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Spark plugs replacement - maybe a stupid question...

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Lares_Mat, Feb 23, 2024.

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  1. Lares_Mat

    Lares_Mat Member

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    Aren't the igniter tips in the video in post #4 flexing? I think they are! Maybe the RHD Prius is equipped with such igniters so that you don't have to remove the cowls? Or he has aftermarket igniters already installed.

    I'm not that desperate about it ;) This dozen plus nuts and bolts ale solely a time delay, I eventually wanted to avoid, if possible.

    Apparently it is not possible, so I will stick with Toyotas procedure (even if it was not shown in the repair manual pages, I paid for!).

    Mat
     
    #21 Lares_Mat, Feb 24, 2024
  2. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Merv shows you how to remove the cowl easily and he speaks slow.

    Prius wiper cowl removal through 5:00


    Knowing how to do this makes a lot of future jobs easier including the egr cooler, accessing many sensors and replacing the brake booster.
     
    #22 rjparker, Feb 24, 2024
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Not mandatory for anything. For some reason I found I couldn’t loosen drain tap unless it was raised slightly, giving me a little more room to maneuver. Too, if you drop something from above, with car on ground, it’s good to at least be able to raise it then, say if you need to remove engine underpanel to recover fallen object.

    Not sure if this has been linked, and you might have seen:



    ^ He puts lots of anti-seize on plugs, plus 20 foot pounds. Repair Manual says nothing about lube, so presumably clean/dry threads, and 15 lb/ft. If you do use anti-seize, very sparingly, and reduce torque to 12~15?
     

    Attached Files:

    #23 Mendel Leisk, Feb 24, 2024
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2024
  4. Lares_Mat

    Lares_Mat Member

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    Yeah!

    Merv is a great one :)
    I saw it more than once before, and I like his voice, and his talking about the nature helping you with organic dirt as a marking point here and there :)

    Mat
     
    #24 Lares_Mat, Feb 24, 2024
  5. Lares_Mat

    Lares_Mat Member

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    OK. So with a pit underneath, it should be a no brainer. So far, you are not afraid of spiders. ;)

    Seen :)
    I don't think, I will lube the plugs, but he talks about dielectric grease on the tips of the coils...

    Here in Europe it are 20 Nm torque for the plugs and 10 Nm for the coils bolts (dry).

    Mat
     
    #25 Lares_Mat, Feb 24, 2024
  6. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Our Prius igniters have flexible silicone tips, but are rigid all the rest of the way. The igniters I saw on that other car were definitely floppy.

    The RHD Prius, for whatever reason, has conventional windshield wipers—doesn't have the big double-jointed wiper for the passenger side. Makes the cowl just enough shallower that it's not in the way of the igniters.
     
    #26 ChapmanF, Feb 24, 2024
  7. Lares_Mat

    Lares_Mat Member

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    Are you sure, the conventional wipers are the reason?
    I think, _all_ European Priuses have this style of wipers installed.

    Whatever - I think, I will take the cowl out, to have more space to work, and maybe look at the EGR cooler too. Check, if I get to the bolts and nuts there with a digital adapter type torque wrench to torque them right. This thing is a little bulky...

    Mat
     
    #27 Lares_Mat, Feb 24, 2024
  8. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I haven't seen any European Prii in person, but there was a thread about this some time ago, with photos, where it seemed very much as if that was the explanation.

    Now, if you have a European LHD Prius with conventional wipers, perhaps you could contribute to the font of PriusChat knowledge by trying to sneak the igniters out with the cowl in place. The combination of (LHD, with conventional wipers) might be one that hasn't been reported on here before, and then we would know.
     
    #28 ChapmanF, Feb 24, 2024
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    I'm jealous. Still, having a pit takes all the fun out of it, lol.
     
    #29 Mendel Leisk, Feb 24, 2024
  10. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Picture of you're wipers in EU..
     
    #30 Tombukt2, Feb 24, 2024
  11. Lares_Mat

    Lares_Mat Member

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    The guy in the video had a RHD, I think.

    I have a LHD with conventional wipers. As soon as I get to it, I will try it and report back. :)

    Mat
     
    #31 Lares_Mat, Feb 25, 2024
  12. Lares_Mat

    Lares_Mat Member

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    I have no pit in my garage ;) Mine is very tight and I only park there. If I have something to do on my Prius, I visit my parents - there is the pit, so - yes, I know, having a pit is beneficial :D

    Mat
     
    #32 Lares_Mat, Feb 25, 2024
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  13. Lares_Mat

    Lares_Mat Member

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    Here you are!
    The wipers themselves and on the second shot I tried to get the space above the coils - hopefully, you guys can compare it to your cars.

    20240225_160319_wipers_small.jpg
    20240223_203818_space_small.jpg

    Mat
     
    #33 Lares_Mat, Feb 25, 2024
    amarino likes this.
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Kinda illustrates the shift in engineers' priorities. :rolleyes:
     
    #34 Mendel Leisk, Feb 25, 2024
  15. Lares_Mat

    Lares_Mat Member

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    Could you elaborate more?
     
    #35 Lares_Mat, Feb 25, 2024
  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Didn't anyone try removing a plug on the engine after install?

    There's something else a little testing could have avoided, but I'll restrain myself, lol.
     
    #36 Mendel Leisk, Feb 25, 2024
  17. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yeah it looks like on that car there's no tray to be in the way even the hood's different isn't it so open it undo the tens on a coil Make sure you undo the plug and see if it pulls right up to your hand I'm thinking so.
     
    #37 Tombukt2, Feb 25, 2024
  18. Lares_Mat

    Lares_Mat Member

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    It is not only ONE thing like this - there are many, but we have to live with that ;)
    Or fight it ;)
    My (not really) automatically dimming rear mirror is now dimming as it should (or at least acceptable ;)).

    Mat
     
    #38 Lares_Mat, Feb 25, 2024
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  19. Lares_Mat

    Lares_Mat Member

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    I will try it, but definitely not in the next days.
    If I try it, then only to check the possibility - there is really very little space to work properly under the cowl.
    I'll see and report back to you, if I know it for sure.

    Can you make a similar picture like mine of the space under the cowl, so everyone here could compare it (I'm curious too, of course!)?

    Mat
     
    #39 Lares_Mat, Feb 25, 2024
  20. Lares_Mat

    Lares_Mat Member

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    OK, guys, I just came back from my garage...

    As you can see on the picture, there is absolutely no way to get the igniters out, without taking the cowls out first on a European LHD (here number 1, I even didn't try the rest of them - no reason).

    Question answered ;)

    20240226_182651_igniter_n1_small.jpg

    Mat
     
    #40 Lares_Mat, Feb 26, 2024
    jerrymildred, Mendel Leisk and amarino like this.
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