Spark Plugs: how often do you change them

[octanejunkie]

Nothing seems wrong, performance and economy are great, but I have a fresh set of NGK 3967 dual electrode sparkers in my hot little hands and am wondering when I should throw them in.

Is there a factory interval?

The ones I have been running have been in there since August of 2013. I pulled two and hey actually look okay, but hey, it's an excuse to wrench, right?

BTW, for those that have never done it, [MENTION=43936]zcruiser[/MENTION] did a great write up of the process: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/59008-how-installing-3rd-gen-spark-plugs.html

 

[zcruiser]

Thanks, octane! A pic of your plugs would help determine if changing them is needed but it mostly comes down the how big the gap is.

 

[Kanoe]

You have no selection for me. I do mine every 3rd or 4th oil change. Really easy job on the 3rz and the single electrode plugs required are cheap at the dealer. A few bucks each and a few minutes to change them. I hope to never have a stuck plug!

 

[wemslie97]

I believe the official interval is 30,000 miles. I've had mine in for about 36,000 and I'm wondering if it's time even though there's no sign of trouble.

 

[theesotericone]

I pull all 6 at every oil change. Usually replace them every 4th change. Pulling them is a good way to see if there's anything going on in the old motor that might need addressing. It's fast and great assurance.

 

[JayRolla]

I do mine when they hit 100k or if I notice a misfire.

Make sure to always blow all debris out the spark plug valley before pulling plugs with an air compressor to avoid debris falling into the cylinder and causing spark plug blow out.

 

[JayRolla]

I pull all 6 at every oil change. Usually replace them every 4th change. Pulling them is a good way to see if there's anything going on in the old motor that might need addressing. It's fast and great assurance.

I'm always scared to wrench on alluminum head threads that often. I've learned the hard way in the past. Those alluminum threads begin to fatigue when torqued on often.

 

[zcruiser]

Yeah I don't see the need to touch them until at least 60K.

 

[octanejunkie]

Yeah I don't see the need to touch them until at least 60K.

I've got at least 60K on these plugs. I'll pull a few and post pics later, but while I'm at it, might as well just swap 'em

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Gap erosion is around .001-.002 per month. It adds up eventually.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wemslie97]

Yeah, it seems if you're going to pull them out to inspect them, you might as well put new ones back in. I guess the best way to tell is good MPGs and no misfires or codes.

 

[octanejunkie]

Gap erosion is around .001-.002 per month. It adds up eventually.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, it seems if you're going to pull them out to inspect them, you might as well put new ones back in. I guess the best way to tell is good MPGs and no misfires or codes.

Truck runs great and gets decent gas mileage. For $20 in plugs and the time to check em, I'll just swap em.

6th POLL OPTION: While I'm in there, just swap em

 

[19963.4lsr5]

I like those 5EK plugs I put them in my Saturn SL1 in a heat range 6 I bought from Japan. I started with the 5EK in the satty which is 1 heat range colder than the standard 4's but wanted to try two colder to see if the active knock retard was any less. And they are in the Harley also in a heat range 8.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TheDurk]

My 30k service going back to 1999 is:

-plugs
-air filter
-MAF clean
-TB clean
-swap PCV
-all fluid check
-check brake pads and shoes.

100% engine reliability since Day 1 with one exception. I did not know about throttle body cleaning at the beginning and I set a P0171 about year 3, with the engine refusing to power up once closed loop kicked in. Just enough to get a few miles from home.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Mine have been in there since 2009. No change in 38,000 miles in the gap.

My brother recently received in trade a 98 Chevy 1500 , 128xxx miles, with the original plugs in the heads. Soaked the plugs in Kroil for three days straight, then used an impact lightly and out they came, no stripping of the iron threads. Been fine for four months.

 

[zcruiser]

If you pull the plugs at 30K, I believe you could actually regap them and put them back in for another 30K.

 

[octanejunkie]

If you pull the plugs at 30K, I believe you could actually regap them and put them back in for another 30K.

Mine had over double that and I was thinking the same

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[pluton]

I didn't vote because my choice wasn't there: Every two years, right before the smog test.

 

[dms1]

I just changed mine at around 38K miles, they worked fine and they looked fine to me when I removed them and could have probably left them in. On the other hand, I am a firm believer that spark plug wires never go bad, but change them anyway, except this time I was going to reuse the same plug wires (NGK), however when I took them off they were badly corroded where they plug into the ignition coils, so I ended up replacing them, I have never had this problem before with plug wires.

 

[octanejunkie]

Here is what my plugs looked like when I pulled them this past weekend. They are just less than 4 years old and I probably put 80K on them if not more.

I can't find a record of mileage when I installed them, but I pulled them at 242,060K miles

I also don't have the correct wire-gauge to accurately measure with, but the closest I can measure them puts the gap between .050 -.060

I'll tempted to clean them up, re-gap them and keep them as spares or throw them in at next plug change interval, for sh*ts and giggles.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk