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

Thanks for the info just finished....went for a ride everything great thanks again guys!!!

 

Changed mine today. Thanks for write up made it real easy. Here's old one compared to new

 

This is the second time I used your spark plug "how to". Thanks man helped a bunch.

I need some input on this one. My post inspection of the old plugs has revealed something I'm not liking. The plug closest to the driver (when facing the front bumper, it's the back right one), looks different. Different in a bad way. Seems it's got some oil or "wetness" to it. Any suggestions
for a next step to diagnos the potential problem? Can't be good. See photos:

 

could it be the o-ring/gasket thats under the valve cover leaking
getting oil on the plug

 

Thanks fellas for the input. The gasket seal seems like the most reasonable culprit. Regardless, it wasn't on the end of the plug, so I'm not messing with the valve cover. I noticed the same issue on the same plug at 60k. I just did the 90k. I'll keep an eye on it. I might change the plugs a little earlier next go-around.

Just looked at your post for the gear oil replacement for the rear end...I'll try that one out next weekend. I haven't done that yet. Just started towing a 20' boat around.

 

I had the same thing on the same plug. I think its just system sucking oil from the engine vent hose. It happened to be right at that cylinder and my spark plug was oily only on one side

 

Changed my plugs a couple weeks ago based on this thread. My only problem was getting the harnesses loose on the driver side. Everything else went fine. The spark plug socket came off once, but I just reattached, then rocked it a bit and the plug came out fine. Had about 45,000 on them and they looked pretty good. The gaps were a little wide maybe. I used anti-sieze but a lot less than the OP.

You guys should check your "ramp style" feeler gauges with a set of calipers. I bought an Auto-Lite from WalMart and it was pretty badly off. The 0.040" marking was actually about 0.045". Same sort of error all the way up the ramp. I bought a Craftsman wire feeler gauge (disk with 5 or 6 wire loops sticking out) and those wires are within .001 or so of where they should be. I just gauged each plug and made sure the .040 was a go and the .045 was a no-go.

Great thread OP!

 

Did my 30K mile plug change yesterday evening and found that it wasn't very difficult especially after I've read through this thread many times just to see what I was in for. The one thing that I noticed was the NGK plugs on the drivers side were factory torqued way more than the passenger Denso's, and the NGK's looked a little more worn than the Denso's. But in all, the plugs weren't that bad and could have easily went to 50K before changing. It took me an hour and 20 minutes from start to finish, then took it for a drive to the beer store afterwards. Thanks chris4x4 for this thread!

 

Just changed mine today for the second time using this thread. Definitely went a little smoother this time on the drivers side given I had the experience from the first time. Thanks for the original DIY

 

subbed

 

Just finished reading all 29 pages! Going to change my spark plugs this Friday, hopefully all goes smooth. After reading this entire thread I feel a lot more confident.

Chris, I think you should really add a FAQ section to this thread.
Lots of people asking the same question.

And thanks again for this post! It will save me big bucks.

 

Thanks for the DIY. I just finished changing my plugs. It took me a little over and hour and the drivers side was a royal pain. The plug closest to the firewall was the toughest for me, i loosened the bracket as recommended but my truck appears to have more crap attatched to and around that bracket making in quite difficult to access that plug. However, i have a K&N short ram intake and that saved me time since i did not have to take apart anything on the passenger side to access the plugs.

thanks again.

 

subd!

 

Chris,
That is one of the most thorough and understandable explanations I've ever read. I'm so thrilled that my search brought up this site and your class-A description. I joined Tacoma World for the express purpose of telling you - THANKS for a great job!!!!!!

If this is the kind of information this site provides I think I'm going to be a frequent visitor.

 

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