DIY Spark Plug Change Writeup

7/28/2019 DIY Spark Plug Change Writeup

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2006RX330DIYSparkPlugChangebyALCHEMIST(4/22/13)

Iwanttofirsttaketheopportunitytothankthosethathavehelpedmeinpar6cular

HTOWNBLUEhisadvicewasextremelyhelpfulsomajorpropstoagreat(contribu6ng)forum

member.

Ivolunteeredtodothisforacouplereasons.First,Iwasaskedbyseveraltodothisandthere

werealwaysques6onsonwhethertopulltheintake,fabricateamagicaljointed-extension

socketthingythatwillreacharoundthebackoftheintake,orremovewipercowl.Ichoseto

removetheTB,intakeconnectorassemblyandupperintake(surgetank)andthiscreateda

clearpassagetotherearsparkplugs.Second,Ialsodidthisbecauseitisexpensiveatyour

localLexusdealerrangingfrom$50-$950.Some6mesyoucanfindaspecialthatLexusor

Toyotaisrunningfor~$300butitisrare.Somepeoplechangeat90kmilesothersat120kmiles.Ididmineat107kmiles.

Belowismyexperienceindoingthis.Iwouldrateitonascaleof1-10with10beingmost

difficultprobablya7.Itisnotforthefaintofheartthereisalotofshittoremoveandalotof

coolantlinestorememberwheretoputback.Total6meis~5hrs.Thisisprobablyoneofthe

biggestmaintenance-relatedjobsonthesecarsnexttothe6mingbeltreplacement.

Disclaimer:A]emptatyourownrisk.ThisisthemethodthatIfoundmostusefulandefficient

yoursmaydifferandmaynotbetheexactasdescribedherein.Aswithanydo-it-yourself

project,unfamiliaritywiththetoolsandprocesscanbedangerous.Thisprojectshouldbe

construedastheore6caladvice.***Iwillnotbeheldresponsibleforanyinjuryorenginefailure

duetothemisuseormisunderstandingofthisDIYproject****.

LETSDOTHIS..


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Relevantgaskets(theTBgasket,surgetank(upperintake)gasket,intakeconnector

assemblygasketaswellassurgetankcovergasket)

surgetank(upperintake)gasket

TBgasket


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Mainparts:Densolonglifeiridiums(yourpreferencebetweenDensoandNGK),

PCV(Ichangedmine),upperintake(surgetank-orange)andintakeflange(gray)

gaskets,andTBgasket(notshown).Verybo]omrightissurgetankcovergasket.

Ididnotchangethis.IboughtallthroughRockAuto.Iwontlistalltoolsbecause

itmayvaryforyoubutIwouldsuggestashort(stubby)setofratchetwrenches

inpar6culara12mmand14mmforthebracketsattherearoftheupperintake.


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Iwontspendalotof6mediscussingthefrontsparkplugs.Ifyoucannotdo

thefronts,donota]empttherears.10mmbolts.Makesuretousean6-seize

onthethreadsofallsparkplugsandbecarefulwiththecoilpackconnec6ons,

theyarebri]le.Alsononeedtogaptheiridiumsparkplugs.


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Oldversusnew(notbadfor107kmiles).Theyalllookedthesame.


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Nowfortherear(thatswhatshesaid).Removelinesgoinginto

airbox(airfilterhousing),removetopofairboxandfilter.Iwould

suggestmarkingallofyourlineswithawhitepenortape.


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Loosenandremove

connec6onbetweenair

filterhousingandhose/air

intakeresonatorassembly

andthro]lebody.


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Removelinerunningintofrontvalvecover.


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Andthisline.Ithinkitsthefuelvaporfeed.


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Youllwanttorotateintakeresonatortoremove.Itisa6ghtfitbecauseofthewipercowl.


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Ontheleyoucanseethethro]lebodyexposed.Youdonotneedto

removethelinebehindit.Leavethisinplace.Youalreadyremovedthe

otherendonpage12.


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Hereyoucanseethelineyou

removedonpage12.Justtuckit

awaybackbybrakeboosternearfirewall.Ithinkthisisthefuel

vaporfeedhose.


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ShotofTB.2nutsand2boltstoremove.Andathro]lemotorconnectorat

thebo]omrightaswellascoolantlineatbo]omle.


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RemovecoolantlineunderneathTB


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RemoveTBbracket.


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Otherendofbrackettoremove.Alsoremovecoolantline.


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Removebothhorizontal(showninlastslide)andver6cal

(men6onedearlier)coolantlinesfromTB.Theseare

waterbypasshoses.Puttowelsunderneathbecause

theywillleaklikemofo.


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Removebolts/nuts/connectorandremovethro]lebody.


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Backofit.No6cethegasket.Iwouldsuggestreplacing.


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HereisapicoftheTBandbracketandthecorrespondingbolts/nuts.

NowisagoodopportunitytocleanwithTB/carbcleaner.


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Hereiswhatyouseeoftheintakeconnectorassemblyaeryouremove

TB.Pleasenoteyoullonlysee3boltsthatares6llthere.Ialreadyremoved

1boltat9oclockand1nutat12oclockbeforetakingpics.Alsono6ce

aboveIveremovedlinetouniontocheckvalve


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Anotherlinetoremove.


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Boltsonintakeconnectorassemblyare12mm.Thispics6llhasTBa]ached.


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***Important.Thisisabracket/boltthatholdsthebackofthe

intakeconnectorassemblycalledthesurgetankstay.Donotforget

it.12mm.

