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dak-quack
GenIII
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8/09/2002
07:21:34

Subject: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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...because I changed the plugs in my V8. WHAT A MAJOR PITA!!! Especially because I had to do it when my wife was away so I had my newborn daughter helping me out! I had her all bundled up and hanging out with my and the Dak in the driveway. I am on the last plug and the sucker slips out of the socket as I am lowering it at an angle (because of all the *%#$ in the way) and falls through the tiny opening under the intake manifold where I can't see it in the "V"!!!!!!

Later I figure out that the plastic in the plug socket fell on the ground on #7 and I didn't realize it. It took me 20 minutes to fish that sucker out (in the dark, no friggin' hood light, maglight in my mouth). I was sooooo pi$$$$ed. To cap it all off, not sure that I even like the 3923's in my 4.7.

UGG.

2002 QC, 4.7 3.92 4x4 AT LSD
Formerly dakquad
NO MODS.....NONE!!!

Dan Gruber
GenIII
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8/09/2002
08:39:21

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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You know, a body lift would cure that problem...

I've changed my plugs twice, once before and once since the body lift. That extra 3 inches gives SO MUCH more room under the hood to play with.

Dan
2000 CC SLT 4.7 4X4 Auto 3.92 LSD
3 inch Performance Accesories lift & 32 inch BFG MT KM's

alex
Dodge Dakota
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8/09/2002
08:44:02

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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Two things to buy almost immediately:

1. One of those coal-miner style headlamps that you can get at almost any sporting goods store or hunting store or outdoors store. Any way that you turn your head, there is light. They cost like $20.

2. A retrieval magnet from an auto parts store. The one with the flexible head and telescoping arm shouldn't cost mroe than about $10 or so.

Hell, you should try fishing a 10mm socket out of that intake "V" with needle nose pliers and a maglite clenched in your teeth. Now THAT's fun.....



dak-quack
GenIII
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8/09/2002
09:24:53

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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Hey, my son has one of those miner light hats. Never thought of using that. I ended up getting the plug out with one of those flexible grabber doohickys. I layed a flashlight on the front shining down in and had a flashlight in my mouth and fished the grabber doohickey in the hole that the plug fell into.

What I really need is a friggin' garage!

2002 QC, 4.7 3.92 4x4 AT LSD
Line-X, Autolite 3923's (Zzzzzzzzz)

IntenseDak39
*GenIII*
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8/09/2002
09:25:59

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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i have changed plugs on both.... the V6 is harder... less plugs but the last one on the driver side is right next to the brake booster and points towards the firewall. all the rear plugs on a V8 point towards the front.

its those 4 cylinder guys who have got us beat. I had a shelby charger with the 2.2.... everything right there in front; plugs, distributer, oil filter, thermostat.... everything.

intensedak3.9

xplikt
Dodge Dakota
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8/09/2002
09:50:25

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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Wow, sounds like you didn't have a very fun time, but it sound like you really do need a garage -- it makes all the difference.

I wasn't sure what the 3923s did for me either. I have no pinging up to 3200 RPM in 5th on long drives on the highway when it's 100+ out. They seem to work just fine, but I really didn't notice any difference. Seemed a bit more smooth at idle, but that's it.



dak-quack
GenIII
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8/09/2002
10:09:01

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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I notice a bit of a hesitation since I've installed them. But that was only last night and on my way to work this am. I think I'll need to go out for a few sales calls today :).

I really do need that garage. We are saving to build one, but might be a while because we don't borrow $.

2002 QC, 4.7 3.92 4x4 AT LSD
Line-X, Autolite 3923's (Zzzzzzzzz)

FredDQC
Dodge Dakota
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8/09/2002
10:10:13

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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Well I changed the plugs on my when I bought it @23K mile used, because god knows what it had been through. But I made the mistake to put platinum before reading that stupid chilton's manual that 4.7l is designed for copper core plugs and platinum will result on pre-ignition.Anyways I found it very easy to change exept for the scary process of pulling the coil out. I thought I was going to break one then I would be f$#k.So I was rel careful and that is what took most of the time. You should try changing the plugs on 90' Thunderbird supercharged with the V6. Now that was a b*&ch."I had to dissasemble half of the engine before I got to the plugs".In fact changing plugs on the 4.7 is so easy that I'm going to get rid of the platinums and put 3923s in my lunch hour Today!.



MightyDakSXT
GenIII
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8/09/2002
16:58:58

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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Yeah, I don't think the V6 is any easier. I had a heck of a time getting the two rear plugs swapped out. I have large hands, so that doesn't help matters much.


2002 RC SXT, 3.9 Liter V6, 5-speed, 3.55 rear, Extang Tonneau, Autolite 3923 Plugs, Borg Warner Cap & Rotor, Quick D Intake, Modified V8 TB, Gibson Catback Exhaust, Robert Shaw 180° T-stat, Custom Grille

FazDak
GenII
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8/09/2002
18:08:14

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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I feel your pain about the newborn, I have a 4 month at home and she is so not a big help when I loose a plug!!! lol.

Scott



Tinybaum
Dodge Dakota
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8/09/2002
18:38:05

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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what helps from dropping the plugs is get an old plug wire and take the end off the holds the plug. Leave nothing in it. Then all you have to do is untighten the plug put that end on it and there you go plug in hand. Put the new plug in that end and turn it a couple times to start the plug then put the socket on it.. Works like a charm change plugs in my %.2 the other day.



tony597fitter
Dodge Dakota
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8/09/2002
23:16:15

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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a piece of rubber hose works too.



Dakotadude00
Dodge Dakota
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8/18/2002
07:59:21

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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"I notice a bit of a hesitation since I've installed them. But that was only last night and on my way to work this am. I think I'll need to go out for a few sales calls today :). "

The only reason for the hesitation is cuz your PCM is learning the new plugs. You should be good by now!



LiveDakota
Dodge Dakota
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8/18/2002
14:14:38

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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I just changed the plugs this weekend on my 3.9 to the 3923's. I agree with all of you guys that it is a bi&*h! My hands looked like they were on the rag when i got through. For my truck though i've noticed that it idles a heck of a lot smoother and it's responding to the throttle a lot better. I miss my old 1980 chevy with the 350. I could sit on the fender well under the hood while i worked on that thing!



Tim
Dodge Dakota
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8/18/2002
15:24:33

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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Man do I feel your pain! I changed my plugs for the first time last weekend as well as did new wires, dist cap and rotor cap. Took me the better part of 3 hours, 2 gallons of sweat and a pint of blood.

Oh, and the kids learned some fun new words to make Mommy mad at Daddy over.



diligentdave
GenII
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8/18/2002
15:48:17

RE: Last night I wished I had a V6....
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Intense is right on the money. Gimme 5 minutes and I'll change out my plugs and have enough time left to make kool-aid.

'95 Sport 2.5L 5 Speed
Custom air intake, gutted cat, Flow 40 dumped, 2/3 drop
11.792 @ 55.9 mph in the 1/8

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