end of the plugs on a couple of the rear cylinders. So what happens if I get 7 lined up and the 8th is way out? Shut up and deal with it?

Hey vw, maybe that's why it calls for a hotter plug, cause I'm up here in frigid Canada We've been havin a heatwave the last week or so, it's been up almost above freezing!!! People are runnin around in their bikinis and all sorts of craziness!

aim, the NGK site is telling me FR5-1, which is the longer ones I had at first, so I went with the FR5 because I assumed it was the same plug, only with the shorter reach... What a confusion

 

Well next time something like this happens, I'm burning this goddamned thing..... I just broke one of the distributor bolts off the new cap... I wasn't even comin on to it... now what the hell do I do? I thought I read somewheres that sheriff or someone did the same and ziptied 1 side of the cap down. True? can I do this and get away with it, or do I put the fire department on standby?

 

Do not zip tie it down. I recommend fixing that properly. HOW you ask?



1. remove the neg bat

2. remove all sensor harnesses at TB

3. remove the throttle body (makes it easier)


NOTE: place clean shop rags into the intake to prevent more BS from ruining your day


4. laying on the engine, drill those bloody fasteners that snapped. Use a drill that's almost the same size. Those are super soft, cheap pot metal so, they'll drill out in no time. There's barely any clearance so, I used a flex shaft from a Dremel tool. Today, shorter drills, that will fit under there, are on the market.


5. Run a tap through there- memory fails to recall what size tap. It's been many years since I've had to do this.


6. Once you've tapped them, your good to go.




EDIT: My 96 is a Canadian made model and, I never had an issue with finding NGKs down here in So Cal for it.





CM

 

Well it's ziptied on there atm at least, and it's workin better than it ever did.... I needed it together to go pick my girl up from basketball camp... I never considered using a dremel to drill that out cmckenna, or removing the TB. I know it should be drilled out and tapped but I figured I'd never get a drill back there. I might go pick up another cap today too, then after I get back I'll attempt to get that damned bolt out :/

it seems to work a lot better already, idles smoother and goes up through the rpms smoother, haven't taken it for a drive yet, but I'm going shortly

 

You'll need to pull the distributor and get it out. Zip ties aren't a good idea.

A few years ago I cross threaded a screw on the cap without realizing it. As I was exiting the highway, the truck lost all power and shut down. I coasted into a gas station and popped the hood and started going over everything I had just done that day: plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. As I was checking the connections on the cap I noticed it was hot and shifted a bit.

I unscrewed the cap (found out then I had cross threaded the screw) and the rotor had worked it's way up and off the top of the disty drive shaft and was laying sideways in the bottom of the disty, a melted mess as it had shorted out by connecting the top button with the disty housing.

I was very lucky nothing worse had happened. Even luckier was that particular exit had a Pepboys on the corner across from the gas station.

Take off the cap and rotor and the cam sensor (little black plate in the bottom of the disty, plugs into the drivers side wiring harness.) Set those parts aside. Mark the disty with a sharpie by drawing a straight line across the base of the disty and onto the intake manifold's curve that is parallel with and right at the end of the distributor hold down clamp. The edge of that clamp will be your marker and reference point. Make sure your line gets on the aluminum housing of the disty base and the intake manifold, and that it's straight and easy to read. This will keep you from screwing up the fuel sync.

Also note the two screw mounts on the disty housing, one is square, the other rounded. Remember which side the square one is on (passenger side) and notice that they are about positioned 9:15 and 3:15 respectively. The clamp can be removed with a 1/2" stubby wrench, or better distributor wrench. I don't think you can get a socket on that one. Remove the bolt and clamp. The disty will lift straight up and out, but you may have to wiggle it a bit to get it to break loose.

Pull it out of the engine and extract the screw. Try not to over-handle it, as whatever was under the disty hold down clamp will be nice and clean and that will help you on reassembly to line it up. Reverse the disassembly process and pay careful attention to line up the marks you made. The disty hold down clamp needs only to be tight, not super torqued. Be sure to reinstall and plug in the cam sensor. Good Luck!

 

Thanks a million cmckenna and aim for the tips I think I will maybe try to drill it on the truck first, but I have my doubts that I'll be able to do it properly in there so I may very well pull the distributor and drill it on my bench or something. I assume it'll have enough clearance to pull it up out of the motor right?

I'll probably go at it this afternoon, and I'll just text the wife to pick me up another cap on her way home