2nd Gen spark plug problems

Gat0rvean

Gat0rvean

New member
So I've had a 2nd gen for a couple of months, has run fine up until it started rough idling about a week ago. I through some seafoam in the brake booster hose, the crank case and the gas tank. Three days later, I was on E, drained the oil, put in fresh oil and started changing the spark plugs. All of the plugs came out just fine with the exception of #6. It was stuck solid and it took me probably 4 hours of slight movements and PB Blaster to get it out. Well wouldn't you know it, when the damn thing came out it looked like this:

2014-06-10174328.jpg~original

2014-06-10174252.jpg~original

2014-06-10174310.jpg~original


Am I royally screwed?? Or is this salvageable (by me). I've sunk quite a bit of cash in to this damn truck already and I really can't afford to take it off and have it redone by a shop. Hell, I'm in Central Kentucky if anyone is around that knows what to do, I'll buy you a case of beer! Any suggestions are welcome. You're my only home T4R!
 
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Tap the threads, this should fix the problem. 20 dollar fix if you ask me(get quality taps not cheap crap). Be careful cause you don't want to break the tap in there. So go slow with it.

95Newb
 
The quick fix is to tap the threads. Use lots and lots of grease and go very slow, you don't want to drop any shavings into the cylinder if you can help it. Putting the cylinder at TDC will help you see if you dropped any metal in, assuming you can get an angle to look in.

The right fix is to helicoil the head. That's not something I'd want to try with the head on the block and in the truck, you're much more likely to leave behind shavings and debris.
 
you can Heli-Coil wile in the truck with a kit ...... (just have to get the correct size, use lots of grease. I even make an adaptor out of small poly hose to fit a shop vac & stick it down the cylinder to suck out any thing that may have gotten off the grease )


read this..... may help........
3vze spark plug thread repair
 
One get new ****ing NGk v- power plugs not platinums like what's in the picture. Get a m14x1.25 tap I believe(don't quote me) put it on tdc for that piston get a magnet with bendy handle and go over it a few times with the tap then get the magnet out it through the hole and get as much metal as possible repeat last step multiple times until you get little to nothing. Thread new NGk v-power gapped to spec in hole and connect wire and hope and pray your spark plug doesn't come flying out
 
541joseph said:
One get new ****ing NGk v- power plugs not platinums like what's in the picture. Get a m14x1.25 tap I believe(don't quote me) put it on tdc for that piston get a magnet with bendy handle and go over it a few times with the tap then get the magnet out it through the hole and get as much metal as possible repeat last step multiple times until you get little to nothing. Thread new NGk v-power gapped to spec in hole and connect wire and hope and pray your spark plug doesn't come flying out
Click to expand...


Hate to be so Blatant, But your advice is Wrong. The Head is made of ALUMINUM, & is not magnetic! ( not like a early US Cast Iron motor.) So if he uses your advice he wont get any of the metal shavings out. (Ive been working on cars all my life. Also worked with metal for well over 20 years...)


I have had to Heli-Coil several heads in my life, drilled & taped oil passages in blocks, etc. & I used the the same method with 100% success. That said, there are a few different styles of tap tool kits for doing a spark plug hole, but the grease method works with all of them.

& If you don't feel the grease is enough protection & want to be even more cautious, you can drill a hole in a shop-vac attachment, tape the end shut & insert the tap through it (if there is enough room to fit the attachment) so it will constantly be sucking out any metal fragments that come loose from the grease.......(if you do it correctly, there shouldn't be anything that comes off it.

From here on out, always use a dab Anti-Seize on your spark plugs. (a little bit goes a long way) I also use it on exhaust bolts/nuts & lug nuts. Also be sure you dont over tighten the plugs. (thats a common mistake.)
 
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depending on if there are any threads left, im guessing there aren't, since its the end of the plug that's stripped. if there enough threads, you can just run a tap through it, if not, it will need a thread kit installed.


whichever you end up doing, dip the drill bit/tap into grease each time, go slow, and back it out and clean it often.

its fine if some very tiny bits of aluminum end up in the cylinder, they will melt/burn up.


regarding the anti-seize, im pretty sure I read something recently(on here) that NGK specifically says do NOT use anti-seize on their plugs. it can alter the friction point and cause the plugs to get over-tightened.
 
