How To: Spark Plug Change (1 GR-FE)

48,600 and the old plugs were all Denso's which leads me to believe they were changed at the 30k service.

 

I'm no mathematician but that looks like 18,600 and a 2mpg increase in city driving. How was the gap ? All a nice tan color ? What ever works but sounds weird don't it ?

 

It was more than I was expecting. The majority of driving is short trips around town and I haven't changed my shifting habits. I bought this truck with

$686 36xxx Jobsite Chest, 36" W x 19" D x 16" H, Tan

36xxx on it and don't have any past service records to confirm the last plug change. Since they were all Denso I have to think they were replaced at/near 30k. The old plugs look relatively clean and do have a slight tan color. I didn't check the gap on the old ones, I will tonight.

 

Just curious. Either way U R good to go now for another 30,000 and you know the job was done right.

 

Great job! I curious, Because I went to buy anti-seize, they keep told me that not need use it for spark plugs? that true?

 

1st off - Chris....rep 4 u!

Amazing write up

2nd - I'm no wrencher but i can do the whole oil change, and simple shit like that. I got a quote from Toyota to do this spark plug change for $110. I'm thinking of biting the bullet (I don't trust myself much around an engine) and doin this myself. One question...what's the difference between these Denso's?
Denso (3421)

$59 SK20HR11 ---- IRIDIUM PLATINUM power pack Spark Plugs -- # 3421 ----- 6 PCS NEW

SK20HR11 Iridium Long Life Spark Plug
and
Denso (3381) K20HR-U11 Traditional Spark Plug

I mean 1 is Iridium and 1 isn't, but i've been reading that some people are using one and others using the other. And people using the Iridium are changing these out at 60k or 120k. I'm confused all to hell. Then the manual says change every 30k.

I ran into these Spark Plug threads and realized that I haven't changed mine since I bought the damn thing. The 1 owner before me put 42,000 on it and I put another 39,000 on it since. It runs awesome,,,smooth, and whatnot but it's got to be time to change these at 81,000 miles.

 

Others will chime in but it is my understanding that the Iridium are for the 2.7 at 100,000 miles though I question letting them go that long. The Traditional are for the 4.0 every 30,000. Why the difference only Chris 4X4 knows for sure.

 

That's very nice and I will read you link but I'm not rereading 27 pages on this tread to prove my point but it is what Toyota recommends as far as I recall.

 

I fully agree, Iridium is better and I have a 2.7 = less maintenance. Why the old school plugs for the 4.0 I don't know. The guy asked what's what and I was just trying to boil it down to the bare minimum, 27 pages down to a couple of sentences. Thanks.

 

thanks for any and all help i appreciate it.

At least i know that no matter what...my 05 4x4 needs spark plug changing every 30k

And the The Truth About Spark Plugs link was good stuff...thank you

So I need to grab some :

Denso

$59 SK20HR11 ---- IRIDIUM PLATINUM power pack Spark Plugs -- # 3421 ----- 6 PCS NEW

SK20HR11 for my 2TR-FE engine?

 

Changed my plugs this weekend. Got the recommended Denso's from my dealer. Went to sears and bought a smaller torque wrench. Still came out cheeper than what the dealer wanted to charge. I didn't have any trouble with the change. All of my old plugs looked good. The gap on the denso's was still within spec. While the NGK's were at around 46. My truck has around 30,800 miles on it. This give's me comfort that i got the right plugs and good advise from a good man!(CHRIS4X4) Thanks again Chris for the write-up. Now i gotta get my front/rear diff. and transfer case oil changed.

 

Hey guys new Taco owner here.
I bought my trcuk w/ 32,500 on the clock and knew it needed plugs.
I saw this write up and decided after looking under the hood to give it a try.

Man thank goodness I did.
Got the plugs at the local Toyota dealer, and took 1 1/2 hours on Saturday to do the job from start to finish.
the drivers side plugs were a bit of a pain in the ass, especially the front one.
The connector was a bitch to get off, but then I coated the connectors with dielectric greese so hopefully it'll be a bit easier next time round.

Thanks a lot to Chris4x4 for this excellent write up. You've peaked my confidence under the hood of this truck. It might be that it doesn't go back to teh dealership except for any warranty services it might need.

Now I'm just waiting for my Access LE cover to show up and that'll be my next turn out in teh garage.

Glad I found this site and it's good to be a member.

jimi

 

Thanks --Chris, for a very detailed write up--and the pic s help. I do the same trick w/ electical tape down in a hole..

Thanks again--

glenn

 

These were great instructions, and the photos are very clear. I would just add one thing I found, perhaps because my sprk plug socket is old and wouldn't hold the spark plug to remove it. After I got the plug unscrewed I used an telescoping magnet to get it out of the hole.
Again GREAT INSTRUCTIONS

 

Excellent Info thanks. The info on reading a plug reminded me of my MC racing days many years ago when we tuned the 2 strokes.

 

Thanks for the great write up! Just changed mine today for some Denso Iridium Power spark plugs from Advance Auto Parts. While i had the air filter box off, cleaned my K&N filter and went ahead and removed that second charcoal filter. Hoping for improved gas mileage. We'll see.

That one spark plug on the drivers side nearest the headlights was a bugger to get unclipped! The skin under my fingernails hates me. haha.

Thanks again for the write up!

 

Good guide, mostly followed it. Took about 45 minutes to an hour.

My advice, if you're comfortable doing your own work, is do a full side at once. Pull the coil wires, remove the coils, pre-grease them with dielectric grease, remove each plug and replace with a new one as you work your way up that side. Hand tighten each new one as you put it in. Torque them down one right after the other.

Next time I might even do both sides at once. It minimizes tool changes.



TOYOTA ENGINEERS: PLEASE GO AHEAD AND PUT IN THAT EXTRA 1" OF WIRE THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO MAKE THE DRIVER'S FRONT COIL WIRE LONG ENOUGH TO REMOVE. THANKS.