Yeah welcome to the list, congrats on getting your first Dakota! Just to
add something to what Bob said, for the cap I usually use a small deep
socket on the screws on the cap, they have a hex head on them as well, I
think it is 1/4". Made it lots easier for me. I left the shields on as it
makes matching the angle of the plug insanely easy, never thought about dirt
ad contaminants though. The plugs in my '99 are the easiest to change of
any vehicle I have ever owned or worked on, but it is the 5.2 (318) with no
A/C so that is probably why! If you don't already get one of the cheap
service books as a general guideline and for stuff not clear in the book
feel free to ask the list for clarification. Also if you replace the coil,
this is on the V-8 may be different on the v-6, note that the bracket that
holds the coil is bolted to the engine and it is far easier to remove the
bracket and coil from the engine and then remove the coil from the bracket
on a work bench. There is not much room to work a screw driver in there and
by the time I tried a phillips bit with a socket and ratchet they were to
stripped for that to work as well. Good luck with your Dak!
-Joe
-Welcome to the DML!
-Well, the plugs should be fairly easy, IF they've been changed at least
-once. The first time is the WORST!
-Our trucks come from the factory with the plugs installed by 900
-lb gorillas
-& are almost impossible to break free! First thing you wanna do, before you
-remove the plugs, is to remove the idiotic heat shields around the
-plugs (IF
-they're still there). They trap dirt & rust & other stuff which can fall
-into the cylinders. Grab each one with a pair of vise grips & yank em out.
-Then blow iut the crap with an air compressor - THEN remove your plugs.
-Install Autolite 3923 or 3924s gapped at .040", although .045" might give
-ya betted MPG... NAPA has a decent wire set. While you're there, grab a
-brass cap & rotor, too...The cap has two Phillips head screws -which are a
-little difficult to get at, but if you use a relatively short
-screwdriver...
-The rotor lines up easily. If you change the wires one at a time,
-you should
-have no problems - the NAPA wires match up lengths well...
-HTH,
-
-Bob Smith (DAKSY2K on AIM)
-Averill Park, NY
-2K DAK SY CC Sport + V6 4X4 5 Speed
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