Won't start in cold .

Holy shit that throttle body though! Plugs really weren't too bad, the MAF was definitely gross, but i feel as if that would be more of a running issue than a starting issue. You say you offroad. My starters contacts are gunked up packed up from mudding. If i go through lots of mud the starter will click. After a few clicks it starts fine and drys out and its fine but a little bit slower. This is my first winter after it started doing that, winter mornings is definitely a way harder start. You can rebuild these starters for like 12$ its not too hard if you are handy.

 

That poor girl was crying...

 

I had some OLD, neglected plugs in my old Corolla that were giving me some trouble once. I just loosened each one a quarter turn, hosed a bunch of WD-40 down into the holes, and went back into the house to eat lunch. They all came out pretty decent after that.
Just a thought for future reference.

 

I don't use any fuel additives anymore in newer vehicles, I've just never experienced anything good come from it. Your using good gas and like you mentioned there shouldn't be a need for it.
Our first Tacoma a 01 I believe with 3.4L engine that thing always cranked more before firing off. I've had older GM vehicles that kept in good tune would start like turning on a light switch. Turn slower in cold but still.
Anyhow hope your Tacoma doesn't leave you again but remember it's a mechanical thing and even your comrades vehicles had issues.

 

I'm sure there wouldn't be much of a perceptible difference in it running once it got running, but if those gaps got much bigger it would have. If nothing else, your changes probably increased your power and MPG a bit. But I have to imagine that stronger spark will do nothing but help when the fuel is very cold like that. Try and stick to the maintenance intervals or get iridium plugs.

 

Where are you getting your gas? Toyota recommends top tier gas (Chevron Esso and such). Don't use high ethanol gas and stuff from Mohawk or Race track for example. Might help

 

All that maintenance will have a positive effect on starting, overall performance and gas mileage

Wish I could control the weather

I'd set it to summer for ever

 

Can't tell from the pictures, are the old plugs 3 denso and 3 ngk? If yes, then that means they're most likely original, converts to 201000 miles on the original plugs so, they don't look that bad considering how long they've been in there.

 

Is it super easy to do the plugs on the 4.0? I am used to my 3VZE where you might spend half a day on em

 

Very easy, with the exception of the drivers side closest to the firewall, tw to the rescue, search for it. Don't ask about torque or anti seize, everyone has an opinion, everyone is right.

 

They aren't original I changed them 113,000km ago. It's not a hard job at all except for some reason my socket would lock on after I tightened some of them, and I had to loosen the spark plug, pull the socket out, and use a different socket to torque it.

She likes it.
https://youtu.be/NUKjKdo2WuQ

 

I just love that feeling, yes, it works like it should. Like when I replaced a bad starter, I remember telling a friend as we were walking up to it, yeah it’s gonna start.

Maybe that socket has a crack in it?