What are the best spark plugs for the money?

Pre-crush those fire rings (sealing washer) if your plugs have them, or you could possibly strip/pull out the alum threads in the head just by "getting the wrong feel" as you tighten down. it will still seal just like it should.

A spark plug indexing plate allows you to do this or find a proper threaded nut mounted in a bench vise. don't get gorilla crazy, just crush the washers, then stop turning.

Install finger tight, then another 1/4-1/2 turn.

no torque wrench needed.

NGK's for life.

 

I've never used a torque wrench for spark plugs. Hand tight and you're good. I think NGK plugs even have directions for hand tightening on the box.

 

Tacoma V6's are about the only modern vehicles I know that come stock with copper plugs. They are good when new or near new but the heat of combustion erodes the electrode away so the gap opens up and doesn't fire as 'hot' to fully ignite the fuel mixture.

Platinum and Iridium tipped plugs last a lot longer because those metals melt at much higher temperatures and so the electrode doesn't erode away. Some of us don't want to service plugs so often... platinum will last 60K, iridium up to 100k miles vs. copper's 30k. Copper can be regapped and put back in but platinum and iridium are much iffier because of the plating and electrode design, so it's really about how often you service them.

That said, there are a whole lot of specialty plug designs, some do wonders with old engines or broken engines but are just snake oil for a good running engine. Proving power or performance gains vs. stock would take a lot of dyno time to collect enough data to overcome inherent inaccuracies of the dynomometers. Mostly, it's the the placebo effect unless they are replacing plugs that were bad and firing weak anyway.

Last, engines are unique and wear in unique ways because of the way the drivers use them. It shows up over the miles in the way the plugs wear...that's why you 'read' a plug when you take it out. There are a lot fewer variables with modern closed-loop engine control systems but you still want to stay aware of how hot the plug is getting, especially when you tow or otherwise work the engine really hard. It's not uncommon to select a hotter or cooler heat range based on what the plug tells you.

 

Definitely going to agree with those who said to use the factory plugs.

I have used different "better" plugs in other trucks I have had. They usually caused me problems with pinging, hesitation, etc. Factory plugs took care of the problems.

The Tacoma has I believe, an eight year warranty on the catalytic converters. If you were to miss a plug change or install a "gimmic" type plug in your engine and that plug stopped firing, then Toyota could refuse to warranty the Catalytic converter that just got ruined by all the raw gas getting dumped on it. Those cats are expensive I am sure.

 

That's interesting. I know I should check my owners manual but do you have a link to this eight year warranty ?

 

It's the federal mandated emissions control warranty. 8 year 80K miles for certain emissions control devices...includes the cat and the computer and in many vehicles the injectors (not sure about Tacoma's).

It's really odd but I don't think it includes the AIR pump which is prone to failure on Tundras. Luckily, the V6 Tacoma doesn't have an AIR pump!

 

Thanks for the reply. Doesn't include the oxygen sensors either. That's is what went on my 2000.

 

$880 for the one on my 99. That was a insurance price quote from 2006 when mine was stolen.

 

I think that's because they are, like spark plugs, declared wear items even though they have a significant impact on emissions if they fail.

 

I'm sure U R correct but a little more $$ then a spark plug.