Spark plug shields

[Mopar4Life]

Hey guys, just came in, we're getting crappy weather here. It jsut started drizzling, supposed to rain through tomorrow. Anyhow ,I just changed my sparkplugs. The factory ones were in there apparently...champion plugs. I put 8 new Autolite 3923 because I've been getting some pinging ever since I put the K&N Xtreme 14" x 2.313". Now, how the hell do I get those stupid dinky shields off around the spark plugs?? I tried a couple of things, and they're pretty solid on there...

[jj2314]

i am interested in this as well because i am about to do the same thing

Sorry i was no help

[Mopar4Life]

Yea they are pieces of shit :jester: Stubborn as hell!

[AFDakRT]

Pinging from an air filter?

Anyway, spray the base of those things with PB Blaster or something similar like twice a day for a few days. Grab onto them with vise grips and wiggle them until they free up and come out.

I think I sprayed mine twice a day for a week with 3 different brand of penetrating lube and they came out easy. :jester:

[Mopar4Life]

Pinging from an air filter?

Anyway, spray the base of those things with PB Blaster or something similar like twice a day for a few days. Grab onto them with vise grips and wiggle them until they free up and come out.

I think I sprayed mine twice a day for a week with 3 different brand of penetrating lube and they came out easy. :jester:

LoL...good advice! I'll let you know how that works out.

And the pinging isn't FROM the air filter...just after i did the exhaust and then once I did the intake, it likes to ping under WOT...normal for these engines as I feed it regular too. Autolite 3923s stopped this in my Durango, hopefully in the R/T aswell.

[AFDakRT]

Regular? Blasphemy.

[360 xrt]

your pinging is all fuel issues and hopefully you will cease using regular and at least bump it up to mid-grade or your going to have issues.As far as the heat shields,i did mine with the old plugs still in place (just loose) and shop vac'ed the area before pulling the plugs out.

[Mopar4Life]

your pinging is all fuel issues and hopefully you will cease using regular and at least bump it up to mid-grade or your going to have issues.As far as the heat shields,i did mine with the old plugs still in place (just loose) and shop vac'ed the area before pulling the plugs out.

So you're saying use 89 instead of 87?It only pings under WOT most of the times...

[AFDakRT]

93 FTW. I ran 87 in my truck once and it pinged like a mother over 3,000 RPM. Plus 93 smells better.

[Mopar4Life]

93 FTW. I ran 87 in my truck once and it pinged like a mother over 3,000 RPM. Plus 93 smells better.

:jester:

[slammedR/T]

93 FTW. I ran 87 in my truck once and it pinged like a mother over 3,000 RPM. Plus RACE GAS smells better.

Fixed

DEPUTY

[AFDakRT]

Fixed

DEPUTY

tr00

[pwhiteelec05]

shop vac'ed the area before pulling the plugs out.

definitely, i had alot of dust in mine

[sltdak]

How do you tell if it's pinging or not?
I run mid-grade in my 3.9 because I get slightly better mileage with mid-grade vs regular. Didn't notice much performance difference.

[ColoDak]

If I don't run at least mid-grade it pings like rain on a tin barrell, and when I had my super chips on, if I didn't run premium it would ping.

The easiest way to determine ping, at least for me anyway, was to gradually accel from a start. Almost letting the truck lug a little, with no radio on you should be able to hear a ping or rattle coming from the engine. It'll be pretty subtle.

[hskrRT]

For removing the heat sheilds, here is no reason to use PB blaster or spray them with anything. If you look, there is a slit in them that goes from the top to the bottom. Grab with a pair of pliers or vise grips right at the edge of the split. Then, twist the twist the pliers to where you are "rolling" the edge of the shield towards the center of it. Basically, they are held in sort of with spring tension. By twisting them in this way, you release the tension and break up any corrosion holding them in, and they pull right out. I had one that rolled up quite a bit before it released, but this method is easier and cleaner than spraying any type of penetrating fluid on your engine. Don't worrry about bending them, because I highly doubt you will ever be re-installing them. I threw mine away.

