1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Help with 3.4L Spark Plug Gap

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by cclax2145, Oct 21, 2008.

  1. Oct 21, 2008 at 3:20 PM
    #1
    cclax2145

    cclax2145 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2008
    Member:
    #5514
    Messages:
    74
    Gender:
    Male
    Houston
    Vehicle:
    2002 prerunner SR5 Blacked out
    Deckplate mod, K&N drop in, blacked out tails and emblems, 3 inch toytec spacer/AAL lift, Alpine head unit, Boston acustics speakers, and 10 inch image dynamics sub (in custom seat/box), Alpine EQ, Flowmaster 40 series, and viper alarm system, 33inch bfg MTs, 15inch black steelys
    Does anyone know what gap i need to set my plugs to. The guy i talked to said it was 35 but he didnt even ask what engine size so im just wondering if he was right or wrong. I got a 3.4L v6. Thanks
     
  2. Oct 21, 2008 at 3:25 PM
    #2
    tacomaman06

    tacomaman06 Carolina Alliance: Enforcer

    Joined:
    May 1, 2007
    Member:
    #1475
    Messages:
    26,212
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Will
    York,South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    '16 Tundra TRD Pro
    getting there....
    i think i set mine to right about 40 or so........no problems here.
     
  3. Oct 21, 2008 at 3:49 PM
    #3
    chris4x4

    chris4x4 With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. Moderator

    Joined:
    May 8, 2008
    Member:
    #6497
    Messages:
    112,751,502
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    FlimFlubberJAM
    Tenoe, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2019 Rubicon 4 Door,
    4.10 gears, sliders, and lots of buttons.
    40 is the winner! :D
     
  4. Oct 21, 2008 at 6:34 PM
    #4
    humanoid

    humanoid bite me

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2007
    Member:
    #1932
    Messages:
    2,727
    Gender:
    Male
    Sunny SoCal
    Vehicle:
    I had a '99 Xtra Cab PreRunner SR5 V6
    .44 is the gap. If you buy them from the dealer or at sparkplugs.com they are pre-gapped.
     
    FirstTimeFirstGen likes this.
  5. Oct 21, 2008 at 8:37 PM
    #5
    bajaracer

    bajaracer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2008
    Member:
    #7228
    Messages:
    431
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Charly
    Chandler
    Vehicle:
    05 PRERUNNER DBLCAB SPORT 4.0
    AEM DRY BRUTE FORCE, FLOWMASTER 50 SERIES, 285/70/17 BFG'S AT KO2'S MOTO METALS 17X8 885's with 5100's LOUD STEREO
    If they are dual electrode then they dont need to be gapped.
     
    FirstTimeFirstGen likes this.
  6. Oct 21, 2008 at 9:34 PM
    #6
    chris4x4

    chris4x4 With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. Moderator

    Joined:
    May 8, 2008
    Member:
    #6497
    Messages:
    112,751,502
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    FlimFlubberJAM
    Tenoe, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2019 Rubicon 4 Door,
    4.10 gears, sliders, and lots of buttons.
    Thats what alot of people think, but they DO need to be gapped. The last dual electrode plugs I changed, the gap was WAY off. Its easy to re gap. Anyone who thinks that their plugs are "pre gapped" check them to be sure. Yes, 44 is the book value, but as the gap seems to grow larger over time, I have always just gapped @ 40 to 42. :)
     
    Captain Magma and Brie like this.
  7. Oct 22, 2008 at 5:40 PM
    #7
    bajaracer

    bajaracer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2008
    Member:
    #7228
    Messages:
    431
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Charly
    Chandler
    Vehicle:
    05 PRERUNNER DBLCAB SPORT 4.0
    AEM DRY BRUTE FORCE, FLOWMASTER 50 SERIES, 285/70/17 BFG'S AT KO2'S MOTO METALS 17X8 885's with 5100's LOUD STEREO
    Darn, i just replaced them thinking they were gaped. Time to redo them!!!
     
  8. Oct 22, 2008 at 6:54 PM
    #8
    tacomaman06

    tacomaman06 Carolina Alliance: Enforcer

    Joined:
    May 1, 2007
    Member:
    #1475
    Messages:
    26,212
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Will
    York,South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    '16 Tundra TRD Pro
    getting there....
    most spark plugs are supposedly gapped, but everyone i have seen needed to be gapped a bit more.
     
  9. Apr 1, 2017 at 9:47 PM
    #9
    wilhed

    wilhed New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2017
    Member:
    #206258
    Messages:
    2
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    wilhed
    Seattle, Washington
    Vehicle:
    black sand pearl '03 Tacoma manual 4x4 V6 Dohc 54z
    Fog lights; iridium spark plugs; otherwise all stock.
    You all are referring to millimeters I presume?
     
