Spark Plug Replacement

What's everyone's take on using Denso 4705s versus the spec 3491s? I've linked both below for comparison. People seem to like the 4705s, but their gap is 0.040, while the toyota manual asks for 0.031.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...-tip-last-100k-miles-ikbh20tt-4705/10713005-P
https://www.autozone.com/external-engine/spark-plug/p/denso-iridium-spark-plug-3491/533161_0_0

 

If you’re in no big hurry, either toyotapartdeal.com or local dealership would be your best bet. That way your getting the right plugs and mine came already gapped to what they needed to be.

 

In 40 year of wrenching on cars (both my own and friends) i would say the biggest reason for a bad job is rushing it. I have seen wheel studs snapped off due to shops using impacts rather than torque wrench's to tighten. One member here had his oil changed and the tech forgot to install a new filter (the cartridge style of course). I have had dealers due a brake service and totally miss the fact that two piston boots where torn and the pistons seized. I only discovered this later and suspect the dealer may had actually caused this during their brake service





I would say by and large the members here do the bulk of all their own work. Its their car and their investment.

Service advisors treat everyone like idiots and knowing more than they do I treat them the same. Had a parents car in for front and rear brake work. Asked if they could due the tire rotation and said that would cost extra. I not so politely reminded then that ALL the tires were already off the car and NO it wont cost extra to put them back on in a different order.

Then ultimate in stupidity and something I still laugh at today was taking my Tacoma in for its first service.
The service advisor told me to my face that they had to take out my weather tech front floor mats in order to work on it because they were unsafe. I couldn't keep a straight face at that but there was no sense in disputing it so i just let it slide although i was laughing all the way home. Next time i went to the dealer I asked if they were once again going to take issue with my floor mats. The new service advisor said of course not, we sell then now.

I have my limits based on not having a garage etc but beyond the warranty period my Tacoma has never been back to the dealer and most likely never will be. Its fully serviced by me and is better off for it.

And while helping a lady friend with a grinding issue on her Hyundai that had just been to Midas for over $1000 in brake workI discovered this..



There was NO outer pad on one of the rear disk brakes. The grinding noise was the caliper itself grinding on the rotor. The piston was only millimeters from popping out of the caliper at which point this could have caused a serious or even deadly accident. How the F does any competent mechanic forget a brake pad. No one here would.

 

snapped off while they were using an impact?

some of it is just crummy studs. my brz, i've never used an impact since i bought it new in 2014. i use a 4-cross wrench for every wheel change/rotation, and always hand-thread lugs on to start them to ensure i don't cross-thread them. a few years ago i had 5 different studs break off changing between winter and summer tires.

in all reality, the impact really has very little to do with wheel studs, i blame the forces they're subjected to more than tools for installation/removal.


but the funniest moments for me is when someone will impact a part fully onto the vehicle, and then put a torque wrench on it, which clicks immediately. for those that don't get it-- if i impact a bolt onto a vehicle to the max of the impact at 300ft/lbs, but then i come back to it with a torque wrench set to 75ft/lbs, it's going to click immediately, because it's torqued to 300ft/lbs.

you're supposed to hand-tighten to roughly 30-40ft/lbs, and then bring it up to 75ft/lbs with the torque wrench.

 

Yes, snapped it off. Looks like they didn't

Yes, snapped of. Looks like they didn't finger install first. Got cross threaded and twisted the stud till it broke.
At 660 ft/lbs I can imagine what my IR impact would do if used to install. In reverse its a fixed 660. Luckily in forward its adjustable but I never use it to install anything anyway. Except for removing the reverse threaded nuts on lawn mower blades

The next generation of the one i have is insane at 1,100 ft/lbs

$163 Ingersoll Rand 2135QXPA 1/2" Air Impact Wrench, Quiet, 1100 ft-lbs Nut-Busting Torque

https://www.amazon.ca/Ingersoll-Rand-2135QXPA-Ingersoll-Rand-Impactool/dp/B00PPGE8DE?th=1


I do use it to remove the wheel nuts. I jack up the corner I am working on and then undue all the nuts. Once I am done i then finger install and use torque wrench.

 

Thank you, all. Can anyone confirm part numbers for the plugs and also what size spark plug sockets? I have seen different information. Is it not 14mm?

 

Socket size is 5/8 or 16mm (standard spark plug socket). Part number is in the owners manual.

 

Thanks. Is 5/8 the better fit than 16mm? Looks like 5/8 is 15.875 mm.

 

They may exist but have never seen a 16mm spark plug socket , I just use the standard 5/8 . And i assume you are using an actual spark plug socket and not thinking of using a 16 mm plain old socket..

I bought and use this one. The magnet is quite strong and holds the plugs much better than the sockets that have a rubber insert that tries to hold the plugs. And it swivels as well.

https://www.gearwrench.com/all-tool...-point-58-magnetic-swivel-spark-plug-socket-6

On a friends older Corrola that one used a totally different socket. Think it was like a 12mm. Brought over my standard 5/8 and 9/16 which had served me for 40 years only to find this one was different.

 

Thanks. Yes, definitely using a plug socket and not a regular metric deep socket. Curious if the plugs are really 16mm or 5/8.

