Spark Plug Time?

Oil breaks down and it's game over for the engine. Sparks plug give out its a thing to do on the weekend. I joke about oil changes, but I do them on time every time.

 

I’ve been putting off changing mine. I’m at 85k on a 2016, but with the possibility of having a stuck spark plug I know what I’m doing this weekend

 

Have done over a dozen Tacoma spark plug jobs. Def recommend doing them on time, as recommended. Some were loose from the factory. Some were down right scary to remove how seized they were. The ones that were hard to remove were from guys that waited until 120k miles. Just my experience.

 

Yep, I get that. There are numerous posts indicating some plugs are difficult to remove and it’s suggested that “time” could be a contributor. Leave them in past 60,000 miles and you run the risk of them to begin seizing.

 

Here’s something that might interest a few. This is from NGK.

1. Anti-seize

NGK spark plugs feature trivalent plating. This silver or chrome-colored finish on the threads is designed to provide corrosion resistance against moisture and chemicals. The coating also acts as a release agent during spark plug removal. NGK spark plugs are installed at the factory dry, without lubrication or anti-seize.

Anti-seize can act as a lubricant, altering torque values up to 20 percent, increasing the risk of spark plug thread breakage and/or metal shell stretch. Thread breakage can sometimes involve removing the cylinder head for repair. Metal shell stretch changes the heat rating of the spark plug and can result in serious engine damage caused by pre-ignition. Do not use anti-seize or lubricant on NGK spark plugs. It is completely unnecessary and can be detrimental.

2. Corona stain

Corona stain is a light brown or tan discoloration on the outside of the ceramic insulator above the metal shell/hex. Corona stain is created by the high voltage traveling thru the plug that attracts the dirt or oil particles surrounding the exposed ceramic insulator between the wire/coil boot and spark plug metal shell. Corona stain is completely normal and should not be mistaken for exhaust gas blow-by or a broken seal inside the spark plug.

3. Gapping fine-wire spark plugs

While most NGK spark plugs are pre-gapped, there are occasions when the gap requires adjustment. Care must be taken to avoid bending or breaking off the fine-wire electrodes. NGK recommends a round wire-style or pin gauge gap tool to measure the gap. If the gap must be adjusted, use a tool that only moves the ground electrode and does not pry between or against the electrodes. NGK also recommends adjusting the gap no more than +/- 0.008” from the factory preset gap.

4. Torque

Torque is crucial in the ability of the plug to dissipate heat and perform properly. Always follow the manufacturer recommended torque specification. An under-torqued spark plug can lead to excessive vibration and improper heat dissipation, causing spark plug and/or engine damage. Over torquing may cause any of the following: thread damage/breakage, compromised internal seals leading to gas leakage, metal shell stretch leading to poor heat dissipation and pre-ignition.

5.“Copper spark plugs”

“Copper spark plugs” is a term often used to describe a standard material spark plug. However, this terminology is incorrect, as standard material plugs do not have electrodes made from copper. Copper is soft with a low melting point and cannot be used for electrodes, as they would wear very quickly. A standard material spark plug uses a nickel-alloy that may include a small copper core. The copper core has nothing to do with the electrical performance of the spark plug. A copper core is used to increase heat dissipation and durability by lowering the electrode temperatures. Nearly all NGK spark plugs, including precious metal iridium and platinum plugs, have a copper core to increase the electrode durability. Special nickel alloys, platinum, and iridium electrodes, along with copper cores are all used to enhance durability – durability meaning how long a spark plug will last before it needs to be replaced.

 

I just had my plugs changed, serp belt, cabin and air filters done @ 70k miles.
Plugs were actually pretty black.
$280 for parts and labor done by a friend.
Truck is running nice....

 

I know what that's like. I still do most of the work on mine, but I pay for it over the next couple of days. I'm lucky to have a neighbor that helps me with just about anything work related on my Tacoma.

 

I’m at 80k, going to do mine soon. I know what the manual says but this seems like the right time to me

 

I did change my plugs at around 59,000 miles. That is some good information in your next post. In one of these threads on "spark plug replacement" I have the photo of my old plugs. I think the plugs I took out had some of that corona stain that you were talking about.

 

The above is the comparison of new and old plugs from my 2GR-FE at 100k miles. You can see they still didn't look bad at all and easily could go further, which is why Toyota recommend 120k miles for those port injection only engine.

The 2GR-FKS with all that direct injection, is doing a number on those spark plugs, there's a reason Toyota recommend 60k miles.

 

What plugs did yall use and which wires?

 

For those planning on changing the plugs yourself, this video will help you tackle the driver side. My plugs came out and went in very easy. Engine sat over night and was stone cold when I did the plugs the next morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNyED_hSSKQ

 

Getting ready to do mine for the third time

 

$92 for all 6 stock denso iridium

 

From where?

I've never changed my plugs or wires and I have 130k miles. Do I need to change wires also?

 

Your wires or coil packs should be fine . Yeah just change the spark plugs . I got mine off of Amazon . I bought em before off Amazon never had any issues .

 

Rock auto for the plugs

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/toyota,2019,tacoma,3.5l+v6,3443373,ignition,spark+plug,7212

I had blow by on my spark plug boots. All but one of my plugs were very loose. I posted pictures of them in another thread. Changed a little early because I thought I felt a miss.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/spark-plug-psa.766010/

 

Had mine replaced at 64K. Old plugs looked good. I usually try to follow whatever manual says for maintenance.

 

At the very least, pull one plug and take a look……..the other five usually look the same……
Easiest one, is aft, passenger side

Did the job on my 2010, much easier than the 3rd gens, intimidated watching the videos of the last 2 on driver side…….but $500 bill from dealer is a little steep ($140 in plugs, + 2 .hours labor).