spark plug replacement interval (1 Viewer)

[dinibili]

Out of curiousity, what is a set of plugs worth?.

The flip side is: "if it ain't broke don't touch it"

Donald (on the rock)

 

[100 TD]

BTW, I was told the '06 LC owner's manual for Australia recommends replacing plugs at 100,000 Km or 5 yrs.

Unfortunately you may be correct Jim
The 2003 Australian manual says replace the iridium plugs at 60000 miles as well, unfortunately the australian vehicles are generally overserviced, as they don't bring out 2 different books, that is, one for the city folk and one for the bush folk, therefore I believe they base their maintenance on worst case bush work. This means replaceing wheel bearing grease every 12000 miles, adjusting valves on turbo diesels every 12000 miles, and as mentioned above replacing iridium plugs at 60000miles.

 

[100 TD]

I had better add........... a 12000 mile service for a turbo diesel is $750 to $800.......every 12000 miles!!! What a load of crap and a rip off! EDIT should have been miles

 

[Jim_Chow]

I can see how bush driving would call for the need to repack wheel bearings sooner (i.e., water crossings) and replace air filters/engine oil/filters, but why would it adversely affect spark plug life? After all, whether one drives in the city in stop & go traffic or offroad using 4wd low here and there, you have to rev the engine up more than for highway driving (higher rpms=more sparks=less life?).

BTW, the denso iridium plugs are about $9.35 each for the SK20R11 at densoproducts.com. Not sure what the stealership charges.

 

[Jim_Chow]

I had better add........... a 12000 km service for a turbo diesel is $750 to $800.......every 12000 km!!! What a load of crap and a rip off!

This is even more over-maintenance than my local Lexus dealer, who claims the LX needs a $750 "major" service every 15K miles!! (oil/filter change, air filter, cabin air filter, front/rear diff fluid change, t-case fluid change, ATF drain & fill, tire rotation).

My conclusion is the 60K mi spark plug spec in my FSM is probably derived from an international version of the FSM and not tailored for N. American driving conditions while the owner's manual is. No where does it say to replace plugs in the owner's manual until 120K mi, so Toyota can't fault one in saying one didn't perform scheduled maintenance. BTW, the valve gap check at 60k is listed as "audible," so I guess one just listens for tapping out of the ordinary?

 

[100 TD]

I meant to write 12000 miles Jim(20000km)

 

[NMuzj100]

This is even more over-maintenance than my local Lexus dealer, who claims the LX needs a $750 "major" service every 15K miles!! (oil/filter change, air filter, cabin air filter, front/rear diff fluid change, t-case fluid change, ATF drain & fill, tire rotation).

That list doesn't seem too excessive for the PM enthusiasts here. But the price is way out of whack.