The 2004 Dodge Stratus SXT was available as a two-door coupe or a four-door sedan. The vehicle was equipped with a 2.4-liter in-line four-cylinder engine that produced 147 horsepower and 158 foot-pounds of torque. The Stratus SXT engine utilized a "distributor-less" engine, with ignition coil packs and wires. The coil packs operate two cylinders, and are located on two separate cylinders. The coil packs utilize a coil wire to run the second cylinder.
Open the hood on the Stratus and set the hood prop. Disconnect the negative battery cable from the battery by using a ratchet and socket.
Remove the coil plug wires from the No. 1 and No. 3 cylinders. The No. 1 cylinder is the cylinder farthest to the left as you face the engine from the front of the car. Pull the wires upward by the boot by using a twisting motion so that you do not damage the spark plug end of the wires.
Remove the spark plugs from the spark plug holes by turning each plug counterclockwise by using a ratchet, extension and spark plug socket. Pull the spark plugs straight up and out of the engine, being careful not to hit the valve cover and knock the spark plugs loose from the socket.
Inspect the gap on all the new spark plugs. Set the gap to 0.040 inches by using a wire spark plug gap tool. Some spark plugs are not adjustable, such as those made from iridium and other high-end materials. Check the spark plug packaging to make sure you have adjustable plugs. If the plugs are not adjustable and are not set to 0.040 inches, return them to the auto parts store and exchange them for the gap-specific spark plugs this car requires.
Disconnect the extension and spark plug socket from the ratchet. Insert a new plug into the spark plug socket, with the threaded end of the plug facing outward. Insert the new plug into the No. 1 cylinder hole and thread it snugly by hand to ensure proper threading. Repeat this step for the No. 3 spark plug installation. Install a 3/8-inch-drive torque wrench onto the socket and extension. Tighten both plugs to 36 inch-pounds of torque by using the tool combination.
Insert the plug wires by pushing them down until they pop into place and lock onto the plugs.
Remove the screw from the No. 2 and No. 4 cylinder coil packs by using a Torx bit hand driver. Disconnect the coil wires that lead to the No. 1 and No. 3 cylinders from the coils packs by hand. Pull the two coil packs upward and out of the engine by using a slight twisting motion to release them from the plugs. Set the packs just behind the valve cover, keeping them in line with the cylinder from which they were removed.
Repeat steps 3 to 5 to complete the spark plug replacement for cylinders 2 and 4. Install the coil packs back onto the engine, then tighten the mounting screws snugly with the Torx driver. Do not over-tighten the mounting screws, or you could break the coil pack housing. Install the coil wires from cylinders 1 and 3 onto the coil towers on coil packs 2 and 4 by hand.
Connect the negative battery cable to the battery, then tighten the lead snugly by using a ratchet and socket.
