tardman91

Had my rear pinion seal replaced and the 4Runner needs a laundry list of things done to it. The priciest one probably being a new timing belt. That will have to wait a little while so that I can save some $$$ for it. One of the simpler items on the list was a basic tune up. Plugs, wires, distributor, etc.
Basically I'm wondering if there are any good step-by-step directions or posts on how to do this. I looked at the factory service manual quickly, but the pictures suck and the directions are a little wordy. I would say that my mechanic skills are in the basic-moderate level. I know I'm capable of plugs and wires, but what's involved in the distributor and whatever else goes along with the tune up?
What parts do I need to get and how much should I expect to spend? It's a 3.0 auto. I tried searching but "tune up" returns A LOT of results.
Thanks in advance.

Elton

get ngk plug wires or denso rockauto has good prices ... next you will just need a distributor cap and rotor.. and same goes with the plugs ngk's or denso the cap and rotor are fine with the auto parts stuff .. just do one wire at a time

Elton

wires should be around 40 cap and rotor maybe 30 and plugs 10-15 ?

tardman91

My mechanic said it would cost about $225 for him to do it since the intake manifold has to come off to get the plugs on the left side. I wouldn't be too put off by the price if I didn't have to get the timing belt replaced tomorrow. A pretty mechanically inclined friend of mine had the 3.0 in his old truck so I might enlist his help.

Elton

you need to find a new mechanic cause he stupid and trying to rip you off.. you dont have to take anything off

tardman91

Really? I've read a few posts where people said that it was a real bitch and a half to get to the plugs on the left. Even my friend said that he had to take off the manifold on his. I guess maybe you just need some fancy ratchets with the bendy parts (pivots? my brain just drew a blank).

Elton

its no fun but it can be done with a simple tools

jarabie

I just did mine not long ago without pulling the intake. The only problem you should have is getting to the plug at the # 5 cyl(very rear of the motor on the passenger side)and all I used is a couple long extensions a swivel adapter and a 5/8 spark plug socket. I would suggest a magnet just in case you drop the plug.

fishtruck28

bwaa hah hahaha take the manifold off for spark plugs!!! hahaha








yea write ill do it myself and mybe not kick the "mechanic" in the knee

tardman91

Replacing the distributor and rotor do I run the risk of screwing up the timing? Because I'm not prepared to mess with that. Is it pretty much just popping the old one off and putting the new one on? I haven't messed with a distributor since high school auto shop class when we worked on my '87 cutlass coupe with the 3.8L.

Elton

yep just pop the cap off and rotor and replace just dont go and pull wires off it will be really messed up then

jeetS

Youre replacing the distributor CAP right? If so it does not affect the timing.

sb5walker

First, be sure you really need new wires b4 replacing. The dealer/OEM wires are Yazaki and they are the bomb. Work great and very long lasting. Basically, the signs of bad wires are if they are stiff and hard, not soft and flexible (that didn't sound right!) Or, cracked is bad, as is if the plug boots are tracked with carbon. NGK and Denso wires are good, but not as nice as the Yazaki set that comes numbered and with all the keepers and fit like a glove. Very pricey tho.

I've tried many brands and types of plugs in the 16 years I've owned my Ext Cab and the motor definitely likes the stock Denso K16R-U best. Works for me, since they're cheap. I stopped checking their gap years ago as I never found one that wasn't on the money (0.8 mm /0.031 in.) (I just know six people will jump in and say how wrong I am, lol) rockauto.com and autohausaz.com sell them cheap. The plugs from the dealer are the same Denso plug, with the "Toyota" label for which you pay more than double $$.

Before I replaced my air hose with a K&N intake, I did find it much easier to remove the rubber air hose assembly that goes between the air meter and throttle body. I recommend doing that - it's fairly easy and gives great access to the driver side plugs.

