Changing spark plugs

I looked at the owners manual and the first change I saw was at 120k. Does anyone actually wait that long? I was thinking about changing at 80k. I changed the plugs in my daughters Rav4 at well over 100k and they looked good so maybe 80k is wasted time and money.

 

I changed around 70k, plugs still looked good.

 

It's not a bad idea to make sure they aren't stuck way before the recommended change interval. I usually do this and if gappable, snug them up a tad.

 

Isn't it odd that when spark plug change intervals increase, so do the cost of spark plugs.

 

I was taught to let the shop do it. That way if something is stuck or gets broken in the process, it's on them.

 

Nothing should be stuck or broken when changing your spark plugs (given that your anti-seize hasn't dried out)... unless if you're using an impact wrench to install your spark plugs (which you never should, I hope...).

Unless if you have a truly trusted mechanic who you trust with all your vehicles, doing it yourself, I'm sure you should be extremely careful to take care of your vehicle...

 

In all my years of wrench twisting I've only had one reluctant plug. That was on a used, well abused and muddy water cooled Honda Trx300fw. Simply spraying PB Blaster and a few heating/cooling cycles was all it took to allow it to be removed normally. I guess hearing of the Ford Triton plug fiasco has me aware.

 

Been a 60-80kish guy myself for about the last 20 years or so. Never had thread problems, but have broke a couple on the way out due to some tight hard to reach places.

 

I have never had a problem with a Toyota. In addition to my daughter's Rav4 I changed them on son's car, several times on Tacomas, and several Fords that were not 5.4s. I had one of the famous 5.4 Tritons. After watching my neighbor tear down half the top of his Triton and spending 8 hours on it I took mine to a shop. Good thing too. Intake was leaking above number 6. I had enough of that truck when it spit number 6 on a cold rainy Xmas eve.

 

I do 100k, give or take a nice Saturday on all my Toyota's

 

I grew up and started driving in the 1970's. Started wrenching in the 1980's. 30,000 miles then was considered full plug life.

I looked in the Tundra manual and said to myself "that just can't be right. Over a hundred thousand miles on the plugs?" So what did I do? I changed them at just under 70k miles. And they looked greeeeeeat. I would tell ya that after the change there did seem to be a bit of an increased pep in her step.

 

Yeah the iridium that adds the extra cost but also the longer interval. Copper plugs actually have the best performance of any plugs but obviously have very short life span.

 

I did mimes at 120k along with the water pump, belts, tensioner etc

 

<Quote> I was taught to let the shop do it. That way if something is stuck or gets broken in the process, it's on them.

Not at my shop... if it breaks because of a known problem, its still on the owner. Shop can't do anything about stuff the manufacturer does not make accommodations for. If they know there is a chance of breaking after 60k miles, they should make the interval 60k, not 120!

 

I looked in the Tundra manual and said to myself "that just can't be right. Over a hundred thousand miles on the plugs?" So what did I do? I changed them at just under 70k miles. And they looked greeeeeeat. I would tell ya that after the change there did seem to be a bit of an increased pep in her step.

??? Did you go back with the original model plugs or upgrade to something different? Plugs that look that good would not seem you'd get a noticeable boost from changing. ? lol!

 

Spec'd NGK's from an authorized reseller.

 

Did my plugs at 70,000. Belt now at 80,000..

 

I am wondering how you get to the rear passenger side plug to change it out?

 

I have always had a better sounding engine after a spark plug change. It could just be butt dyno though. I personally feel like 120k is pushing it. Call it cheap maintenance insurance. Kinda like brake fluid, it’s cheap and should be done more often than most do it. Some don’t do it at all.

 

Don't recall having a problem removing the coil or sparkplug on that one..

 

I did my plugs last week and that was one of the easier ones. Picture of your issue?

 

Getting to this plug is tight and there is a lot of stuff in the way?

 

Yours looks maybe different than mine but hard to tell. With the intake removed I just disconnected the harness from the firewall bracket so I could move the harness and then had easy access to the bolt and everything.

 

OK to (grudgingly) admit I wasted more time and obscenities on the coil pack clips than the plugs?

 

THIS ^^^ is what you want to do. Makes it easy-peasy.

 

Going to change spark plugs. Has anyone cleaned the electrical connections to the coil packs. What did you clean them with.