Spark Plugs removal in 2 mins-very easy

Excellent! Seeing is believing.

 

That’s the English version (or right hand drive).

The clearances are different than the left hand drives where the windshield wiper cowling hangs over more.

So for you in the UK, this will work. But I’m other parts if the world, we’ll be pulling the cowling .

 

Seems like we've had this conversation before....



I still don't get it ... if the big, double-jointed passenger wiper is such an important thing to wipe enough of the big windshield in LHD countries, why does flipping the car left-for-right make it not important?

 

U.S. FMVSS No. 104, Windshield wiping and washing systems is, as I understand it, more stringent as to the wiped area than are European, Japanese, or Australian wiper standards. I imagine Toyota found it less costly to design and test only one version of the LHD wiper system for sale in the U.S. and other markets.

 

Needs to just have a camera on a tri-pod and do everything else free hand. Seems to work, like the process. I quit watching after 2 1/2 minutes due to dizziness. Plus, camera shot kept being too low at where he was actually working. I already have all these tools and will try this on one plug when I have the time.

 

Didn't even notice that, tried focusing on the herky-jerky video. Good catch.

 

As @ChapmanF points out, this isn't the first time we’ve seen this.

But a shorter windshield wiper cowling makes the job easier.

 

Our last Honda Civic (06) was the same: had to take the effing wipers and cowl off, for spark plugs, or valve clearance check.

 

I had an 06 Civic EX and the plug change required no cowl removal. It was a simple job - they are right out in the open on the US spec car.

 

Oh, my bad: it was the hybrid version, had 2 plugs per cylinder. Back row was inaccessible.

 

I had a 1996 Caravan minivan with a transverse V-6: the rear bank of plugs was very difficult to get to. I spent the better part of a day removing the cowl, intake, throttle body, etc to get to the plugs. I later talked to a shop that told me they fabricated a tool with multiple u-joints to access the rear bank plugs from underneath and would have charged me $70 labor. I would have taken that deal in a heartbeat.

 

So, this method not going to work on US Gen3 Prius? I hate to remove all dash since i have enough tools.

 

Nope, you need to remove wipers, plastic trim at bottom of windshield, wiper motors and linkage, and the metal cowl below..

@NutzAboutBolts pulled everything off when doing the spark plugs on his 2012, not something you do unless you have to, lol. Video linked in a thread pinned at top of 3rd gen Maintenance Forum. Good video to watch, shows everything involved.

One thing he says to use 20 foot pounds on the new plugs, after liberal coat with anti-seize. Shop Manual recommends 15 pounds, presumably with dry threads, which is maybe preferable. With anti-seize I would use very sparingly, and maybe reduce torque to 12~13.

Socket size is 9/16", or 14 mm? I used the 9/16" size, but I believe 14 mm is the kosher size.

Note Toyota in their wisdom put most of the spark plug info in one section of the Repair Manual, and the torque value in a completely different section. Attached are the two sections: