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What spark plug brand to use on my ‘04 2.7l

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Kevins60, Mar 31, 2019.

  1. Mar 31, 2019 at 5:05 AM
    #1
    Kevins60

    #1
    Kevins60 [OP] axle wrap tells me my rear brakes are working

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    Whats the general consensus on preferred spark plugs? Denso, NGK or Bosch Iridium?
     
    Kevins60, Mar 31, 2019
    #1
    CS_AR likes this.
  2. Mar 31, 2019 at 5:49 AM
    #2
    Appalachia Man

    #2
    Appalachia Man Well-Known Member

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    iv'e used all 3, couldn't tell any difference in performance. change'em out ~50k , always run platinum. currently running ngk BKR5EGP g-power. i prefer ngk, been using them since the 70's back in my racing days.
     
    Appalachia Man, Mar 31, 2019
    #2
  3. Mar 31, 2019 at 5:56 AM
    #3
    Blue92

    #3
    Blue92 Well-Known Member

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    Denso coppers
     
    Blue92, Mar 31, 2019
    #3
  4. Apr 12, 2019 at 4:51 PM
    #4
    Kevins60

    #4
    Kevins60 [OP] axle wrap tells me my rear brakes are working

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    Went with NGK G-power, any idea what the gap should be? I don’t trust the notion that they are pre-gapped.
     
    Kevins60, Apr 12, 2019
    #4
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  5. Apr 12, 2019 at 5:03 PM
    #5
    Appalachia Man

    #5
    Appalachia Man Well-Known Member

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    2.7L Detroit Truetrac 2" lift OME 880's & Dakar's
    03 2.7L ngk BKR5EGP gap @ .044
     
    Appalachia Man, Apr 12, 2019
    #5
  6. Apr 12, 2019 at 5:31 PM
    #6
    Kevins60

    #6
    Kevins60 [OP] axle wrap tells me my rear brakes are working

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    Kevins60, Apr 12, 2019
    #6
    Appalachia Man likes this.
  7. Apr 12, 2019 at 5:32 PM
    #7
    02-5Lug

    #7
    02-5Lug Active Member

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    8149914C-480B-4399-AB8B-7D68EE6172C2.jpg

    The plug on the right was 16 years old and had 170K miles on it (been there from the start I never changed them). The truck basically ran fine with a skip now and then. Just saying (first I’m lazy and cheap), and the plug gap doesn’t seem to be too critical with a coil pack ignition.
     
    02-5Lug, Apr 12, 2019
    #7
  8. Apr 12, 2019 at 5:57 PM
    #8
    Appalachia Man

    #8
    Appalachia Man Well-Known Member

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    WOW! you got your $ out of dem plugs DAWG!
     
    Appalachia Man, Apr 12, 2019
    #8
    98_3RZ_NIC and CS_AR like this.
  9. Apr 12, 2019 at 6:09 PM
    #9
    CS_AR

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    CS_AR Well-Known Member

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    Everything but the driveshaft. B03A - 410
    I started running NGK V-Powers roughly 5 years ago. I can tell the performance lift over other plugs. As soon as I got the Taco, I changed it over to NGK V-Powers.

    They get along well with older weaker coils. Less spark power from an older coil turns into more at the tip.
     
    CS_AR, Apr 12, 2019
    #9
    Appalachia Man likes this.
  10. Apr 12, 2019 at 8:44 PM
    #10
    Kevins60

    #10
    Kevins60 [OP] axle wrap tells me my rear brakes are working

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    Just got the truck a few weeks ago and don’t know what plugs are in it. I found a used Champion in the glove box so God only knows. They will be NGKs tomorrow
     
    Kevins60, Apr 12, 2019
    #10
    Appalachia Man likes this.
  11. Apr 13, 2019 at 3:19 AM
    #11
    Sebz13

    #11
    Sebz13 appy polly loggies

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    Sebz13, Apr 13, 2019
    #11
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  12. Apr 13, 2019 at 3:54 AM
    #12
    Kevins60

    #12
    Kevins60 [OP] axle wrap tells me my rear brakes are working

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    Only had the truck for a couple weeks and I’m chasing down a rough idle issue. I went with the NGKs mainly because my local (walking distance from the house) Advance Auto Parts store had 4 of them on the shelf. Cleaned the MAF last week and the issue is 90% resolved but I have the plugs, throttle body cleaner and PCV on the workbench so I might as well establish a maintenance baseline. The plugs were a $15 commitment so I might experiment with different brands.
     
    Kevins60, Apr 13, 2019
    #12
  13. Apr 13, 2019 at 5:11 AM
    #13
    CS_AR

    #13
    CS_AR Well-Known Member

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    Just after I bought my Tacoma last week, I checked the plugs. It had some platinum Autolite plugs that looked fairly recent. They were all properly gapped.

    I quickly replaced the Autolites with some NGK V-Power and noticed a nice little performance lift. It seems to run a touch smoother. The sparkplug wires and coils look like the originals (or very old) at 226,000 miles.
     
    CS_AR, Apr 13, 2019
    #13
  14. Apr 13, 2019 at 6:42 AM
    #14
    onakat

    #14
    onakat Well-Known Member

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    It is recommended you use Denso or NGK sparkplugs

    Then if you don't know what to choose between copper, platinum or iridium, the only difference between them is their longevity. They don't give more HP or anything

    Copper is the cheapest but they also have the shortest lifespan. They must be replaced at about 30k miles intervals
    Platinum have a longer lifespan, needing to be replaced at about 100k miles
    Iridium are the most expensive of the bunch, but they can last for 120k+ miles
     
    onakat, Apr 13, 2019
    #14
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  15. Apr 13, 2019 at 7:42 AM
    #15
    02-5Lug

    #15
    02-5Lug Active Member

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    When I replaced mine I looked for exactly what came out of the truck, because those were in it from the factory. I don’t remember what they were but Carquest was the only store in town with the exact match.

    Guess what they were ~$2-3ea. Not ~$7-10ea. So they must have been copper plugs.

    170K on copper plugs, :)
     
    Last edited: Apr 13, 2019
    02-5Lug, Apr 13, 2019
    #15
    CS_AR likes this.
  16. Apr 13, 2019 at 7:50 AM
    #16
    BillsSR5

    #16
    BillsSR5 Looking out for #1

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    the owners manual has the proper plug brand and numbers
     
    BillsSR5, Apr 13, 2019
    #16
  17. Apr 13, 2019 at 9:41 AM
    #17
    Kevins60

    #17
    Kevins60 [OP] axle wrap tells me my rear brakes are working

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    SCS Cruise Westin step bars Lund tonneau Jensen HU
    Here is my before and after, truck has 91000 on it so I’m betting these are the originals. Only test drove around the block but I think my idle issue is solved.

    7700BD8D-583E-4375-9592-C73D79DE3ABF.jpg
     
    Kevins60, Apr 13, 2019
    #17
  18. Apr 13, 2019 at 9:47 AM
    #18
    Kevins60

    #18
    Kevins60 [OP] axle wrap tells me my rear brakes are working

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    Yes it does but that is not to say something better hasn’t come along in the last 16 years.
     
    Kevins60, Apr 13, 2019
    #18
  19. Apr 9, 2023 at 2:16 PM
    #19
    tidmarshsmiths5

    #19
    tidmarshsmiths5 Member

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    2004 Tacoma Prerunner 2.7 2wd
    $5 K16r-u11 Denso 3120 Spark Plug
    K16r-u11 - 173k on them…

    Put Densos in the 4runner - went with NGK Iridium’s in the 2.7l Tacoma after analysis paralysis…can’t tell a difference really…did seem to stop the once in a great while little bit of a maybe skip with the AC on…

    will say that I’m not sure what genius thought those two nuts on the bottom of the air box was a good idea…

    C3E31CF5-A123-44FF-8FC5-8681E55639D3.jpg
     
    tidmarshsmiths5, Apr 9, 2023
    #19
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  20. Dec 10, 2023 at 8:15 AM
    #20
    98_3RZ_NIC

    #20
    98_3RZ_NIC Well-Known Member

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    For my 98 the gap recommendation is .032. Should I stick with that gap and these spark plugs are the same ones you’re talking about. I just bought them on rock auto for $2.71 a plug.

    IMG_3654.png
     
    98_3RZ_NIC, Dec 10, 2023
    #20

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