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

just did my first plug change (currently have 33K on the truck). I think the plugs look good. do you agree? Also, should I be concerned about the dark color on the threads? What is this? Thanks.

 

I think your plugs look ready to be replaced.


Jim

 

i disagree and think they look pretty decent. Not sure what you are looking at.

 

Hard to tell gaps from a photo, but they are on mileage to be changed.
That been said - Don't see any issues with those plugs from those photos...

 

if i had to guess, i bet those gaps are wide. they look pretty good besides that.

seems the gap is wider than that electrode probe thing.

 

I would agree-But on the order of size those gaps are spec'd to...I don't want to guess

 

The gaps did open a bit .. they were all between .046 and .052 with the NGK's being worse than the Denso

 

Really? You 'saw' a gap increase of 0.020" with your bare eyes from a small photograph?

 

I used the word "guess". Read much?

 

Apparently not as much as you guess at things unable to be seen by the human eye. Way to 'guess' at something that happens with all used plugs by the end of their service life captain obvious. Don't get snarky with me when you're the one making useless posts based off of absolutely nothing you gained from looking at the picture to try to make yourself look cool. What's next? Someone posts a picture of their used motor oil and you 'guess' that there's microscopic metal particulate suspended in that oil? What else can you share with us Nostradamus?

 

Okay okay..Everyone simmer down.

 

subbed for later use

 

Haha. I was trying to joke.sorry if I got under your skin. This is the Internet. (I still don't see where I said I saw the gaps being wide. )

 

Hey Great Write Up! Thanks. I was able to do it in a little less than 2 hours. I'm pretty competent and able but I do get paranoid a little. That's my baby. I was wonder, how long would it take to realize if I did something wrong, ie, cross thread the plugs, etc.... It fired right up and sounded great. I just don't want something to come along later and bite me in the butt. I figure if it started and ran then it's all good. Thanks again

 

So why'd you bother to ask what we thought?


Jim

 

Just did mine, the write up definitely helped. What is really scary is I had the Denso in 2-4-6 and the NGK in 1-3-5. The gaps in the old plugs were:
1 - .58 2 - .50
3 - .58 4 - .50
5 - .57 6 - .52
Was getting 20.5 avg mpg, so it will be interesting to see if it gets better.

 

Just changed mine out today...

Assumed that Car Max had changed them out before I bought it from them since it was sitting at 32k when I got her. Well, you know what they say about assuming. F*ckers had never been changed and I'm sitting at 67k miles as of the swap.

All of the gaps were right around .6 and I felt an immediate difference after changing them out. Gonna have to hit the wife's 4runner soon as I get a training holiday. Got hers from Car Max as well (different location) and the mileage was about the same when purchased.

Great write up. Helped me save a lot of (fiddle f*ckin') time.

 

After 1500 straight highway miles, I was beginning to think my gaps were off a little after my recent plug change due to my mpg only being 19 highway (normally average 21)...my wife and I were sharing the driving and I woke up from a power-nap and figured out what the issue was...her lead foot and driving 85mph

 

Thanks for the how to Chris4X4! I did mine last month, using your guide. My 2005 only has about 27500, but it's been 8 years (Yeah, I only use my truck for trails and running errands). They were nice and hard to break loose, the gaps weren't off at all, but the electrodes were def. browned.

While I was doing it, I also cleaned the MAF, the TB and my TRD air filter. AND flushed the brake fluid too! TB was really black and it took a half tank before the computer relearned everything. First tank of gas after all that was like 10 mpg, but now I'm back up to 16 (city driving).

 

114,300 miles on mine and just changed for the first time. The gaps on the old ones were between .068 and .073. I gapped the new ones at .042. It feels smoother and quieter, but maybe it's just me