Before we start...95 4runner 3.0 v6 3vz-e

Alright guys/gals, im at my wits end here. Today i decided to replace my spark plugs and wires to tune up the rig. After completion the car will struggle to crank over and struggles to idle. It can rev if i play with the throttle but die soon after i let off. Smells like gas when im done. I have checked plugs and wires time and time again and all wires are with their appropriate plug. Dist has not been touched so i dont see why timing would be off. Does anyone know of any possible reason why this would happen? Thankfully im off today/tomorrow but i really need this fixed so i can get to work. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Did you set the plug gap? Did you drop any of the plugs? Are the new (?) plug wires good?

The easy way to tell is with your timing light ($20); put the sensor on each plug wire to see if the light flashes. And while you're at it, check the timing; no reason not to.

 

I havent checked the gap, but I will and the timing light is the one thing that I have not done yet. I was just concerned because i literally have not touched anything else and it didnt make sense to me that it would run worse and not better. By the way what is the recommended gap

 

What do you mean by struggles to crank over? I can tell you from experience that a 3VZE will idle on as few as three cylinders so that makes me think that it's not just one bad plug you're going to be looking for. Scope103 is right about checking the gap though. If you put in a whole set of improperly gapped plugs, you would have missfires everywhere and fuel would be going down the exhaust which will foul your o2 sensor among other things that could give you ongoing problems. You might check all of the vacuum lines too. You would have had to contact a dozen of them on the passenger side getting to the back plugs. A vacuum leak will give you those symptoms other than struggling to turn over. I'd start with checking the gap and even the part number of the plugs they gave you before I tried to run it much more.