The #5 plug (back plug on passenger side) was the cause of much cursing before I learned the trick: to the spark plug socket, attach a short 3" extension, then a u-joint (swivel), then a long 8-12" extension. Brace the swivel with one hand while you turn the socket wrench with the other. When installing the new plug, try using just the three inch extension on the socket to help you get it started by hand. Take note of the angle of the socket & extension on the old plug before you remove it, and remember the position to help get the new plug started without mucking up the soft aluminum threads in the head.

You don't have to do it, but it's a good idea to use a very small amount of anti-seize on the plug threads only (it's very messy stuff and if you get any on the porcelain it will short out the spark for sure). The best for the purpose is Permatex Copper:
http://www.permatex.com/products/aut...ubricant_b.htm
http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-09128.../dp/B000HBM8HU

Likewise it's not mandatory but it's helpful to use a very small amount of silicone dielectric grease on the inside of the plug wire boots to keep them from sticking to the plug. If you do find a boot glued to a plug, don't pull on the wire, pull the boot itself. May be necessary to wrap a bit of cotton cloth around the boot and use a small channel-lock pliers to grip the covered boot and rather than pulling, try torquing the boot left and right. That'll often break it loose without damaging the boot.
http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-81150...dp/B000AL2RI2/

Be careful not to overtorque the plug. Many people do. Spec is 13 ft lbs, which isn't a lot.

As others said, the cap and rotor can be changed without affecting the distributor's timing. Just three screws hold the cap and the rotor just pulls off (it fits tightly). Denso rotors are better than other brands because they have a rough carbide coating that resists corrosion and will clean some corrosion off the terminals inside the cap. I've never noticed a difference made by different type caps, just get a decent one & you'll be fine. When you install the new rotor, press firmly to be sure it's fully seated.

Toyota air filters are better than any aftermarket I've seen - they have good depth to them.

Good to check the timing. You should be able to borrow a light from an Autozone. Follow fsm & search forum for how-to. Spec is 10 deg BTDC, but many of us run more advance for a snappier throttle response and bit more power. 12 deg is safe, runs well with 87 octane. 14 deg gives a bit more, but I'd burn 89 octane at that setting to keep peak pressure at the optimal spot (higher octane burns slower so max cyl pressure occurs later. If you advance the timing more than spec, 87 octane would cause peak pressure to occur before the sweet spot (15-17 deg after TDC), so higher octane will move the peak pressure back toward where it should be.)

Before doing a tuneup, I recommend running a good injector cleaner through the tank. The only in-the-tank products that actually do anything have polyether amine in them. Only two products still do: Red Line SI-1 Complete Fuel System Cleaner (most PEA, almost 50%) or CRC's "Guaranteed to Pass - Emissions Test Formula (less, but still decent amount of PEA, about 30-35% IIRC).

If oxygen sensor has over 90K, you may want to replace that, too. Denso direct-fit are the best, NGK direct-fit work ok too. Avoid Bosch like the plague. Amazon has the best prices on O2 sensors that I've seen.

tardman91

Thanks sb5walker! That's excellent information.
So with the cap and rotor, it's pop the old one off and the new one on? Do you have to mark it how it was taken off or something, or is there just one position it will fit? Sorry about my ignorance with the cap and rotor.
Any sites that sell a complete tune-up package that comes with everything and save some more $$, kind of like how they have the timing belt packages with the water pump and pulleys and everything?

93toyrunner2

One thing I have been doing for years when installing new spark plugs is using a piece of 1/4" vacuum hose. I cut a 7-8" piece of 1/4" hose, and push it onto the tip of the spark plug. Holding onto the vacuum hose fairly close to the plug will allow you to insert the plug (sometimes blindly) into the plug hole, and it will keep it from miss threading, which sometimes happens when you use a socket ratchet extension to put it in. By turning the vacuum hose to thread the plug, you can tell when it has seated correctly, and thread it in smoothly a few turns, then remove the hose to use your socket for the remainder.
The vacuum hose will also allow you something to grip & recover when the #5 plug drops down into the exhaust manifold area. It happens when you least expect it!

