Hey, all,

I've been a Ford guy since childhood (my Dad taught me to drive his 1966 F-250, 4spd, in his construction yard, when I was 8 years old).

I've had four Ford pickups myself, and even a Ford car--drove it for 12 years.

But a mid-90's Dodge Ram 1500 has fallen into my lap (if I pay for it, that is--LOL) and I have been unable to find a Dodge forum that is remotely the equal of our beloved FTE site.

Can anyone recommend a Dodge Ram forum that is the equal to FTE? Or, alternatively, at least as close as one might get? I need to post a few questions, quickly, to get answers, as I've got to go see this truck very soon.

(Don't worry--I'm not "leaving" Ford--I'll just try to stick with good 8th and 9th generation F-series--you know, the ones that don't blow their spark plugs/threads out of their heads. But those are hard to find, configured as I want them, and with little rust. So in the meantime, I need a truck, and this Ram 1500 looks to be pretty clean....)

Thanks much, in advance,

BigSix1

 

there is no such thing as a dodge forum equal to FTE.

but there is ramforum.com
i was not impressed with them when looking for answers to specialty questions. i either got bad info, or no answers at all to other questions.

 

Yeah, I was afraid there would be nothing could equal FTE, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

I saw a Dodge forum with a name similar to the one you named, and I saw a high percentage of unanswered queries...far higher than here, IMHO.

Thanks just the same.

Anyone else have any Dodge forums they could recommend?

And/or: To the Mods, or anyone else: should this post be in the 8th-9th gen. Ford pickups, where I normally hang out, as that is the era (i.e., '90's) of the Dodge 1500 I'm looking at?

Thanks in advance,

BigSix1

 

no, this is probably a better place to post it than in a year specific forum.
maybe general automotive would get more looks, but i think here is probably just as good.

 

ramforum.com is the best. But owning a Dodge it doesn't break like all the Fords trucks I have owned so I seldom go there. But if I have issues the guys there are great.
The only Ford I have now is my 73 Galaxie 500. & it a great car. I wouldn't buy a Ford truck built after 1979 ever again. I have owned plenty of them. After my last two I said that was it for me. They just nickel & dime me to death.

 

tjc,

Thanks for the advice--much appreciated.


kermydog,


You know, I was pondering the same "chicken and the egg" scenario, i.e., which comes first, re: this:
IOW: do GREAT trucks lead to a GREAT forum?

Or do problematic (albeit, much-loved) trucks lead to a GREAT forum?

Put another way: I started asking myself WHY there were 1,307 viewers of 8th and 9th gen. trucks on FTE, recently, in the wee hours (from memory, so don't quote me) and only 32 views, at the same time, on a Dodge forum. Obviously, I could have just been on a small, crappy Dodge forum--and maybe I was! On the other hand, I considered that:

1. Ford (probably?) sold more trucks than Dodge--but could they have sold that many more trucks than Dodge? Or;

2. Perhaps Fords have more problems, and thus, more (admittedly loyal, and knowledgeable) followers?

I don't know the answer to these questions, and all I'm really seeking, at this point, is what I've now been given--a recommendation for a good Dodge forum. So, I'm not trying to start a "Brand War," here, by any means! LOL



kermydog, I'm a bit more lenient in my "good Fords-years" than you are--LOL--I stop at 1996, the year they killed the "Big Six" (the 300cu.in./4.9L) that had been around, initially in it's 240 cu. in. form, since about 1966, IIRC. (And while not a fan of fuel injection, I've come to like Ford's simple--though almost unmodifiable--"speed density" system, used on the 4.9L, for it's general reliability, and decent--in truck terms--mpg. You mention 1979 as your "cut-off"--in 1979 my Dad bought a brand new, stripper, F-150, 302/auto, RC/LB, 4x2--that got a whopping 9 MPG, brand new! I had to go all the way up to a 1996 F-250, SC/LB, with 460/5spd, to beat that mileage--I got approx. 6mpg!)

After 1996, with the exception of Ford's (pickup) V-6, all of their V-8's (excuse me--all of the "Triton/Modular" engine family) had this penchant for spitting the spark plugs out of their holes, threads and all! And the following article alleges that the V-10's have this problem, as well:

Ford's Spit-Out Spark Plugs Hit Mechanics in their Wallets
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news...ark_plugs.html

There is at least one company whose main business seems to be offering re-threading kits for this problem--and no recall!

I have a friend of 25+ years who has had FOUR plugs spit out of his Ford F-150--and he, like me, has always been a die-hard Ford guy. He paid $400. per hole, to repair, which is actually cheaper than some of the prices I have seen.

So, I've been having a tough time of it, as finding 4.9's that haven't been savaged by rust, is a real problem--especially since so many buyers (dealers?) ordered the V-8's.

And, if I'm lucky, time will tell, but I hope to acquire a Dodge Ram soon--so I really appreciate the Dodge forum recommendation!

And here's wishing you and your family and friends, and ALL of FTE's members and their families and friends, a HEALTHY, Happy, Prosperous and Peaceful New Year!

