thanx hounddog, i do a lot of towing and im pretty hard on my vehicles, ill keep doin wha i do. I acquire the ext perf for only 4 bux more per oil change (including a mobil1 filter every change) than the regular, just so i have no qualms of going to 8,000 between changes let alone to 15,000. 201,000 miles and counting....1 tranny under warranty and the normal : brakes/tires/oil changes, 1 serpentine belt, and an egr valve .... definitely due for some spark plugs as the originals are still in there....dreading the job as i may come across plugs that dont wanna come out.

 

Two-hundred thousand miles on a set of standard plugs sets a new record for me. I know of one 2003 Hemi Ram that went 140,000 on the originals. Heck, even some vehicles with 100,000 miles plugs don't go 100,000 miles (like a friends Grand Am).

Most metals harden with repetitive heating and cooling over time (except earlier Fords). I haven't heard of a Hemi stripping a spark plug thread, but then again yours is the first I've heard of going that far without a plug change.

I would wait until the engine is stone cold before trying to screw them out. Let us know how you make out.

Good luck!

Regards,
Dusty
2010 Ram Big Horn 1500 Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 545RFE, 3.92 LSD, dual exhaust, 20” wheels

 

"I would wait until the engine is stone cold before trying to screw them out. Let us know how you make out."
i would have thought just the opposite, then again i'm not a mechanic.
thanks for the info Dusty

 

I was plannin to make sure it was nice and warm so as to have the metals nearer to a malleable state to break them loose....umm?...maybe i'm not yet wise enough and should try it cold first? Consensus?

 

gonna take a plug out tomorrow to make sure I buy the exact same ones. Hopefully I will get to work on it saturday.

 

Since steels in general expand and contract at a greater rate than aluminum, you want the spark plug as cold as possible for removal.

Bests,
Dusty

2010 Ram Big Horn 1500 Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 545RFE, 3.92 LSD, dual exhaust, 20” wheels

 

Thanks for all the good info. The job took me 6 hours. I'm pretty sure it would have been 3 days without all the info you guys provided.

I recently purchased a used, one owner, 2010 1500 CC SLT HEMI with 122,500 miles on the odometer.

The previous owner did the maint agreement for dealer oil changes every 5-6k with service records provided to me by my local dealership. Oil changes and recalls performed were the only items listed.

I thought the truck ran great. But figured I would pull a spark plug to check condition just for piece of mind. WOW first plug pulled was a bear to break loose and was in (BAD condition) rust, carbon, thin side wire, and missing a tiny piece of the electrode insulator.

Installed XP iridium plugs using cooper antiseize and dielectric grease.

Now I know how a 5.7 Hemi is supposed to run lol.

I'm guessing the NGK plugs were the originals with 122,650 miles on them. Four cylinders (8 plugs) were in very bad condition and the other four cylinders were not as bad.

My plan is to wait until 200,000 miles on the odometer for the next plug change.