[kaleos]

howdy........i now have over 30,000 miles on my 07 dodge nitro slt and according to the maintenance record book, i am suppose to change out the spark plugs. why aren't these 100,000 mile spark plugs like some vehicles have? has anyone changed out theirs yet? if so, what kind did you put in. any suggestions on "the best" spark plug would be a plus for me. thanks!

:Racing:

 

[kaleos]

have to wait........

guess i'll have to wait until the majority of all of you reach past the puberty stage of your nitro as for the mileage issue on what kind of spark plugs any of you would recommend are the "best".

:thk::SHOCKED::Racing:

 

[dk1677]

All I can say is that I have read that those multi-electrode one are not worth the money from what I have read, I would say a good set of Bosch Platinum :4-dontknow:

 

[NitroTech]

They are regular copper spark plugs. My recommendation is to stick with the NGK plugs it calls for. Too many times customers come in with rough run problems only to have installed a platinum plug. These engines weren't designed for those type of plugs. But ultimately its your choice. :smileup:

 

[NO2SLT]

That's what I like to hear! "Use in the cheap ones, they work better!"

 

[dk1677]

Yup NitroTech is the man! :smileup:

 

[kaleos]

thanks, dk1677, NITROTECH, & NO2SLT!!!

:smileup: thankyou my friends for the advice, will take these into thought..........................okay, i thought about it, guess i will stick with what the factory calls for. most of the time i always like to upgrade the system to see what it will do to improve the performance. never really thought about it if it would backfire on me. will welcome more advice if given!

:Racing:

 

[KenCary]

They are regular copper spark plugs. My recommendation is to stick with the NGK plugs it calls for. Too many times customers come in with rough run problems only to have installed a platinum plug. These engines weren't designed for those type of plugs. But ultimately its your choice. :smileup:

Help us understand how an engine is designed to run with a copper vs a platinum plug?

I may be naive but aren't heat range and plug gap the only significant variables in a plug? The electrode material should only affect plug life.

It would seem that the 50KV of an electonic ignition should fire any plug that is close to OEM at idle speed.

 

[NitroTech]

Ken,

I know you would like to hear a technical explanation on why I said an engine is designed to work with certain plugs.....well I haven't got one.

It's all from experience, nothing technical about heat range, gap, or electrode material....that's my answer. :unknw:

 

[KenCary]

Ken,

I know you would like to hear a technical explanation on why I said an engine is designed to work with certain plugs.....well I haven't got one.

It's all from experience, nothing technical about heat range, gap, or electrode material....that's my answer. :unknw:

Thanks for the comeback.

I guess plug interaction with flame propagation in the head is a bit of a black art and if an engine was tested with a given plug and it works, that correlation is good enough to make it the spec.

I respect that the OEM cannot test every plug in an engine. Effectively this means that when you deviate from what was tested on an engine, you don't know what you will get--- could be worse, could be better but it is not the factory verified combination.

If the Nitro is this sensitive to plugs, I wonder if an MSD or other aftermarket CD ignition would be a useful investment for smooth running. I don't expect you to comment on the CD-- just thinking out load.

Ken

 

[kaleos]

when will you change yours?

one more question, when will you change your spark plugs? at all recommended time tables or when you feel like it or when the nitro finally says "me engine don't go no more, need new spark!)? just wondering..................................................i do that alot.

:Racing:

 

[KenCary]

one more question, when will you change your spark plugs? at all recommended time tables or when you feel like it or when the nitro finally says "me engine don't go no more, need new spark!)? just wondering..................................................i do that alot.

:Racing:

I suppose I'll change them between 20-30,000 miles. Maybe I'll upgrade to platinum.

Remember to use anti-sieze on the plugs as these are aluminum heads.

 

[Pshrynk]

They are regular copper spark plugs. My recommendation is to stick with the NGK plugs it calls for. Too many times customers come in with rough run problems only to have installed a platinum plug. These engines weren't designed for those type of plugs. But ultimately its your choice. :smileup:

X100

Platinum plugs don't really work much better than quality copper plugs. They just last longer and are more durable. They can even be a problem since they're left in longer and are more likely to seize!!!!! I agree -- stick with the NGK OEM plugs.

 

[TylerCanada]

If you want to go with a longer change interval, I would try double platinum, which are rated for 100,000 miles. I had double platinum in my previous vehicle (factory), and they worked great. However when I tried the Bosch +4 (4 electrode) in my Cherokee classic, they sucked and I removed them immediately.

 

[kaleos]

aaaaggggghhhh

I suppose I'll change them between 20-30,000 miles. Maybe I'll upgrade to platinum.

Remember to use anti-sieze on the plugs as these are aluminum heads.

guess thats what i get for asking all of you about changing your spark plugs............more different answers.

i appreciate all of your feed back, this is a great forum and i'm glad to be a part of it!!

:Racing:

 

[StarBandit]

Caught on to this thread while searching for another. This thread is talking of platinum plugs, but what of iridium plugs? I'm real tempted to try a set as that has been my normal type of plug. I'm surprised that the 4.0's are still on copper electrodes. Interesting, considering today's technology and PCM programming.

The next fun part is finding them, but then again I haven't yet looked or had the need yet. Still under 1000 miles.

 

[TylerCanada]

The 4.0s have double platinum. Copper doesn't last 100,000 miles.

 

[StarBandit]

I checked Rock Auto's online database. The Nitro 4.0 shows the Autolite XP5405 Iridium plug, .050 gap at $4.40 each. This is the same type plug I swapped in the Ram and could tell a major difference in performance and mpg. Yes, from a simple plug change although it was 16 plugs!!! Will head out today and see about picking them up. The other plug of quality was the NGK 7781 (ZFR5LP13G). I'll never use a Bosch, as others here have already commented on. Autolite's on Mopar's are the best plug, IMO and tested to prove it (see other online sites).

 

[fcsallan]

The 4.0s have double platinum. Copper doesn't last 100,000 miles.

Thank you for pointing that out.

I am always concerned that the 3.7 crowd here does not take note that the 4.0 is a completely different animal.

The 4.0 does in fact have platinum plugs. Do not use Copper in it. The ignition is too hot for them and they wear much too fast.

 

[BLUBYU]

I do not think you can use a MSD or other aftermarket ignition with the 3.7L since it has no wires, cap, rotor, distributor or coil. It has "coil packs" that snap right on top of the spark plugs and is fired by the computer after it gets a signal from a crank or cam sensor. I have never seen a 4.0L R/T engine so I do not know if they have the same system?