Thanks for the tips all. After inspecting I opted to get a thread insert (Time-sert) put in by a mechanic buddy of mine. Thankfully, all went off without incident and only cost $100. Runs like a dream now!
 
2nd gen V6 Spark New Plugs Won't Install

Bought a 1995 4runner V6 2wd earlier this month. Just over 200,000 miles on the clock. In pretty good shape, so I thought I'd take care if a minor tune-up this weekend. Got to the spark plugs and thought I'd start with the worst one, the last one on the passenger side (#5?). That was tough, but got it done. I thought the rest would be easy......NOT. The remaining two spark plugs on the passenger side came out easily. Putting new spark plugs back in took the remainder of the day. Never got to the driver side.

I've been working on cars for over 30 years, and this one has me stumped. I can't find a way to get these plugs installed. I've checked to make sure they're the correct fit (NGK BKR5EYA), similar to oem. I have a universal joint - type spark plug socket, and I've used 3/8 inch fuel line to feed the spark plug into the slot (hand tighten first!). Nothing works!

I'm frustrated. Unless there is a special tool I don't know about, I'll have to have this 4runner towed to a mechanic. In all the years I've been working on cars and trucks, I've never had to have a car towed because I couldn't install spark plugs. As a matter of fact, I've never had to have a car or truck towed due to my inability to fix it. Ugh!

Sorry, just had to vent.
VegasT4R
 
VegasT4R said:
the last one on the passenger side (#5?). That was tough, but got it done. I thought the rest would be easy......NOT. The remaining two spark plugs on the passenger side came out easily. Putting new spark plugs back in took the remainder of the day. Never got to the driver side.
Click to expand...

Are you sure the spark plugs are the right size? I know you said that number 5 cylinder fit but ya never know...

That is super interesting because cylinder 3 and 1 are the easiest because you don't have to remove anything to get to them. On the drivers side you have to remove the intake hoses to make it easy. If you have headers on it is impossible to get to the #5 cylinder plug without removing the AS system.

I've used needle nosed pliers to drop the spark plug into the hole and then I can get it started by hand for a turn or so and then I use the socket to tighten to spec. Seems to work just fine for me so that's why I think you have the wrong size plug.

Hope this helps and good luck.
 
2nd Gen Spark Plug Fiasco

Thanks 91'4bee,

Will check to make sure the size is correct again. I compared the three spark plugs I pulled out (Denso K16R-U) with the new NGK's, and they appear to be the same size. I also looked at the Denso's to see whether the previous owner had heli-coiled a spark plug hole or two. Nothing there, just clean threads. Would previous heli-coil job leave traces on the spark plug thread? Looked inside the hole, and what I could see looked clean. Heck, I even tried to put one of the Original Denso's back in, wouldn't work

Oh well, off to the shop we go. Very frustrating to say the least. This will be the most expensive spark plug replacement I've ever had. :)

Appreciate any words of wisdom on this spark plug issue.

Vegas T4R
 
VegasT4R said:
Thanks 91'4bee,

Will check to make sure the size is correct again. I compared the three spark plugs I pulled out (Denso K16R-U) with the new NGK's, and they appear to be the same size. I also looked at the Denso's to see whether the previous owner had heli-coiled a spark plug hole or two. Nothing there, just clean threads. Would previous heli-coil job leave traces on the spark plug thread? Looked inside the hole, and what I could see looked clean. Heck, I even tried to put one of the Original Denso's back in, wouldn't work

Oh well, off to the shop we go. Very frustrating to say the least. This will be the most expensive spark plug replacement I've ever had. :)

Appreciate any words of wisdom on this spark plug issue.

Vegas T4R
Click to expand...
Thread them in with the socket and they are at weird angles
 
2nd Gen Spark Plug Fiasco (V6)

91'4bee said:
Dang well let us know what the problem was.
Click to expand...

Problem solved. Dealer was able to see there was a previous repair on spark plug sockets #3 and #1. Technician was able to re-thread (heli-coil?) and repair the sockets, installed new spark plugs on all cylinders.

Next on my list is accelerator cable replacement.

VegasT4R
 
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