Sumitomo Spark Plug Wires vs NGK

I recently changed my plugs an wires on my 1999 Toyota Sr5 2.7L engine and had a set of Sumitomo wires on for the last 30k miles. I always use Denso K16R-U copper core plugs. I do not recall why I used sumitomo wires (I do believe they were OE) the past 30k miles but had gotten used to my engine idling rough (stable but rough) to where you could see the engine shaking on the mounts. I replaced this time with a set of

$44 NGK RC-TX67 Spark Plug Wire Set

NGK RC-TX67 wires an instantly on start up the sound, vibration, idling and smooth feeling I so recall from my Taco came right back. I have seen an improvement in power an mpg so wanted to post that my thoughts are that SUMITOMO wires are garbage and will never touch my truck again. Interested to see if any of you all have had the same experience? Hope you all are well and your Tacos even better! (If Sumitomo even still makes wires)

 

I never had issues Sumitomo wires At one time they were factory.I had problems with NGK products so never touch them .

Perhaps you just got a poor set . Perhaps your set had been outsourced to China by that time.

If the truck idled so poor when the wires were installed why wait 30,000 miles to figure out the problem?

 

It wasnt to the point that I saw it as a HUGE problem until the new wires and plugs smoothed things out. I had been working on all the fluids back to front and have found issues there. Basically at this point I am going at it the best I can. The frame had been ruined and until I finally was financially able and was able to find the right person to fix it I had mistakenly thrown my hands up so now I am full steam ahead and back to work making the money I need to address the issues. Covid and the medical field was a rough period for finances. Being laid off with no unemployment ate my savings like a beast. So I am paying dearly for it now but its becoming a fun project. Frame repair starts 8/1 with new leaf springs shocks struts and then ill be back on things that pop up as needed.

 

Nothing beats the smell of new set of sumitomo’s.

Pretty sure they are a lifetime wire set. Many friends have pulled used sets off old trucks with 200k+ miles on them.

 

Well someone can gladly buy mine then haha

 

Did you try unplugging it and plugging it back in? That usually works...

 

Yup then I blew on the cartridge and slowly slid it back into the system an still got static no Mike Tysons Punchout........rough life!!

 

All joking aside I did take them out an clean them real good and they are in my emergency truck bag as we speak. Always handy to have a extra set an they only had 30k put on them so they are still in fine shape in a pinch.

 

I had bad luck with NGK wires. I switched to OEM dealer wires and all my knocking / stumbling issues went away.

I'm kicking myself for dealing with it for 70k miles.

 

Well these Sumitomo wires have 40k on them so I am not sure how long or how many miles you should have before you change them but they are Sumitomo 2015 wires so they also have 7 years on them but to their credit they still look really good. Maybe I should put them back on an see how they do with the new plugs. What do you guys think? For experiment sake or are they waaaay past their limit?

 

Those look brand new. You could check resistance if you are worried.

New set from the dealer is about $86.

I try not to over maintenance my trucks, even though it’s hard sometimes.

I changed the plugs on my Tundra with 170k on them, and they still looked new.

 

Well only thing that happened with these is the mechanic that changed my plugs last left #1 to loose an gases built up an popped the plug wire off the plug. I tightened down properly an never had the issue again. It would be interesting to see if fresh plugs and those wires would run smooth. I did clean them good with electronic cleaner as there was some carbon on the #1 that popped off. I wouldnt know how to check the resistance.

 

And hopefully my torque specs were right on the plugs at 14 ft lbs. It was difficult to find the torque setting. 3RZ FE 2.7L 1999 search an best I could tell was 14 ftlb

 

Yep, I just did mine. 14ftlbs for the win! Or something like 166inlbs.

 

They look better, than the NGK. As someone mentioned they look new.

 

Yeah the blue NGKs just stick out like a sore thumb

 

They have been changed an short test run seemed good. Maaaaaybe a little longer crank time but if so verrrrry minimal. Idle smooth....ran smooth so MAAAAYBE ill be eating my own words we shall see

 

I’m happy with my blue NGKs

 

Even the good quality wires can stretch or break internally when they get pulled off the plug. Ignition wires served their purpose for years but they have always been a weak point in the ignition system. That's why they got away from them and now coil-on-plug is the standard