Spark Plugs Recommendation

Good evening, and Happy New Years.
My 3rd gen Tacoma with the 3.5 has 107k miles (I know it’s a lot, I commute) and it’s time for new spark plugs. Anyone with a 3rd gen that has a recommendation for a brand of spark plugs that are reliable? Thanks

 

DENSO is brand called out in manual.
Some say that dealer price is not too bad.

 

I put denso in mine.

 

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127K on my Gen 2 and have yet to replace them.
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OEM always for ignition components. 107k is a pretty good testimonial I would say. You want more reliable than that?

 

DENSO FK20HBR8 (3491) as called out in the manual. $11 apiece at Rock Auto: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=5706984&jsn=3

 

I went to the dealer. Fake plugs seem abundant. For the amount of times you change em, it's not too hard of a pill to swallow.

 

This is a do it yourself job. Shops charge wa to much. Takes about an hour. Watch a youtube vidio if you need help.

 

^^^ This

also a "how to do" on the 3rd Gen thread with list of items and pics - very well done. Showed my son-in-law how to do his and took about 2hrs total. really very simple, especially if you have any knowledge or experience turning even a simple wrench. Got his plugs at the local Toyota Dealer's on-line parts web page. OEM and saved about 30%.

 

when removing the old ones do they just break loose immediately or are they a struggle to get out? i have one experience removing plugs from an aluminum head and felt like they were stripping and very hard to remove, was on a girl friends car and told myself never again

 

Been there . I went to remove plugs from a bought new 1987 Chevy Sprint (became GEO Metro) in 1996 with 85K miles . 1 plug screeched loudly and was very hard to turn when backing it out about 3/4 turn . I stopped there and retightened it and left it alone until we traded it in on a new 96 Pontiac . I have been told by a shop I trusted, that if the plugs were not removed before 50K on an engine with alum heads , they would not touch the plugs . This is were I chose my side of the anti seize debate with spark plugs . I use it , but sparingly .

 

no problems just be sure you have the plug socket seated firmly on the plug = I used a 6 or 9 inch extender with the socket on it, and then by hand seat the socket over the plug by pushing down slightly and turning left or right until you feel it seat - that way you can feel that it is seated on the plug correctly - then use ratchet on the extension to remove - and do same for install - place the plug in socket and lower into position with extender - then with fingers turn back and forth without applying any down force - that way you can feel the plug thread grab - then continue by hand (not ratchet) until you can't tighten by hand any further - then put on the torque wrench and torque to proper amount (??14ftlbs). Power tools are a good way to ensure it will be f'D up - use your hand for feel and touch. A cross threaded plug is what you want to avoid at all cost and very unlikely to happen if you use the hand - touch - feel method. But I'm old school so what do I know? and yes as mentioned us a very small amount of anti seize on the thread (like a 1/8" dab in one spot) and use di-electric grease on the top where the coil pack goes over the plug - more is good in this case.

 

and just replaced my front pads at 65 k and one of the easiest jobs...both sides around an hour taking my time...

 

OMG you are the other one! The other SPRINT owner. Had an 88 5dr hatch manual and an 87 parts car! Both were red, and plugs seemed welded in on the 87.

 

Is the one side really that much harder with relocating vacuum lines and such?

 

OEM.

 

$700+ for a job that takes about an hour max is a pretty hard pill to swallow lol. Plus it was actually kind of fun.

Definitely just get the recommended DENSO iridium plugs. Rockauto messed my order up once but they made it right and sent replacements quick (and they were genuine plugs). Just don’t try to hulk connecters out and you’ll be good OP.

 

I've run NGK for 40 years without issue. A spark plug is just an electrode running thru an insulator. Any more to it is just marketing.

 

Re-read the OP then my answer

 

Thats why I only run copper plugs