Sparkplug and wire replacements

Tiny
MARKJ2016
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA
  • 3.4L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 128,000 MILES
Vehicle started with engine code P0171 the bank 1 lean code. Finally got worse while driving for sputtering so I replaced the MAF and PCV and it ran fine for one day, about 12 miles test driving. Today on way home it got really bad with hesitations in engine, and tailpipe now has a PUT PUT noise coming from it. I was thinking of replacing sparkplugs and maybe wires. Your one video on my truck model only shows removal of the plug with the coil pack, the drivers side of my vehicle does not have coil packs over those 3.
Thursday, April 7th, 2016 AT 8:24 PM

30 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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With a lean bank 1 code I would be looking for a vacuum leak. The spark plugs and wires aren't going to set a lean code.
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Thursday, April 7th, 2016 AT 10:36 PM
Tiny
MARKJ2016
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Thanks SaturnTech9. I have sprayed carb cleaner around all hoses I can think of and the engine rpm does not change indicating a vacuum leak. At least that is how I was taught to look for one. I will be borrowing an ODBC II code reader this afternoon and checking that engine light code again to see if it is still P0171 or something new.
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Friday, April 8th, 2016 AT 2:52 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Did you spray around the intake manifold gasket?Also the best way to find a vacuum leak is to inject smoke into the intake and look for smoke escaping. If you can get a scan tool that can read live engine data watch short term fuel trim spray around and watch for the short term fuel trim to spike.
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Friday, April 8th, 2016 AT 5:26 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Number one fix for that code is the mass air flow sensor which you replaced. Second most popular fix is fuel filter restricted. Check the fuel pressure and for a restricted fuel filter.
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Friday, April 8th, 2016 AT 5:35 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Also check the spark plugs for being excessively worn.
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Friday, April 8th, 2016 AT 5:45 PM
Tiny
MARKJ2016
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ODBC II code reader just connected. P0300 misfire code is now the culprit.
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Friday, April 8th, 2016 AT 5:48 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Check the fuel filter fuel pressure and the spark plugs for excessive wear.
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Friday, April 8th, 2016 AT 5:54 PM
Tiny
MARKJ2016
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  • 17 POSTS
I see that my 3 cylinders on passenger side have the coil packs and I have seen how to remove them. There is no coil packs on the 3 for the drivers side, how are they removed to get those plugs out?
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Friday, April 8th, 2016 AT 6:05 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Isn't there just a spark plug wire coming of each coil going to the other spark plugs?If so those would be like a traditional remove spark plug wire from plug then remove plug.
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Saturday, April 9th, 2016 AT 8:41 AM
Tiny
MARKJ2016
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Yes, figured that out last night while surfing the net. All six plugs have been removed, not excessively rough looking, some of the electrodes look a bit worn, going to replace with NGK plugs today. I think the wiring is fine
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Saturday, April 9th, 2016 AT 9:35 AM
Tiny
MARKJ2016
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  • 17 POSTS
Spark plugs only replaced, drove for about 2 miles, ran fine. Parked in driveway for about 10min, fired it back up and rough idle, quick response on throttle, but still a rough idle with sound from tailpipe just not right. Putt, putt, putt noise. Something is still wrong.
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Saturday, April 9th, 2016 AT 11:28 AM
Tiny
MARKJ2016
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  • 17 POSTS
Ok, figured out the ODBC code reader and found that I was not scrolling through all codes. I have P0300, P0301 and P0306. I have swapped coil from cylinder 1 to cylinder 5 and cleared codes before starting engine. Still have very rough idle and no CEL, I am awaiting the CEL to come on so that I can run the codes again and see if they have changed from P0301 to P0305 which would tell me that the coil is bad. Thus I would replaced Coils 1, 3 and 5 just to be safe.
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Saturday, April 9th, 2016 AT 4:17 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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That's a great game plan I do the coil swap as well when I get cylinder number miss fires as well to see if the code moves to the cylinder swap it too. Keep me posted on what you find.
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Saturday, April 9th, 2016 AT 6:00 PM
Tiny
MARKJ2016
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Status Update: Never could get CEL to come on after moving the coils from suspect coil 1 to good coil 5, yet engine idles and has hesitation continuously. Decided to order 3 new coils. Put them in this afternoon, cold start and idle, vehicle fine. Gets to operating temperature, shutdown, power up and I have very rough idle and bad hesitation. CEL finally came on and is only showing P0301 for misfire on cylinder 1. Pulled plug for #1 cylinder. Looks good, put coil back on and made sure it fit down on spark plug as best I could. Cleared code, ran vehicle about 2 miles, still rough idle, no CEL yet.
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Thursday, April 14th, 2016 AT 6:20 PM
Tiny
MARKJ2016
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I am thinking now that it is the fuel injector for #1 cylinder that is faulty. But I am not familiar with using an OHM meter to test.
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Friday, April 15th, 2016 AT 6:15 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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You just set the ohms meter to low scan ohms like 200 ohms scale and unplug the injector and measure across the two terminals of the injector. Also make sure your not loosing spark to the plug when it starts running bad.
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Friday, April 15th, 2016 AT 12:22 PM
Tiny
MARKJ2016
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Alright, went and bought a digital OHM meter so that I could test fuel injectors 1, 3 and 5 (easy to get to) and right now, #5 and #3 are pulling 15.8 OHMS and #1 injector I cannot get a reading. Strange because the engine runs good at cold start up till full operating temperature, turn off then back on again and really rough idle and ODBC code reader pulls "Pending" P0301 for Cylinder 1 misfire. Will try again to get a reading on #1 fuel injector with engine in complete COLD state.
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Sunday, April 17th, 2016 AT 8:05 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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So are you loosing spark on number1 when it runs bad?
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Sunday, April 17th, 2016 AT 8:37 PM
Tiny
MARKJ2016
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How would I check that when the engine is at idle and running rough?
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Monday, April 18th, 2016 AT 10:57 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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The Missing does that have a coil over the plug or is there a spark plug wire going to it?
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Monday, April 18th, 2016 AT 12:10 PM

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