4.0 V-6 spark plugs heads up

[737AMT]

So I changed the plugs on my wife's 4rnr yesterday. I used the NGK Iridiums. It's been many a year since I've installed plugs with a sealing washer. When I went to torque the first plug, the beam wouldn't move past 10 ft/lbs. It takes almost a half turn to crush the seals on those plugs and it's a little unnerving. At first I thought I was pulling the threads out of the head. I don't know much about the maintenance history on this vehicle (bought in September with 154,000 on the odometer), and didn't know if someone had pulled the plugs to the edge of disaster during a prior plug change. Once I figured out what was going on with the washers, it all went smoothly. Torqued to 15 ft/lbs and other than that bracket on the driver's side, access to the coils and plugs wasn't that much of an issue.

If you've ever changes plugs on a Ford pickup with a Triton engine, these are a snap!

 

[Drunner97]

I'd have to check, but I think it's 14 lbs of torque for the plugs. That's what I've always done on my Tacoma's 4.0 and the 4runner's 4.0

 

[Hongster]

So I changed the plugs on my wife's 4rnr yesterday. I used the NGK Iridiums. It's been many a year since I've installed plugs with a sealing washer. When I went to torque the first plug, the beam wouldn't move past 10 ft/lbs. It takes almost a half turn to crush the seals on those plugs and it's a little unnerving. At first I thought I was pulling the threads out of the head. I don't know much about the maintenance history on this vehicle (bought in September with 154,000 on the odometer), and didn't know if someone had pulled the plugs to the edge of disaster during a prior plug change. Once I figured out what was going on with the washers, it all went smoothly. Torqued to 15 ft/lbs and other than that bracket on the driver's side, access to the coils and plugs wasn't that much of an issue.

If you've ever changes plugs on a Ford pickup with a Triton engine, these are a snap!

Know what you mean about them 5.4 3V. Took me a whole day but none was broken.

I don't care for torque wrench when it comes to Plugs, just Gootentight and move on, but this is just me.

 

[ATOWN4R]

Torquing plugs!?? Dafuq diff I get into...I need to research this some..

 

[Modern Color]

What kind of shape were the old plugs in and did you use anything on the threads of the new plugs ? Just thinking of changing mine soon I have 108k on the engine

 

[Mike07SE]

Just changed the plugs on my truck. About 100K miles since last change done about 6-7 years ago. I had swapped out at about 30K miles to E3 plugs. Haven't had one bit of issue with them and looked fine upon removal. Removal was a little tight as if they were almost seized on there.

 

[737AMT]

What kind of shape were the old plugs in and did you use anything on the threads of the new plugs ? Just thinking of changing mine soon I have 108k on the engine

The old plugs weren't all that bad. I just didn't know when they were changed last. The guy I bought the truck from said they had been changed, but he wasn't sure when.

NGK does not recommend using anti-seize on the threads of their plugs. That was right off of their website and not a third party site. So I installed them dry.

I always use a torque wrench on aluminum heads. Several years ago, I stripped the threads right out of the aluminum head on a forklift I was working on at one of my previous jobs. It was some oddball Korean made forklift, I can't remember the name. So now I use a torque wrench.