Coil noise help!!

Hey guys, I was driving my 97 3.4 5speed tacoma today and it started making this terrible chugging almost knocking noise, but it wasn't quite a knock. I pop the hood and the middle spark plug coil on passenger side is the source! I am not very educated on what could be the problem here, it won't let me post a video of the noise but here is a pic, it looks like it is leaking as well. Thanks in advance!

 

Bump

 

replace it. its arching onto the valve cover.

 

make sure the plug isn't loose as well

 

is it just me or does that look like antifreeze oozing down/left from the coil? too thin to be oil............

 

shit..... unbolt that 1 bolt, remove the connector, and pull out the coil. see what comes out with it.. I hope it isn't a blown head gasket.

 

I unbolted it and the spark plug was stripped, someone already tried rethreading the hole but ended up making it too big. Which caused it to strip out, the spark plug is also broken and I guess somewhere in the motor...... My mechanic said i need a new engine :/

 

did you buy it like this or have you owned it from day one? only reason I ask is who changed the spark plugs may be responsible for the error

 

I just bought it a week ago. The guy told me it had a replaced motor.

 

private party? any documentation on the engine?

 

Private party on Craigslist.
And yes I had a hand written receipt for it but it looked somewhat fake honestly.

 

Can't you heli-coil tap the head. Did it damage the motor? If no can't you just slap on a used head on it? I can do a motor swap in that truck the v-6 4x4 in 8 hrs. Id find a better mechanic You can buy a salvage v-6 motor for around $1100.00-1800.00 a 4 banger should be even cheaper! A good head job depending if you can do some of the work $400 or $800 and up!

Spark plug blow outs are common on the ford triton motors search it. There ways to fix that problem without a motor if the spark plug didn't go into the engine and smash it up. You gonna have to seriously call around and find someone who knows what they are talking about and tiny tip call a couple body shops and ask about there auto\wrecker recycle's they use. Also your own auto insurance companies use these recylers also. And most of the time you can call your agent and ask them to help find you a salvage part and or help locating shops that can do the work the can help! I work in this industry and have major body-shop accounts. You just have to go about it in the right channels. Don't listen to 1 person or place and don't get suckered into towing it all over town either.

 

Iv always used this mechanic, Iv known him for awhile and he always cuts me a deal an never bullshits me, the spark plug did go into the motor, at least part of it did, he found me a motor at LKQ here in rancho Cordova for 1,100. So I bought that today. Hopefully I'll have the new motor in next week. He's putting a new Aisin clutch kit in, and doing the engine swap for 1,500$

 

Yes it is! Iv dealt with many mechanics and finally found this guy. Thank god. Thank you all for the replies!

 

Ok well that makes more sense. Dam! 3k owww. Agghhh well i Hope the used lump has under 125k on it?

 

Unfortunately no. It has 223k miles on it. I didn't want to take a huge loss on it so I am fixing it, I may fix it and sell it, or just keep it, I'm not sure yet

 

I bought it for 4,500 about 2 weeks ago. With supposably a "replaced motor and rebuilt transmission" , once the motor and the clutch is done I'll be into the truck 7,545$...

 

Sorry to hear OP. Hope everything gets sorted out!

 

Thank you!

 

This route would have most certainly be cheaper. Not making a point so that you'll feel bad, experience is how we learn after all. I would definitely not pay 1.1k for an engine with 223k miles on it, not even a rebuild. The amount of cylinder and bearing wear/rings (if it hasn't been rebuilt) at over 200,000 miles becomes a factor even on a Toyota engine. Gasket replacements are a given on an engine that old (plus engines like the 22re, 22r, 3vz, 5vz are all known for not being great from the factory with head gaskets).

Now a rebuilt head and an inspection of the top of the piston in that cylinder would be much cheaper. A new sparkplug and thread insert (because that fastener isn't really load bearing) could have very well solved the problem. Worst case scenario you would need a new cylinder head and and a new piston head for that cylinder (although if it were me I'd just go the extra mile and replace all 6 or 4). The cost for these parts not counting labor would be under $500. But you may not have even needed a new head or piston anyways. Parts break, don't be afraid of a whole engine for a few broken parts, my friend.

Hope you get your truck running strong with that new motor though, as long as you take care of em with regular maintenance, these little engines DO keep kicking!