I have a trusty 5/8 spark plug socket that was from a ratchet set my granfather gave me years ago when I was 7. No engravings, stampings etc. lol just a sticker that says what size it is. I have probably completed at least a dozen plug changes in the last 40 years with this trusty socket.

I am currently up leveling my tooling and thought about what may be better. Magnetic, swivel, etc. I had one nightmare of a plug change on my mom's 1990 Taurus with a transverse V6 when a plug broke off when I was removing it. Hard to get out-it was next to the firewall.

Anyway I was looking at different sockets and sets, from spendy to not so much.

Spendy
https://shop.snapon.com/product/supplemental/3-8"-Drive-6-Point-SAE-5/8"-Flank-Drive-Magnetic-Universal-Spark-Plug-Socket/S9706KFUAMAG

Not so much

$15 LEXIVON 5/8" Swivel Magnetic Spark Plug Socket, 3/8" Drive x 10" Total Length | Enhanced Magnetic Design with Thin Wall Socket, Cr-v Steel (LX-122)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MH5ZDMD?ie=UTF8&th=1

and from HF If you look at the HF/Quinn set one of the sockets is a 16mm socket.




Looks like a bunch of 16mm sockets on Amazon too:

$10 A ABIGAIL 16mm Thin Wall Swivel Magnetic Spark Plug Socket 3/8" Drive 12-Point 5/8" Spark Plug Socket Removal Tool Compatible with Motorcycle, Car, SUV, BMW

https://www.amazon.com/ABIGAIL-Magnetic-12-Point-Compatible-Motorcycle/dp/B0BYZD5G9M?crid=2GEF0B616GZYZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.FUM8ASMK6GogkUFowKJhkpKjzpQ3PpSdlbtXuE0jI1iDst7vM4_J9d4ATOWelppiGxbXGFzaW-100tD9crpccv9JznemzYjOV0wjcKcUgkmZFzCSXpNkHCuqddQ7WnZzL1isCINxyDH_QK5bHIArO5gw1qhxv-ADGYCg79K53u6PKqTCW8TEfwbkC_aBLmfexq_RgtzmL5jRiKs346AUJT3-O-L3-a-Ek1ZHNgFi93stWRt1ZZwl2yJ0PrL4aU25-IpkgyX2qiO-VLcoGP5wHPOo-qAimLfy_lFIDC3ds60.33KNkDvURIR3lHzZSz6dpAig62Ngda6pvMFiGqMhHas&dib_tag=se&keywords=16mm+spark+plug+socket&qid=1722189986&sprefix=16mm+spa%2Caps%2C109&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Just looking to use the best-fitting tool for the application here.

Also found some Japanese Koken. More spendy than HF but if 16mm is correct these may be best. I like the one piece T-handle for hand-starting plugs in the heads.

 

Midas Mechanic rushing it, not paying attention, mind someplace else. I would fire mechanic on the spot. Midas probraly charge around $120/hr labor, major BS markup on parts, some BS they will not install customer supplied parts. Your friend took it back to Midas, got rotor and loaded caliper replaced free?

 

Smart to go OEM if you're not sure how an alternative part is going to affect your engine. I wrestled with this as well and sided 3491

Also did not need the universal joint as you can insert your socket extensions straight in on all of them. just push some wires out of the way.

 

If you have a 5/8 inch you have used and trust you are already setup. Every spark plug socket I have seen is 6 point and you are not dealing with something that is torqued to 100+ ft/lbs. i know in my 2nd gen a regular 5/8 fits just fine. But there are cases where a thin wall socket is needed but even then a 5/8 will do the trick. I mic'd out one of the denso plugs and its 0.625 , exactly 5/8

 

The universal joint is a nice to have but not a requirement. But i highly recommend one with the extension as part of the socket. i have had cases where the grip between the socket and the extension was a little week and the socket would become detached and the plug would actually slide up a little in the socket such that the tip prevented the extension from going all the way back into the socket. i used a magnet probe to remove it. Before i bought the gearwrench magnetic version I actually epoxied an extension on to my old 5/8 to keep that from happening again. Those were the old style socket with the rubber insert to grip the plug.

 

Welp...I know what I'm returning tomorrow!

OP - Thank you for posting this thread!

 

I've bought mine multiple times from Amazon and I'm past 244k mile on my 2017 and I'm the og owner . I always buy from reliable seller . I could see if the seller on amazon was some rando fake company and was selling bogus parts . Gotta do your homework to pass the test I say. Research sellers and read opinions. I also have a app that checks Amazon for fake reviews. Fakespot app.

 

Good looking out and thank you for the tip on the fakespot app! I’ll be giving that a whirl on my next purchase!

 

The thing about Amazon is that sometimes sellers use commingled inventory: https://www.prepitpackitshipit.com/post/amazon-commingled-inventory

Essentially when that is used all the sellers for an item just ship that item to Amazon and it is thrown into a bin. When you order it doesn’t matter if you order from the most reputable seller or the sketchiest, the product would be pulled from the same bin.

AFAIK the only for sure way to avoid this would be to message the seller and see if they use commingled inventory. Myself, if it has the slightest chance of being fake I avoid Amazon altogether.

 

Well I guess it makes sense to that if on paper it’s the same…If they’re on the up and up. But nowadays shady is all over the place!!