4.7 plug change
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01-04-2012, 12:47 AM
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: South Texas
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4.7 plug change
My truck is nearing 60k miles and I finally got around to changing out my spark plugs. Was more difficult than I was prepared for, but it needed to be done. Thankfully I won't need to change the exhaust-side spark plugs for another 40k miles or so. Not looking forward to that.
With my luck, you know I ran into issues... the exact match copper plugs are only sold as a set with the exhaust-side iridium plugs, and are only obtainable through Dodge. I don't need all 16 plugs, and I was not going to wait for the kit to be ordered, so I went with the Bosch 7962 copper plugs. They are slightly shorter than the originals--so they don't stick so far into the cylinder--but from what I've read here, they will still function for our application just fine.
The hardest coil to get to (passenger rear) also happened to be the coil that decided to melt its rubber boot to the ceramic on the plug, so when I pulled the coil off, the rubber boot stayed in the hole. It is HELL to reach to begin with, but imagine trying to use pliers to get that stupid boot out. Turns out that the boot was so melted to the plug, that the plug finally just broke clean in half before I could pull the boot out. Was at that for an hour or two, and once I got it out, I used a complete coil and boot assembly from the front of the engine in its place.
Even with the official Mopar part number for the coil, there wasn't a single auto parts store anywhere that carried it, or even had knowledge of it. I understand it's an odd design, but the truck is 3 years old, and the engine was used in no less than 6 different Mopars since '08. Anyway, nobody besides the local Dodge dealership could get the coils, and of course the boots are not sold separately (because that would make sense). I ended up just finding a boot that would fit on the coil and seal the plug hole properly, and I trimmed the length of it to fit the plug. In the end, everything works as it should and there are no CELs or codes.
Of course I took a couple pictures. Before and after of the plugs, and the bootless coil pack. It's difficult to tell from the picture, but the old plugs were very well worn, and the gap was far out of spec. I would not be surprised if they had never been changed since new. Next up on the list, I need to flush the cooling system and install a 180' thermostat and e-fan.
With my luck, you know I ran into issues... the exact match copper plugs are only sold as a set with the exhaust-side iridium plugs, and are only obtainable through Dodge. I don't need all 16 plugs, and I was not going to wait for the kit to be ordered, so I went with the Bosch 7962 copper plugs. They are slightly shorter than the originals--so they don't stick so far into the cylinder--but from what I've read here, they will still function for our application just fine.
The hardest coil to get to (passenger rear) also happened to be the coil that decided to melt its rubber boot to the ceramic on the plug, so when I pulled the coil off, the rubber boot stayed in the hole. It is HELL to reach to begin with, but imagine trying to use pliers to get that stupid boot out. Turns out that the boot was so melted to the plug, that the plug finally just broke clean in half before I could pull the boot out. Was at that for an hour or two, and once I got it out, I used a complete coil and boot assembly from the front of the engine in its place.
Even with the official Mopar part number for the coil, there wasn't a single auto parts store anywhere that carried it, or even had knowledge of it. I understand it's an odd design, but the truck is 3 years old, and the engine was used in no less than 6 different Mopars since '08. Anyway, nobody besides the local Dodge dealership could get the coils, and of course the boots are not sold separately (because that would make sense). I ended up just finding a boot that would fit on the coil and seal the plug hole properly, and I trimmed the length of it to fit the plug. In the end, everything works as it should and there are no CELs or codes.
Of course I took a couple pictures. Before and after of the plugs, and the bootless coil pack. It's difficult to tell from the picture, but the old plugs were very well worn, and the gap was far out of spec. I would not be surprised if they had never been changed since new. Next up on the list, I need to flush the cooling system and install a 180' thermostat and e-fan.