[Dakudaman]

For removing the heat sheilds, here is no reason to use PB blaster or spray them with anything. If you look, there is a slit in them that goes from the top to the bottom. Grab with a pair of pliers or vise grips right at the edge of the split. Then, twist the twist the pliers to where you are "rolling" the edge of the shield towards the center of it. Basically, they are held in sort of with spring tension. By twisting them in this way, you release the tension and break up any corrosion holding them in, and they pull right out. I had one that rolled up quite a bit before it released, but this method is easier and cleaner than spraying any type of penetrating fluid on your engine. Don't worrry about bending them, because I highly doubt you will ever be re-installing them. I threw mine away.

You beat me to it! :mullet: That is how I did all my Daks.

[AFDakRT]

For removing the heat sheilds, here is no reason to use PB blaster or spray them with anything. If you look, there is a slit in them that goes from the top to the bottom. Grab with a pair of pliers or vise grips right at the edge of the split. Then, twist the twist the pliers to where you are "rolling" the edge of the shield towards the center of it. Basically, they are held in sort of with spring tension. By twisting them in this way, you release the tension and break up any corrosion holding them in, and they pull right out. I had one that rolled up quite a bit before it released, but this method is easier and cleaner than spraying any type of penetrating fluid on your engine. Don't worrry about bending them, because I highly doubt you will ever be re-installing them. I threw mine away.

Nah no reason at all. Not like I didn't try it that way everytime I changed my spark plugs for 4 times. PB Blaster helps when your truck sits in the north east for 8 years.

[hskrRT]

If you actually tried that method 4 times before getting them out, then you should have twisted the shield enough that you wouldn't have been able to get a spark plug back in. Don't think the NE has the market cornered on corrosion. The midwest gets salted roads during the winter as well.

[jmaack727]

My shit pings at WOT running the mopar PCM and 93.
Lesson learned dont go WOT. HAHA

However teh belly pan has a slight leak and will soon be replaced.

[mopar318]

I dont think 93 smells any different than 87. Now if were are talking C16, these yes.

Hell Fuck c16, I get to smell JetA all day long at work. That is the shizznit.

[AFDakRT]

If you actually tried that method 4 times before getting them out, then you should have twisted the shield enough that you wouldn't have been able to get a spark plug back in. Don't think the NE has the market cornered on corrosion. The midwest gets salted roads during the winter as well.

Metal can be bent back into shape. All i'm saying is I tried multiple times before with no success. Then I did nothing different except spray them with penetrating lube and they came out easily. So i'd say it helped a bit.

[mopar318]

Doesnt really matter if there is a slit. Ive seen body panels rusted completely together.

[hskrRT]

And here I can run 89 octane with the Mopar PCM and only experience detonation under WOT above 4500 RPMs.

[DrPepper]

detonation isn't on and off, it starts below your hearing and gets worse. sltdak said he gets better gas mileage with mid grade...that's because the engine isn't pinging at part throttle. It's about running at peak performance all the way up the curve and throttle position.
I wish I knew how to check and adjust the timing and mixture like the old days. But, the computer is set...period, unless you go to superchips (etc.) and program your own. I don't have time or bucks to play that game. That's my $.02 :stirthepo

[Mopar4Life]

Metal can be bent back into shape. All i'm saying is I tried multiple times before with no success. Then I did nothing different except spray them with penetrating lube and they came out easily. So i'd say it helped a bit.

Yea well I messed with them today...no luck so I sprayed them with PB. I'll try them tomorrow!

[Redwingvksm]

My brother's 2000 Dakota R/T we just bent the shit out of them and they finnaly poped out. No PB Blaster or anything.

[hskrRT]

That's what I'm saying.^^^

[AFDakRT]

Well I apologize that I wasn't so lucky and had to resort to using the devil's spray, penetrating lube. :jerkit:

[TurboBlew]

Maybe youre not man enough to do auto mechanics?? lolzz

[Redwingvksm]

Uhho. That's flaming.

Better get the...

http://news.filefront.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/ban20hammer1gq4.jpg

A soothing douche may be used afterwords...:D