3.4 spark plugs ?? Wtf

huh?

 

Pulled this from here,

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/74102-spark-plug-questions.html

Explains it a bit......
"The 3.4 is a "companion cylinder" ignition system or better known as waste spark. The way the plugs fire is in a loop where the spark (current) flows out through one plug and back through the other. One piston is one compression and the other on exhaust so that is the "waste side". These types of systems are picky about plug design but work very well. Here is why.

Platinum plugs are used in modern ignition systems to reduce wear on the tip that occurs during the firing event. On a VERY micro level, every time the spark jumps it erodes a little metal from the tip. In a traditional set up where the spark travels in one direction the platinum can be put in to reduce wear. On a waste spark system you would need platinum on BOTH sides or the wear will be uneven causing drive-ability issues very soon. Ford in the early days had vehicles shipped where they had two part numbers for each engine at the factory. One side had platinum on the tip and the other had platinum on the ground tab and were installed as required. The service (replacement) plug was a double platinum part number.

I will NEVER use a fine wire plug (that tiny center electrode) in ANY vehicle with a waste spark ignition system. You are almost GUARANTEED a rough idle or misfire condition in short order. I do not care if it is a Toyota, GM, Ford, Mitsu or whatever, they do not perform correctly in these systems. I agree wholeheartedly with those that tell you to use the correct Denso or even NGK plug.

The issue about reducing plug gap for performance is misunderstood by many IMHO. The amount of turbulence in a combustion chamber helps set the gap requirements because it can increase the Kv (kilovolts) required to fire. You can actually see the ion trail bend like a lightning bolt if you set up a spark-plug to fire in the shop and blow compressed air across the electrodes. It is really cool to see and the results of the bend can be measured by higher KV on an ignition scope. In an engine, this can cause the spark to be "blown out" causing ignition breakdown and misfires typically under heavy load at the upper RPM range. It takes some SERIOUS modifications to require a change in gap from original design on most engine. If you had a super charger running a high boost, that would be a reason to reduce gap. Other than that, stick with OE design plugs and gap for best overall performance.

Sorry, you asked for the time and I built you a watch, but I thought this was an important topic. I have fixed many vehicles of the years that just were stuffed with plugs that were flat WRONG for the engine."
*

 

Yep, I got a warning sticker on the timing cover on my 02 Tacoma saying to use only dual electrode spark plugs. It even shows the picture of the dual electrode spark plug.

 

Not recommended by the factory, probably work ok for now but down the road you will experience issues. A friend of mine bought a used Tacoma and when it started hesitating and missing he found that the previous owner installed single electrode plugs. We changed them and the problem was fixed.

 

No now to look for it here it is.

 

I found a Denso plug called the TT I install 3 months ago and love it. These are $2 each. It's a single electrode plug with dual needle electrodes. They are platinum plugs so they will last 100k miles. The reason the factory used dual electrode standard plug was because the wasted spark plug ignition we all have, sends the spark from the ground to the center electrode on half the cylinders and if its not a precious metal it gets eroded quickly. Newer toyotas use single electrode iridium plugs today, something that wasn't available 14 years ago.



Watch this video on the benefits of a dual needle over a standard electrode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS4MV2pELyU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

i have dual electrode NKG iridums i think.

 

Copper to 30k
Platinum to 60k
Iridium to 100-120k

Videos don't tell a whole lot beyond what the marketing department wants you to see.
Pulsar and other snake oil salesmen all have impressive videos that don't reflect what is happening in the engine.

Just stick with what the manufacturer recommends.

 

Welcome to Tacomaworld

$18 Denso K16TR11 Spark Plugs, Pack of 4

Denso K16TR11 for the 3.4

 

Right plug , right gap , right gap gauge ! A little anti-seize , a little dielectric grease , install . Step back and enjoy the purr !

 

Meme typos FTW

 

K16TR11

 

It's funny. My wife won't go into a store through the exit even if the entrance is all the way across the big box store. Some people will just never break the rules just like that little sticker from the 1990s that says only use dual electrode plugs designed in the 1970s. LOL

Clearly Toyota is still using the wasted spark ignition. However Toyota has transitioned to precious metal single electrode spark plugs. I see no reason we can't as well. I gained 1mpg by using the Denison TT plugs and my idle and acceleration are better too. It's important to regap the plug to .044 before installing them. They come gapped at .036 and heres another sacrilege topic, you can regap these plugs. Just go to the NGK and Denso website if you don't believe me.

Per Denso:
"Generally, no. The DENSO Iridium Power plug comes pre-set with a protective sleeve over the firing end, to protect the gap from accidental alteration. DENSO Iridium Power?s ultra-efficient firing power compensates for normally recommended gap settings that are smaller than the pre-set value. In the cases of vehicle modifications (nitrous, turbo-chargers, super-chargers, high power ignition systems, etc.), some adjustments may be desired. Or, if you prefer to remain consistent with factory specifications, you may adjust. However, please be careful not to place any stress on the fine center electrode during adjustment. You could accidentally break off the very hard, and therefore brittle, tip."

Per NGK
"In most cases the factory set gap should conform to your vehicle specifications. However if it is necessary to widen the gap, do so with a tool that only pulls back on the ground electrode without touching the center electrode or the porcelain. To close the gap on a plug, gently tap the plug, electrode first on a hard surface."

NGK tutorial on dual vs single electrode plugs

So, if the engineers at Toyota trust and believe the engineers at NGK, I guess I can too.

 

I just replaced my plugs on my 02 V6 a few days ago. Can't remember if they were NGK or Denso. Got them from the parts dept at the local Toyota dealership. Although I do know that they were dual electrode.

I saved the old plugs "just in case" I'm curious now too if they were the original plugs at 134K...

 

sub'd

 

2+ year old bump...

.... where did you get that wire gap tool that has a .043 on it?

Only ones I see have a .042 and .044.

Thanks.