spark plug replacement

Champion 9202 Iridium is available for $3.98 at Local Parts store

 

Try rockauto.com. I've found it to be one of the best place to get auto parts. Their prices are very competitive and in some instances, you can buy high quality or even OEM parts for the roughly the same price as the "El Cheapo Grande" at your local parts house.

For example, I just picked up some Denso IK16 iridium plugs for $7.62 each - autozone has them for $8; Amazon $8.30.

 

FWIW. the Denso SK16R11 w/platinum ground strap is probably, at least for longevity, a better bet than the Denso IK16. Plus it's slightly cheaper at rockauto ($7.27 vs. $7.60)

 

Thanks for the write up!

I swapped out my stock plugs today and it was a breeze as long as you don't count my having to improvise because I didn't have the right size extensions.

Here is a comparison of my stock plug with 124,000 miles and a replacement plug. The gap on the used plug was the same as the new one, roughly .036.

 

Makes me wonder if you ever need change them. Pulling them out every 40~50 miles is good insurance, but I wouldn't be suprised if you cleaned the used with a toothbrush in a dish of carb cleaner they would end up very close in appearance to the new ones.

 

I like Rock too! I bought some parts once form them and the threads were bad on them Rock gave me a full refund and told me to throw the parts out. There excellent.

I am on other car forums and Rock offers a discount on those forums. They provide a gift code to the reg users. Not much like 3% but it helps.

Maybe all that takes is a phone call from a mod to Rock Auto?

 

I had similar thoughts while comparing the plugs. There was obvious deterioration of the lateral electrode and some deposits on the electrode between the gap but they still looked pretty good. The center electrode looked to be completely intact and not worn down at all.

 

The NGK spark plug recommended in the owner's manual has been replaced by a new part number. According to an NGK document, the IFR5A11 has been replaced by the IFR5T11.

The reference document is contained in the following thread:
www.priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-pri...mended-ngk-spark-plug-part-number-change.html
(I created a new thread as this posting would likely get lost in this long thread, and a new thread will be more likely to show up in a search.)

 

It'd sure keep you busy.

 

thousand, thousand [smack head]

 

I'm not sure which spark plug to choose for my Prius 2007, can someone please help me? I've read the whole tread but nobody says something about the other models from below:

Engine: L4 (1.5L)
ID: 1NZFXE
IK16
Iridium Power
Stk: #5303 Iridium Power Performance Upgrade With World's Smallest Center Electrode (0.4 mm Dia.) & Tapered Tip Patented U-Groove Design & Patented Ir Alloy (90% Ir) 4

Engine: L4 (1.5L)
ID: 1NZFXE
K16R-U11
Standard
Stk: #3120 Resistor Plug 4

Engine: L4 (1.5L)
ID: 1NZFXE
PK16R11
Double Platinum
Stk: #3134 B; DENSO is OE manufacturer / O.E. Recommended Double Platinum Plug - Extra Long Life Double Platinum Plug with Platinum Ground Strap 4

Engine: L4 (1.5L)
ID: 1NZFXE
PK16TT
Platinum TT
Stk: #4503 Platinum TT Plug - New Platinum Twin-Tip design with Titanium Enhanced Ground Strap 4

Engine: L4 (1.5L)
ID: 1NZFXE
SK16R11
Iridium Long-Life
Stk: #3324 Iridium Long Life - Patented Iridium Alloy Plug (90% Ir) With Platinum Ground Strap 4

Those models of spark plugs I've found them on Denso website and they were suggested for our model of Prius. The user manual recommends DENSO SK16R11 or NGK IFR5A11.

 

If you are interested in long service life then you will buy the last plug on your list, which is the same as Toyota's recommendation.

The first iridium plug listed will have a shorter service life while the platinum and standard plugs are of even lesser-quality.

 

Thank you Patrick! I've just bought a set of 6x Denso SK16R11 Iridium Long Life Spark Plugs from eBay with 55USD with free shipping.:rockon:

I can't wait to put them on my LPG-Prius!

 

Anyone tried use non iridium plugs in their Prius? Beside longer life, does the iridium plug give better MPG?

 

I have actually tried non-Iridium plugs, Autolite Platinum to be exact. They lasted around 50,000 miles pulled them out last night and replaced with the OE plugs. I was definitely disappointed that the Autolite plugs went and started misfiring. Problem solved. I didn't notice a big difference in MPG, but over the lifetime of the 50,000 miles I am sure it would be more noticeable and significant.

 

I looked up this thread to get the spark plug gap and thought I would add my 2 cents. Just replaced my plugs at 157,784 miles. The old plugs looked great and had a consistent gap of .046. I changed my first spark plugs on a car in 1974. Based on what I saw I wouldn't even bother replacing plugs on a Prius unless I had a misfire. Waste of time and money.

 

I agree with Racerbob, In my experience ignoring the plugs will wipe out the coils!! There are no wires to "leak" with a COP set up.

 

The gap spec is 1 to 1.1 mm. 1.1 mm is 0.043".

0.046" is almost 1.2 mm and the plugs need to be replaced whether they look "great" or not.

The engine ECU will log a P030x misfire only when the misfire rate is ~25% or more, so you are losing power and mpg by allowing old plugs to remain installed.

Not to mention the concern about whether the spark igniters are needlessly stressed by having to spark a worn plug gap which means a higher-than-normal spark voltage develops before the gap is ionized.

 

I've been a licensed A&P (aircraft) mechanic for years. Spark plug anti-seize is SOP, applied as you say - typically recommended to apply to 2nd and 3rd threads. HOWEVER, NGK has a Service Bulletin (NGKSP-0907-1) available at http://www.ngkplugpro.ca/content/contentfiles/pdf/NGKSP-0907-1R-Anti-SeizeonSparkPlugs.pdf, that specifically reccomends AGAINST using any anti-seize. Their reasoning is a) their plugs are manufactured in a way that negates the need for anti-seize, and b) using anti-seize could result in overtorqueing (sp?) the plug on installation.

Another Product Information Document from NGK (PI/1010/JUN06) officially announces that the IFR5T11 is designed specifically to replace the NGK Original Equipment spark plug IFR5A11 in the Prius. There's a copy of the .PDF available on PriusChat:OEM Recommended NGK Spark Plug Part Number Change | PriusChat.

 

Yes, I also have seen those NGK bulletins, and the wise owner will pay attention to them.