  10. Apr 1, 2017 at 9:53 PM
    #10
    snowboard704

    snowboard704 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2016
    Member:
    #174104
    Messages:
    2,758
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Austin
    Jurupa Valley, CA
    Vehicle:
    03' 4x4 Tacoma
    Check Build thread
    .040"
     
  11. Apr 2, 2017 at 6:10 AM
    #11
    benrpd

    benrpd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2016
    Member:
    #174539
    Messages:
    267
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ben
    Vehicle:
    2003 Tacoma Xtra Cab
    None
    Holy crap, this is almost the length of a plug! Lol
     
    snowboard704 likes this.
  12. Apr 2, 2017 at 4:59 PM
    #12
    cruxofthebisquit

    cruxofthebisquit Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2009
    Member:
    #18936
    Messages:
    5,242
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    John
    Orange Texas
    Vehicle:
    2000 TRD
    OME and worth every penny.
    1.1 mm if you have a metric feeler gauge.:)
     
  13. Apr 2, 2017 at 5:12 PM
    #13
    Xbeaus

    Xbeaus Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2015
    Member:
    #166775
    Messages:
    1,486
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Beau
    Black hills South dakota
    Vehicle:
    98 Tacoma 3.4 5 speed SR5 limited TRD 4x4
    Toytec coilovers. Height adjustable Bilstein's. 265/75/16 MT. TRD wheels. Rebuilt r150f. Marlin clutch kit. All kinds of new parts...
    .043 is what happens I used
     
  14. Apr 25, 2017 at 7:49 AM
    #14
    STEVEO13016

    STEVEO13016 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2016
    Member:
    #190258
    Messages:
    172
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    STEVEO
    Vehicle:
    2000 Tacoma Prerunner V6 2WD
    5100 Billy's set at 0" with 881 coils
    Anyone have suggestions on what brand is the best to use for tacos ?
     
  15. Apr 25, 2017 at 7:52 AM
    #15
    Burnett

    Burnett Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2014
    Member:
    #137164
    Messages:
    1,318
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nolan
    North Georgia
    Vehicle:
    98' Xtra cab v6 4x4 evergreen pearl
    Bilsteins 5100's & 5125's, OME Dakar leafs Custom toolbox Custom bedstep/towhook/reverse light combo Custom Bedrack
    NGK or denso copper plugs change every 30k miles
     
  16. Apr 25, 2017 at 8:00 AM
    #16
    Laxtoy

    Laxtoy Dog is my backseat driver

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2015
    Member:
    #148610
    Messages:
    1,058
    Gender:
    Male
    Maltby, WA
    Vehicle:
    99 3.4l 5 speed 4WD 2023 Limited DCLB 4WD
    Fox 2.5 DSC resi CO's w/ 700lb King Coils, Camburg uca's, T-100 rear leafs, 13WL Tundra brakes, 1" 4crawler body lift, 295/75/16 Hankook MT, Ruff Stuff u bolt flip, 10" Fox LSC resi shocks turned back on custom mounts, home built rear high clearance bumper with dual swing outs, Diode Dynamics SSC2 Pro rear floods, Skid Row front and transfer case skid, home built transmission skid, Mercerfab sliders, home built front bumper, Badlands Apex 12k winch with synth line, 4.56's, ARB rear locker, home built rack with CVT Mt. Shasta, eBay snorkel, Sierra LEDs 20" dual amber/white light bar, Diode Dynamics SS3 Max amber fogs, Mini D2S projector retrofit, Blue Sea ML-ACR, dual Odyssey PC1200's, 100 watt solar panel, 20 plate heat exchanger/home built shower kit
    NGK BKR5EKB-11 is a stock replacement as is Denso K16TR11. It is highly advised you use these and only these. Never use a single electrode plug, never use a Bosch pos.

    As for the spark plug gap argument, they are factory gapped .44. That's what the non supercharged 5VZFE requires. If you're measuring the gap and you put a feeler gauge directly across the electrode and the arm then you are measuring from the corners on a concave surface and getting an inaccurate measurement. The measurement should be taken on the curve so to speak.

    If you choose to adjust the gap, which I've never had to do, make sure not to pry on the electrode, the part protruding in the center, or it can crack an destroy the plug.
     
    TacomaJunkie8691 likes this.
  17. Jul 18, 2017 at 10:20 AM
    #17
    Trapperr

    Trapperr Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2014
    Member:
    #124720
    Messages:
    1,002
    Gender:
    Male
    Reno, NV
    Vehicle:
    2002 Tacoma Double Cab 4x4 3.4l V6
    bringing back an old thread...

    I just got a set of NGK BKR5EKB-11 from rockauto. All the plugs came with a gap of .020-.030 so I was starting to think I got the wrong plugs since the gap was way off.

    Anyone know how to gap these things without breaking the center electrode? All I have is one of those disc shaped gap checkers.
     
  18. Jul 18, 2017 at 12:59 PM
    #18
    dgshelto

    dgshelto Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2017
    Member:
    #216704
    Messages:
    87
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    David
    San Diego
    Vehicle:
    1999 Tacoma TRD 4x4
    .040" all the way!
     
  19. Jul 18, 2017 at 12:59 PM
    #19
    dgshelto

    dgshelto Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2017
    Member:
    #216704
    Messages:
    87
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    David
    San Diego
    Vehicle:
    1999 Tacoma TRD 4x4
  20. Jul 19, 2017 at 1:48 PM
    #20
    ThunderOne

    ThunderOne Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2009
    Member:
    #17473
    Messages:
    10,020
    First Name:
    Mitchell
    Nashville
    Vehicle:
    1ST GEN OR GTFO
    Toyota NERD
    Trapperr likes this.

Products Discussed in

To Top