sb5walker

Well actually, unlike most dist caps, this one does not have a key shape that allows only one positioning. But if you get the wires lined up close, the three little machine screws will essentially do the same thing as a key shape would. Even with the screws, there's a little wiggle room, so once I get the cap in position with the three screws started but not tight, I wiggle the cap to see how far it goes left and right, and then I try to get it in the middle. Then I check the timing, as mentioned, but usually it's right on the money or close enough. In your case, since you are not the one who last set the timing, I would for sure check it and set it where you want it. I'd recommend between 10 and 12 as mentioned. Search the forum for instructions on setting timing - you have to set a jumper in the check connector, and should verify IDL is grounding to E2 in the TPS when throttle closed (idle position).

To change a cap, you have to transfer all the wires. Do this one wire at a time to be safe. Remove the cap screws, then hold the new cap just above the old, in the same orientation. Then pull and transfer the wires to the new cap, one by one. Pull a wire off the old cap by loosening the boot first. To install wires in new cap, grip the wire firmly just behind the boot and push the wire into the cap until you feel it seated fully. Then push the boot on the rest of the way.

Don't know of any tune up kits worth bothering with. If you want just one source, order all parts from 1sttoyotaparts.com or one of the dealers listed in this post:
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/sh...5&postcount=30

As mentioned, the toyota air filters are by far the best, and the dealer is a good source of the increasingly-hard-to-find Denso cap and rotor, and the dealer plugs, while more than the identical aftermarket Denso K16R-Us, are still not too much, especially with the 1sttoyotaparts discount.

An alternative is to get all parts from autohausaz.com. A great vendor, only sells good quality parts - they do not stock garbage like every other parts vendor out there. And they give free ship on orders over $50. Denso K16R-U plugs are $1.42. Their "OES Genuine" cap and rotor are apparently Denso, but they are more $$ than the same from 1sttoyotaparts.com (before shipping charge, anyway). (OES I think means original equipment sourced - a part originally supplied on the vehicle but not made by toyota, as opposed to oem - original equipment manufactured by toyota.)

They sell an OES plug wire set that looks like the Yazakis with all the keepers, but the price is about a hundred bucks. 1sttoyotaparts sells the same wires (called "cable set" on their website) for $79. Autohausaz doesn't seem to carry the Toyota brand air filter, but you might call and ask them. They do carry several good brands, including Denso.

BTW they carry the OES NWB wiper blades for about 9 bucks, those are a good find.

Mikel1871

^^Agree the dizzy cap will only fit one way if your wires are correct(1 on cap should be on top , well in my case anyhow)rotor button is keyed so you can only put it on one way.another thing I found for reaching #5 cylinder is a swivel socket made for plugs(local autoparts should have one) with a 12" extension and taking a few hose loose to get a good angle.the rest are a cake walk.

tardman91

Ok. I'm about to order some parts. I figured I would go with RockAuto as someone suggested. So far this is what I'm thinking. Please correct me if I'm wrong or if I should be getting a better/different part for some reason.

6 DENSO Part # 3119 {#K16RU} Standard
DENSO is O.E. Manufacturer / Resistor Plug With Patented U-Groove Design
FI; Gap 0.028; Long # K16R-U; DENSO is O.E. Manufacturer / Resistor Plug With Patented U-Groove Design @ $1.38 each

1 AIRTEX / WELLS Part # 3D1181 Distributor Cap and Rotor Kit @ $16.00

1 NGK Part # 4416 {#TX50}
Includes Coil Wire @ $33.79

For a grand total (including shipping) of $74.83

Open to suggestions for better parts or a better place to order from. Thanks!



Also priced out autohaususaz with the same plugs and wires, but the OES Genuine cap and rotor. All totaled and shipped came to $73.83

sb5walker

I wouldn't use an Airtex part if someone tried to give it to me for free. Go with the OES Denso parts from autohausaz, a buck cheaper and 10x better.

tardman91

Alright. Placed my order from Autohausaz and got a PCV valve and fuel filter while I was at it. My friend that is going to help me suggested I throw those in there too. Hopefully my 4Runner will be running like new soon!