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Slow4x4Dak
Dodge Dakota
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9/02/2004
23:54:59

Subject: Spark Plug problems?
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I decided to change my sparkplugs to AP 3923's because I'm at 46k miles, and figured why not...it seems like the thing to do on this website.

Took 2 hours, put the AP3923's in gapped at .45, and now my truck sounds like a v8...EXTREME bass and now it seems like it's puffing out air. Like you can put your hand near the exhaust tips and feel the air sorta puff out. It's not misfiring, because it would be a rough idle and the truck would shake a bit...which it feels fine in the cab.

Is it normal for the puffs of air and for the deeper sound just from spark plugs? Yes, I reset the pcm.


Flowmaster 40series catback with a y pipe, 50mm TB, Modded intake manifold (thanks intensedak for pictures), AP3923's, Jet Stage 2, True homebrew cold air intake (welding material insulate), 180 t-stat



GB2000
GenIII
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9/03/2004
01:52:58

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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If your old plugs were THAT bad...it could be normal, lol. I didn't notice anything different really when I did it with mine, but it seems all vehicles react differently.

Josh

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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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9/03/2004
08:24:31

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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Gapping the plugs wider won't cause this. By the way, I hope you gapped them to .045" and NOT .45"!!!



GB2000
GenIII
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9/03/2004
10:04:26

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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Oh yeah...the easiest way to figure out if it's running right is drive it a lil while and check the plugs to see how well they're burning. If they're nice and tan, they're right. Otherwise, that could just be the problem.

Josh

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Randy
Dodge Dakota
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9/03/2004
10:48:06

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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Isn't .045" a little wide for your stock ignition? I changed mine to the 3923's at .035" as soon as I bought the truck and it idles rough and has a huge lag when you hit the gas, but that was the reccomended gap that people use around here. I'm not sure if I should be blaming the bad engine performance or my plug gap or what. Does yours shake noticably at idle? Does the tach dive down to 400-500 rpm when you let off the gas, and then bounce back up to idle?



GB2000
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9/03/2004
12:30:52

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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.035 is stock gap with stock plugs I think...come to think of it, I'm thinking with the AP3923's you should have em gapped at .040 and with the regular 3923's .035. If you have one of those MSD ignitions or something similar, then you should open the gap even more.

Josh

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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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9/03/2004
22:31:43

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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Stock wires, especially if not new, can produce flashover if the gap is .040 or wider. I found that when I bought my truck. There was a nice carbon track around each plug's insulator. No misfires at .035. You need better wires and hotter spark to increase the gap beyond stock with no symptoms.



Troy
Dodge Dakota
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9/03/2004
23:13:33

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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My truck goes down to 500 when idleing. I Remember it used to idle higher. I changed my plaugs to AP 3923's and added a MSD 6A with a blaster ss coil and the 8.5 mm wires. I gapped the plugs at .050. Im not really sure what would be the best to se them at. Also the blaster coil is making a current noise. THe stock coil doesnt. Does Anyone have any idea what could be wrong with it?



Slow4x4Dak
Dodge Dakota
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9/04/2004
01:07:31

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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Ok, I was planning on making a trip to the track today...but ya'll can read about that in another post I'll make. I started my 150 mile drive, and the truck starts sputtering at lower rpms, and gets the check engine light blinking when I run 3rd gear to 4k+ rpms. When the check engine light finally stayed on, it gave me error code P301 Which is "Misfire in Cylinder 1"...I haven't had a chance to get to a socket set yet to pull out the plug...and I don't know which one is Master Cylinder 1.

Would my truck sputter and hesitate just because 1 cylinder is misfiring, or do you think it's a combination of too big a gap, and 1 misfiring cylinder?

Which cylinder is "Master Cylinder 1"?

When I put my hand near the back of my exhaust, I can hear it puttering out bursts of air at idle...at random intervals. Is this only because of the 1 misfiring cylinder?

Thanks for your help





J and J Auto
GenII
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9/04/2004
02:16:09

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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With the MSD6a and the hot MSD coil you need to
open that gap up

Troy you are running to small a gap with the
system with the AP's go right to .060 you will
notice the improvement the first time you drive
the truck over the .050 you now have

I just set another V6 up with a MSD system and the
gap ran great at .058 they are all a little diff
my ported motor is at .063 to get the tan color
these are both with the reg 3923 because I had
them handy on the shelf in the shop

Dodge Tech recomends taking the gap upto .045 with
the factory ignition. The factory ignition on the
ociliscope shows a little diff on every truck
anywhere from 18,000 to 22,000 they are putting
out if low stay .035 .040 if you have one of the
systems thay puts out more go .040 .045

Like Doc Christifer Jacobs
(inventer of the Jacobs ignition systems)
and MSD recomends keep
opening the gap untill performance drops off than
back off .002 to .003 and that will be your
optimal setting

The one I just did is a 98 with headers a fastman
jet stage 2 and a 180 thermo running at 183 185
and the perf droped off at .061 I than backed off
to .058 it ran great and the tan color came in
with just 50 to 100 miles of driving with a very
noticeable performance increase

And listen to Bob you defenitly need better wires
especialy with the MSD system, if your cap rotor
or wires are bad and you open the gap you can get
a miss and bad performance

From MSD Tech


There is really no set gap or plug that you should run, we do not have a preference to spark plug brand, basically brand of choice. We do offer a starting point to get you started COMPRESSION SPARK PLUG GAP

up to 10.5:1 0.050"-0.060"
10.5:1-13.0:1 0.040"-0.050"
above 13.0:1 0.035"-0.045"
Open gap in 0.005" increments until best performance is obtained

Thanks
MSD Tech

You need to play with the gap but its well worth
the time it takes to get it right for you
particular set up

Larry
J&J Auto

Slow4x4Dak
Dodge Dakota
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9/04/2004
03:14:51

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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Can you tell me which cylinder master cylinder 1 is?



Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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9/04/2004
17:10:34

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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Cylinder 1 is the driver's side, front. It's not a 'master' cylinder; that name refers to the fluid reservoir of your brake system.



hey troy?
Dodge Dakota
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9/04/2004
17:47:06

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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none of what you did would change your idle speed IT IS CONTROLLED BY THE PCM AND ONLY THE PCM and cannot be changed. where do you idiots come up with this crap from?



Slow4x4Dak
Dodge Dakota
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9/04/2004
18:49:01

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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It can be changed by shortening your throttle body cable....and I just realized the wires were numbered, thanks for telling me where it was. And I lowered the gap on the 1 spark plug, and all runs well...it was accidently gapped a little over .045. Now the truck runs great.



shelly
Dodge Dakota
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11/10/2010
14:08:17

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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2000 dodge dakota, spark plug gap is .040



MIKEW
Dodge Dakota
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11/13/2010
18:29:18

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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Holly Sh**. I have been gapping mine at 0.60



Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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11/15/2010
08:18:15

RE: Spark Plug problems?
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Probably not at 0.60 - that's over 1/2 inch.



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