Engine performance question

[dnbprofessor]

It seems lately that when i accelerate quickly that there is a slight hesitation before it "gets down on it". This also happens when the gears change. what would be causing this? I have 130,000 miles on it and just recently changed my spark plugs.

 

[brian2sun]

When was the last time you changed your wires?

 

[dnbprofessor]

Was going to change them when i did the plugs, but they looked o.k....no cracks or anything. But, they have never been changed

 

[brian2sun]

If your wires have 130K on them I would almost say for sure that they are what's causing your problems. I change my wires every 24-48K and plugs every 24K.

 

[bak3rme]

what exactly do wires do?

 

[brian2sun]

what exactly do wires do?

They carry the voltage to your spark plugs so they will ignite and combust the fuel in the cylinders and make the car go.

 

[bak3rme]

They carry the voltage to your spark plugs so they will ignite and combust the fuel in the cylinders and make the car go.

total noob when it comes to cars, but im learning. so they carry voltage to your spark plugs. and spark plugs are used once, to start the engine right? then after that they dont do anything, then, wires dont do anything

 

[TC4Rnr]

you are confused ignition(spark plug) wires and battery. change them, nothing but Toyota factory parts. they are pretty cheap because you only need a set of 3.

 

[brian2sun]

total noob when it comes to cars, but im learning. so they carry voltage to your spark plugs. and spark plugs are used once, to start the engine right? then after that they dont do anything, then, wires dont do anything

No, the starter is used once to get the engine going, but the sparkplugs are constantly firing and the voltage is being carried by the wires the whole time the engine is running.

 

[dnbprofessor]

it could be the wires. they are easy enough to change. may give it a try. BTY, when i got my plugs, the auto shop gave me NGK single electrode plugs. I thought they were supposed to be dual electrode. Also, do you think i need to do a fuel system cleaning. could it be carbon build up causing the problem?

 

[brian2sun]

it could be the wires. they are easy enough to change. may give it a try. BTY, when i got my plugs, the auto shop gave me NGK single electrode plugs. I thought they were supposed to be dual electrode. Also, do you think i need to do a fuel system cleaning. could it be carbon build up causing the problem?

My thread on machine-based carbon cleaning to make your engine run better was more of a suggestion for AFTER you do all the normal tune-up stuff. Start with the basics first like plugs and wires and see where you are at then.

 

[dnbprofessor]

i will do the wires first and see. what else should i try?

 

[004Gunner]

i will do the wires first and see. what else should i try?

If the wires don't change anything, I would get the dual electrode plugs. I've heard that singles work fine, but the fact that you have singles with symptoms makes me think it could be the plugs as well. Did the hesitation start before or after the plug change?

 

[JohnsD90]

total noob when it comes to cars, but im learning. so they carry voltage to your spark plugs. and spark plugs are used once, to start the engine right? then after that they dont do anything, then, wires dont do anything

You are thinking of a diesel. GLow plugs heat up for start up, then the engine uses compression to ignite the fuel.

 

[bak3rme]

If the wires don't change anything, I would get the dual electrode plugs. I've heard that singles work fine, but the fact that you have singles with symptoms makes me think it could be the plugs as well. Did the hesitation start before or after the plug change?

sorry if im hijacking this, but when i replaced my spark plugs they were duals, but i replaced them with singles, what are the pros and cons of this?

 

[brian2sun]

sorry if im hijacking this, but when i replaced my spark plugs they were duals, but i replaced them with singles, what are the pros and cons of this?

Singles wear out faster. Our engines fire the plugs twice as much (on the up and down compression strokes) so normal plugs just last half as long. I have had bad experiences with Bosch single ground plugs so I tell everyone to stay away from those in particular:

 

[RyanKay]

what do you guys gap the single electrodes to?
I am having a hard time finding the correct gap for a 3rd 96 4runner.
Thanks.