How To: Spark Plug Change (1 GR-FE)

Not sure if this will be useful to any of you knowing that many of you use OEM but it may be useful to someone (and not sure its in the last 77 pages). So at work I wrote the compatible spark plugs for my taco (2012 V6). I also listed prices and years on warranty. (Side not this list is to be used as a reference not gospel prices and possible part numbers might be different in different regions and stores) information came from the O'Rielly's system All plugs needing gapping said to be at .44 gap

Autolite Copper Core #5325 $1.99/plug 2 year warranty
Bosch Fine Wire Platinum (DO NOT GAP) #6731 $2.99/plug 3 year warranty
Autolite Platinum #AP5325 $3.29/ plug 4year warranty
Champion Double Platinum #7975 $3.99/plug 5 year
Autolite Double Platinum (OE Style) #APP5325 $4.49/ plug 5 year
Bosch Fine Wire Double Platinum (DO NOT GAP) #8122 $4.99 6 year
NGK V-Power Nickel (LFRC-11 OE Style) #7787 $5.49 1 year
AC Delco Professional Platinum #41-835 $5.99/plug 100,000 mile
E3 Diamond Fire (DO NOT GAP) #E3.68 $6.09/plug 5 year
Autolite Iridium XP #XP5325 $6.99/ plug 7 year
Bosch Fine Wire Iridium (DO NOT GAP) #9613 $6.99 7 year
NGK G-Power Platinum #1483 $7.99/plug 1 year
NGK Iridium IX #6619 $8.29/plug 1 year
NGK Laser Iridium #4904 $9.99/plug 1 year

Hope this helps anyone or just was curious on it. There was special order plugs but I declined to tally those up due to lack of price and warranty

 

cool, thanks!

 

Just called my local dealer and they quoted $8.95 per plug for Denso. Seems pretty steep. Where's the best deal at? Amazon?

 

as an afterthought, I read up on the process and saw there there are a lot of strong feelings about whether or not to use anti-seize on the plugs. Some say it's helpful while others say never use it on modern engines as it can cause issues. The walktru said to use it so I did. I was wondering what other's feelings are on the use of anti-seize.

 

$3.80 ea on Amazon and free ship with Prime and $25 order.

I've seen lower plus shipping so that's why I went with Amazon and just added a OEM oil filter to get free shipping.

 

Based partially on the fact that your threading two dissimilar metals together, and a story told to me by my trade school teacher (millwright) about problems with the plugs basically welding themselves into the aluminium heads or galling on alot of f150s he knew about. I usually use a very small amount of anti sieze being very carefull not to get it near the electrode. however i didnt think about the reduced torque which makes sense wet torque / dry torque . I have had no issues and have been changing my own from the second set on, dealer did the first set. im at 197000 kms

that being said the ford issues were largely due to not replacing the spark plugs at recommended intervals and leaving them in way to long. the other point to his story was how much of a bitch it was to get a broken spark plug out of an enginge that you need a long extension or special ford wrench just to get a socket on,partial engine dissassembly required. You will probably never have an issue not using anti sieze as long as you change them at recommended intervals, but on the other hand you shouldnt have any issues using anti sieze either if you do it correctly. just my 2 cents

 

agreed, putting a small amount on gives me piece of mind i guess, but probably not necessary as i change them when toyota says i should.

i didnt know ford made a kit lol, i havent owned one since 1995.

 

Are all the Denso plugs u-groove?

 

sub'd for future reference. This is a great write up. Thank You!

 

Great write up. Clear and concise. Just changed mine. I will add that a breaker bar (the one in the photo was Kobalt brand from Lowes) was essential for the leverage and the pivoting head particularly an the drivers side where space was tight. I could make half revolutions and rotatable it around, which made quick work removing and replacing the plugs.

For the middle plug on the drivers side, be sure to move all the hoses out the way by disconnecting. It may seem like you don't have to but that is where you are most likely to strip the threads when screwing the plug in, due to the slight sideways pressure the middle hose puts on your tool.

The most rearward plug on the passenger side had some corrosion on the nut part of the plug, as seen in photo. Anyone know why, and is this something I need looked at?

 

Tools with the breaker bar

 

I like those...going to order them. Thanks

 

x2

 

Considering this post was started six years ago, are the use of these plugs (Denso Spark Plugs #K20HR-U11 (Toyota part #

$7 90919-01235 Toyota Genuine Spark Plug

90919-01235) still accurate? Thanks

 

Yes

 

Thanks. That was what I was deducing because the rust was on the part of the plug you see, not downward by the gap, where everything seemed consistent with the other plugs. I wiped off any dust from the corrosion off of the coil, and will re-check in a couple weeks. I assume the seal is a part you can buy separate from the coil, if necessary.

 

I use a deep 16 socket, and extension, and use a thin strip of gorilla tape
over the lip of the socket and this hold the plug in the socket via friction.

then twirl it by hand to start thread and keep using fingers until gasket touches

then get the torque wrench and crank it the rest of the way until 'BEEP'

 

'beep' you fancy sir.

 

just replaced my first set on the Taco, it has 82K miles so i wasn't sure if they had been replaced or not as i'm the 2nd owner.

i was pleased to see there were all Denso's so that tells me they are not original. In fact, they really didn't look too bad. I'd guess maybe only 30-40k miles worth.

This was a very easy job, I'm a novice a wrench turner and took me only 60 minutes. My only mini hang up was get the harness to snap back on the the coil closest to the bumper (driver side). That's a tight squeeze!

 

Completed this today, thanks for the write up! Very easy to follow.