I just looked at the maintenance for my 5.7L. It recommends changing the plugs at 30k. Is this for real? Can other plugs be used that last longer? Changing 16 plugs every 30k seems like a lot.

 

just do it. platinum and iridium plugs don't work as good in hemis.

 

^Not true. It wholly depends on the truck.
The 2nd gen and 3rd gen trucks were the same way.

If your truck is under warranty, do what the manual says. Once you're out of warranty, it's free game.

 

So which plugs are you 4th gen (HEMI ONLY) guys using if you`re not putting in the recommended OEM plugs (???)
What else besides OEM is cheaper>>> Which plug works good. Which plug lasts longer.

 

I just had mine done for the first time at 58,000. They looked almost new. You just risk having them corroded in place. Not because the plugs go bad. Mine popped right out, so it is your call. 30,000 is ridiculous.

 

I agree that 30K is way too short of a service life. I did mine around 48K and they still look new as well. I didn't have any issue removing them. I know they aren't iridium or platinum, so I can see not waiting 100K, but my personal feeling is that somewhere 50-60K is probably just fine. But I'm no expert. :-)

Rob

 

If they recommended 50K, people would finally get around to doing it at around 75K miles. I think Dodge just puts that figure out there knowing that owners are typically late on maintenance. Same reason I get a change oil indicator after 2500(ish) miles.

IDK. That's my thoughts on it, anyway. Mine looked (and worked) fine when I pulled them at 35K miles. But the idea is to replace them before they start defecting.

 

I may be wrong but I think the factory plugs are copper.......

 

they are

 

Bingo.

I pulled the plugs out of my dad's Ram at 30k to replace, they looked great.

On the other end of this, the tune up prior, the plugs when out at 20k, had a misfire on cylinder 3. New plugs fixed it.

So if you're running coppers, 30k is about middle ground as far as change intervals go. If you're hard on the truck, with hauling and what not, change them at 30k or before.