Loose spark plugs

Well you can add my 2021 to the list. I've seen enough people on here with loose plugs that my OCD got the better of me and I changed the plugs out at 45,000 yesterday. 3 plugs could be spun out with just my fingers on the socket extension and the other 3 needed minimal torque. Only 1 coil pack was messed up from carbon tracking or blow by, the other 5 were clean. Not sure if I should replace the coil pack, I did clean it up and sprayed the inside with a cleaner. It took me about 1.5 hours and I didn't remove the intake plenum, not fun but not terrible either.

I'm hoping this fixes the weird bump feeling I get once in awhile on a perfectly flat highway.

 

When you say your coil pack is messed up by carbon, what do you mean by that? If its cracked , get it replaced

 

carbon from the engine getting past the loose spark plug. they didn't say it was cracked.

 

I should have taken a picture, the outside tube that is in the spark plug well was all corroded, and the rubber boot was covered in soot. I've seen several other pictures on here that looked just like mine. No oil or oily mess on it.

 

Have you noticed any real drivability improvements ?

 

I only started it up in the garage to test it yesterday, I drive the bike back and forth to work usually and only drive teh truck on weekends and in the winter. I'm doing the transmission tonight so I'll probably take it for a test run after that.

 

One of my coils was quite dirty as well. The middle one on the passenger side I think.

After putting it back in and to spec, I didn't notice any improvements, sadly.

 

That's is the same one that was messed up on mine, middle one on the passenger side. The other 2 loose plugs were on the drivers side.

 

This makes me wonder if even earlier "checkup" is worth it on these new tacomas - much like people doing ~1000 mile "break-in" oil change.

 

Ik genius , i was trying to see what op meant by messed up

 

Knowing what I know now I would have pulled the coils and torqued the plugs much sooner, the 5 clean plugs looked perfect and I have no doubt they are good for 90,000. Driving style may come into play as most of my driving is longer trips, usually 30-90 minutes of highway.

 

I congratulate you for doing all that work, but you might as well have changed it while you were in there lol

 

he literally told you in his first post. but okay, genius.

 

Did you actually torq them to spec?
Or did you just get them tight by hand?

I can’t say I’ve ever had a plug come loose yet?
But I never torqued a plug to spec either?
I just go by hand?

 

What cylinder was the coil from?

 

#3--middle one on the passenger side

 

Just by feel, I guess that's how I alway did it and never had a problem. 6 sets of plugs on my 2001 T4R, 2 sets on my 2010 T4R, and several in my wife's rides.

 

I did change them out, I was answering the question about checking them early. If I would have checked them at 1000 or 5000 miles I'd just tighten them not replace them.

 

I’ve had two loose spark plugs too. The coils were brown and sooty. But after torquing down the plugs correctly and reconnecting the coils, no issues. I don’t like the idea of my spark plug wells and coils being discolored/ dirty with carbon/soot but that’s just the way it is. Doesn’t seem to affect the functionality of the coil. No codes not being thrown since.

 

Did you notice any driving improvement ?