 

these are valid questions.
i have owned fords for over 30 years now and only had one bad one, a 86 F250 with a 302 in it. at 18k miles ht ecats went and blew the engine. traded in on a diesel in 88 and got more than i paid for it new.
as for the nickel and dime you to death like kermy said, well i guess they do, but every one of my vehicles except for my 99 crown vic have over 200,000 miles on them. so things are starting to need replacing.


as for the blown out spark plug thing, i have replaced over 100 sets of plugs and never had any come back blown out.
but i also take my time, warm the engine up before removing the plugs, and torque them to 14 ftlbs when installing them.
the ones i see with blown out plugs had the threads ripped out of the head from either over tightening the plugs, or from only putting them in finger tight and then the plugs loosen up and get spit out.

 

tjc,

Re: your text I quoted, above, in red, from my reading, I wonder, how many of the 100 sets of V-8 plugs you changed were NOT on 302's, 351's or 460's? Because none of those engines are in the "Triton/Modular Engine Family," and it is the "Triton" engines that blow their plugs out.

Here is a "wiki" on this engine series--at the end of it, it has a brief section on the a separate problem from the "spitting out their spark plugs" issue. This second problem involves the plugs SEPARATING, upon removal (often, apparently, at the first service interval, which would eliminate negligent workmanship on the owner's part, IF s/he were changing them at the recommended, first service interval):

Ford Modular engine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Modular_engine

Apparently, these engines were used in the F-series from 1997-2010.

Here is the "wiki" on the "spark plug-thread SEPARATION problem":



From my own reading, many of these failures were before the first, suggested spark plug change of 100,000 miles, which would eliminate improper torque procedures, and the other, careful steps you obviously, routinely take.


The "wiki" also mentions a class action suit re: problems with a coolant passage, in the NYLON intake manifold--a problem my neighbor had on his 4.6L Mustang--no thanks, Ford....

Here is one company that reviews the many solutions that have sprung up to address this (to me, obviously wide-spread) problem, including Time-Sert, Calvan, Heli-Coil and Dorman:

Ford Spark Plug Blow Out Problems How to Repair
Ford Spark Plug Blow Out Problems How to Repair | Tech Articles

And THIS company, below, charges $800. PER HOLE, if they have to fly out to you, and $500. per hole ($650. for two! LOL) if it can be done at a local facility:
Blownoutsparkplug.com Ford Spark Plug Thread Repair


Re: the "spark plug thread separation issue", discussed above, which causes part of the plugs to remain stuck inside the spark plug hole, requiring a special procedure to extract it: That little mess is discussed in the FTE thread, below, which I did not take the time to read, but only saw it referenced, as I skimmed through it:

Spark Plug thread repair. With Photos
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...th-photos.html

The plug-separation failure (as opposed to the "spit the plug righout" failure, that I mentioned originally, is also addressed in this short outtake from a popular truck TV show--it's basically a minute-long infomercial for the "Time-Sert" systems, which seem to be a big player in what seems to be a rather big problem:
REPAIRING FORD TRITON SPARK PLUGS M14x1.25 blown out problem
+ TIME-SERT FORD SPARK PLUG REPAIR blown out spark plugs problems blowout Frequently Asked Questions spark plug thread repair+


I could deal with Ford's non-working gas gauges, as I appreciated having the option of dual tanks (not sure if Dodge offers that, but it seems less common than on Fords). And I LOVE the "Big Six," i.e., the 300 cu. in./4.9L, as I mentioned.

But when the 4.9 was "retired" (allegedly because it wouldn't fit under the new "Aero-style" hoods of the 1997 F-150's), I began to lose interest.

And then when the "spitting out their spark plugs" debacle surfaced, I thought about how that would feel, on my 6-hour drag, with our boat, that the Big Six made, effortlessly, with up to 190,000+ miles on it, year after year, for 10 years. I would feel NOT good, were that to occur....

And while the Mazda-sourced 5-speed (the M5OD) was considered "light duty," with 3.55 rear gears, it PERFECTLY matched the torque curve of the Big Six, and was a pure joy to drive! And if one kept the ATF in it (the fluid suggested by Ford), even after it started leaking out of the TOP of the trans, due to some rotted, rubber plugs I never bothered to go digging for, it lasted just fine--I just added some fluid, twice a year.

But it was the "spitting out their spark plugs" thing that was the final straw, for me. Since I can't afford a new pickup (and couldn't stand the depreciation, even if I could afford it!), I've come to look at Dodges.

So...we shall see.

But I'd really like to know how many of those 100 sets of plugs you've put in went into the "Triton/Modular" engine family, from 1997-2010? (Though the "wiki" seems to suggest some of these engines have been around since 1991, in some applications....)

Thanks,

BigSix1

 

sorry, that should have read over 100 sets of plugs on 4.6 and 5.4 engines.
and i was not referring to the two piece plug design, i was referring to the false claim that once the plugs are changed they will blow out of the engine.
the main cause of plug blow out after change is improper torque.
i also had the failed intake manifold on 4 4.6 engines, 1 97 grand marquis, and 3 99 crown vics.
of mine the boss the temp sensor mounted to cracked, leaking coolant. after leaking for about 6 month the boss failed spitting the sensor out and emptying the coolant system in the engine valley.