O th bl thi i h t Thi i th i t th


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Onceyouremovetheassemblythisiswhatyousee.Thisistheopeningtotheupper

intakeorsurgetank.No6cethegasket.Alsono6cethesurgetankstaymen6onedon

lastpage.

Anothersurgetankstay


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Backofintakeconnectorassembly


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Frontofintakeconnectorassembly


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Hereiswhatyouul6matelyremovefromtheintakeconnectorassembly


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Undertheupperintakeopeningyoucanfinallyseetherearcoilpacks.

Di 6l 6 h PCV hi h d id f


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Disconnectven6la6onhosetoPCVwhichconnectstoundersideof

upperintake.Youwillaccesstothelesideofintake

Now its 6me to remove the upper intake It is held on from the front side by 4


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Nowit s6metoremovetheupperintake.Itisheldonfromthefrontsideby4

bolts(usesockethexagonwrench8)and2nuts(14mm).Iwillcometothe

rearinasecondwhichhastwoextrabracketscalledsurgetankstays.


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Thereisabracketabovetheintakeboltsthatyouneedtoremove.Thisistheemission

controlvalvebracket.Itis10mmnutsASWELLASthebolts/nutsthatholdtheintake

inplace.Oneofthe10mmontheleincludesagroundingwire

Hereyoucanseeoneoftheboltholesaertheboltwasremoved.Thebolt


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passesthroughthebrackettoholdtheintakeinplace.

Here the bracket is disconnected from the intake It includes several lines that you do


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Herethebracketisdisconnectedfromtheintake.Itincludesseverallinesthatyoudo

notneedtoremove.*****Ihaveanarrowtothelineyouneedtoremoveto

disconnectfromtheintake.*****Ifyoufollowit,itdisconnectsthis

Also

disconnectthisvacuum

lineatthe

top.

A b l h li I 6 d l A I 6 d


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ArrowbelowshowssamelineImen6onedonlastpage.AsImen6oned,

youdonotneedtocompletelyremovethisemissioncontrolvalvebracket

andallofitsstuff.Justrollitforwardontothefrontvalvecover/coilpacks.

Nowyoucanremovetherestoftheupperintakebolts.

***Mostpeoplemissthenexttwoitems**


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Thereisabracket(anothersurgetankstay)

behindtheupperintakeopeningthat

connectstotheintakevia12mmbolt.In

thebo]omphotoyoucanseeitbehindthe

opening.Thisistherightrear(driver)

bracket.Thebracketdoesnotmove.You

removethe12mmboltatthetopofit.I

usedastubbyratchetwrench.Ihopeyou

donthavefatfingers.

Itcanalsobeseenonpage30

Thi i th b lt


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Thisisthebolt.

Now for second rear bolt (le rear passenger side). His is another surge tank


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Nowforsecondrearbolt(lerear passengerside).Hisisanothersurgetank

stay.Behindthelesideoftheintakeyoucanbarelyseetheotherbracket

(arrow).Itisagainstthefirewall.Itisconnectedtointakevia14mmbolt.

d h h ( bb ) b h


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Again,Iusedaratchetwrench(stubby)butthis6meitis14mm.

Again,hardashelltoaccess

Nowyoucanremoveintake.Ilieditoffthelestudfirstthenrotatedclockwiseto


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o you ca e o e a e ed o e e s ud s e o a ed c oc se o

remove.Takeyour6me!!!


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Picunderneathintake(no6cegasket)actuallylooksnew


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Nowwithintakeremoved,hereiswhatyousee.


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Piclookingdownintakerunner.Notinbadshapeatall.


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Noweasyaccesstorearsparkplugs!


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Picofrearleintakebracket(14mm)calledsurgetankstay.


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Picofall3brackets(surgetankstays).2areupperintakeand1isconnectedto

intakeassemblyfromslide29

Pi f ll f th l t i t k b lt (4 f t d 2 ) d t (2 f t)


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Picofalloftherelevantintakebolts(4frontand2rear)andnuts(2front)

RearleO

bracket

14mm

Rearright

Bracket

12mm

FRNTFCAR

Iwentoverboardwithdiscussingtherearintake(surgetankstays)bolts


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becausetheyareapainintheassandbecausemostpeoplemissthem.(pic

lookingfromrearofcar)

h d l d


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IchangedmyPCVsinceIwasalready

there.


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Oldversusnew.WhenyoushakethePCV,itshouldra]le.Myoldonedidbarely.


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Istoppedtakingpicshere.Therestisassembly.AsImen6onedearlier,Ipurchased4

gaskets:theTBgasket,surgetank(upperintake)gasket,intakeconnectorassemblygasket

aswellassurgetankcovergasket(page3).Allofthegasketslookedbrandnewexceptfor

theTBgasket.Ididnotevenaccessthesurgetankcovergasket.Iwouldjustinspectthe

othersifyoudothisprocedureandprobablyonlyneedtochangethemwhenyourcarisabove150kmiles.Ihadallofthegasketssochangedthemall(exceptsurgetankcover

gasket)butinessencetheTBgasketwastheonlyoneneedingtobechanged.

Goodluck.Remembertakeyour6me.Iwouldsuggestdoingthisovertheweekendwhere

Fridaynightyoudisassembleandthenextdayyouswaptheplugs/gasketsandre-assemble.

Hopethishelps!

Date post:	03-Apr-2018
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DIY Spark Plug Change Writeup

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