I'm changing the spark plugs + cleaning the throttle body + MAF sensor on a 2.7L for the first time

I'm changing the spark plugs + cleaning the throttle body + MAF sensor on my 2.7L engine for the first time tomorrow morning. I have everything prepared, gapped the plugs and will be doing it cold. I bought a tube of anti-seize and from everything that I have read the Denso's don't require it, but if I have a hard time inserting the plugs, I may use just a tiny dab.

What advice could you give me from your experience?


Thanks,
Mark

 

Subbed.

How many miles?

 

Use a good spark plug socket. My rubber holder kept staying on while putting new plugs. I ended up taking off the rubber spark plug holder to get the job done.

 

Almost 38,000....I know very low miles, but I don't want to go the whole 144 months (12 years) and not be able to get them out.

 

I took the suggestion of someone here and bought a Husky 3/8 spark plugs socket. The way he put it, buying that Husky spark plug socket at Home depot was the best $3.78 he has ever spent. I went to the socket selection at HD, today and grabbed the last one and hope it works for me like it did for him.

 

I really need to look up the service intervals.

I'm at 54k.

 

According to my manual it's 144 months or 120,000 miles, it states "Replace spark plugs (all models)" . I think the 4.0 is at 36 months or 30,000 miles.

 

I have a rubber tube to fit over the spark plugs when installing, that way if I'm cross threading the plugs the top will spin in the tube.

 

This is the socket recommend that I bought today at HD here ==>http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-3-8-in-Drive-5-8-in-Spark-Plug-Socket-H3DSPSKT58/202913554

 

There is a great write up in the 4 cylinder category here, on the throttle body cleaning and MAF. There is also a big thread on the 4.0L spark plugs change and I got tips there.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2-7l-auto-throttle-body-and-intake-manifold-cleaning.328682/

 

Cross threading, bane of my existence!

 

Thanks, very helpful and I will be using that today.

 

This is also a great thread on the Throttle body and MAF here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2tr-fe-maf-sensor-throttle-body-cleaning.262717/

Here is a thread on replacing the spark plugs here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-change-sparkplugs-2tr-fe.157316/

 

I always use a piece of vacuum hose to start the plugs.keeps from crossthreading them.

 

Why are you replacing your plugs so early?

 

I've procrastinated changing my plugs. I'm at 52k miles. From what I read, the passenger side is easy peezy, but the drivers side is a pain since there is so much in the way.

 

WOW, whenever you see someone do that, they are over their bed time and should be calling it a day.

 

Two reasons:

#1. I don't want to wait till I reach the 12 year mark, because there is no way I'm reaching 120,000 miles in the next 2 years.

#2. I did something I shouldn't have, by removing my thermostat when doing a coolant flush and instead of idling it for 10 minutes, I ran it 80 miles over 5 days with a lot of short trips, which caused it to run rich and that causes carbon build up.