'94 5.9l Magnum tune-up time!

[Stelth]

I've had this truck maybe a year, and I figured it was time to change out the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor, since I don't know how old they are. Engine has around 50,000 miles on it.

Got this stuff from Rock Auto. A lot of guys on the Ram truck pages recommend copper plugs for the old trucks, so that's what I got. Dodge, always thinking of the shade tree mechanic, decided to put the distributor on the back of the engine where you can't even see it. The engine compartment in this truck (oh yeah, '94 Ram 2500 4x4) is big enough that you can climb inside with the engine. I've done it. So I'm not sure why the distributor has to be in the back, crammed up against the firewall. I discovered that there was a really sharp zip tie right where my arm needed to be.

I guess I could say that I can change the distributor cap and rotor with my eyes closed, since I basically did all that by feel. The plugs that came out were kind of interesting, 5 Champion RC12YC, 2 NGK Iridium plugs, and 1 NGK Platinum plug.

I haven't taken a really good test drive yet, but I did start it up and rev it a few times to make sure it runs.

 

[wander2039]

Just did the same on our 00 Dakota 3.9L... sounds like the same experience! At 90k it was impressive how bad the rotor and cap was. I could see what I was doing sorta so not as bad. I also used the same copper plugs.. can't remember the number 3223? Definitely a difference! That chore was easy compared changing the ball joints!

 

[jetmech1]

50,000 miles with that mixture of plugs?

 

[dogememe]

lol that's really odd a bunch of random plugs came out. gm also puts the distributors in the back. i think ford is the only one that puts it nice and easy to get to up front

 

[BrianF]

Good job!! I did that job as a teenager back in the late 90's on my dads 96 with the 5.2. I managed to acquire similar scrapes if I recall. I also did one of the freeze plugs, passenger side, partially blocked by the engine mount too. It was a great learning experience...

 

[FlyNavyP3]

OP, it has the distributor in the back because it's a small block Chrysler. They've been in the back since before the 360 even existed (first year was 1971 for the 360) and the small block Chrysler started in its current general configuration in 1964 as a 273.

I've owned a few Magnum V-8s while the catalog plug is an Autolite 5924 I've always had good luck with a 3923.

Sounds like a good job done!

 

[53' Stude]

Originally Posted by FlyNavyP3
OP, it has the distributor in the back because it's a small block Chrysler. They've been in the back since before the 360 even existed (first year was 1971 for the 360) and the small block Chrysler started in its current general configuration in 1964 as a 273.

I've owned a few Magnum V-8s while the catalog plug is an Autolite 5924 I've always had good luck with a 3923.

Sounds like a good job done!


Speaking of the 273; dad has two of these sitting in his garage. Dunno what he will ever do with them

 

[Stelth]

Took it for a little spin last night, and at least it's not any worse!

We'll see how it does on a nice freeway run tomorrow.