ALERT: Fellow DIY'er about to GIVE UP on Gen 3 1MZFE

[userdfdf]

So, the 1MZFE rear bank spark plugs are a pain to change. I'm aware. I've also seen the sticky on doing it without removing the intake plenum - which I was just trying to do. However, when I went to pull the boot/ignition lead/wire off the plug - disaster struck:



The Chilton AND Haynes manuals say to remove the boot/rubber cap with a TWISTING AND PULLING motion. Not just pulling. Pulling resulted in the ignition wire coming out of the terminal, which remained on the spark plug. Thankfully, I've been able to get the terminal off the plug. So now, I've broken off the top of the rubber/plastic boot, and have ruined one of the ignition leads (which only come in $30-$40 sets. ABSOLUTE FAILURE.

I have the "waste spark ignition" system with 3 coils on the front plugs that each feed a front and rear plug. To clarify - there are not coils on the rear bank of plugs.

So my options are:

1) purchase a new set of ignition wires and tubes (~$50)


2) have the car brought to my mechanic (respectable, honest, friend, plus I have free towing) and let him do the rear bank (and probably want to take the whole intake plenum off) and charge me I'd say up to $100-$150....Who knows at that point right?

3) relish in the fact that I'm a licensed aircraft mechanic who can't even change the plugs on the car he just bought (relish with beer in hand, of course).

Option 3 has already occurrred - so scratch that one.

[fenixus]

wait. so you have broken the plug wire in rear of engine and now you want to give up on the car or what?

let me put it straight forward: SUCK IT UP AND DEAL WITH IT!!!

[71Corolla]

Originally Posted by fenixus

let me put it straight forward: SUCK IT UP AND DEAL WITH IT!!!

Don't sweat it, pull the plenum and fix er up. I ruined one of the plug wires on my '93, a trip to the wreckers solved that problem, they charge $2 per wire. A month later I found a mint condition NGK wire set in the yard, have not put them in the originals work great.

[WaxonWaxStillOn]

Yes, a salvage yard or pick and pull, $3 tops. Take a meter to test the resistance, and next time use a goop of some dialectric grease in the boot.

[userdfdf]

Thanks for the sympathy fenixus .

Okay, dielectric grease in the boot - are we talking on the inside (Inner diameter/ID) or the outside of the boot? I would think the grease on the inside would just make it slide off the terminal/wire holder even easier.

What a pain, either way. I mean, getting at them is not that hard, but once the cap comes without the tube - it becomes painful. I'm still not pulling the plenum just yet. I really don't think I have the will the go through with that right now.

I'm not giving up just yet, though. Found some GEN 3s on craigslist that I'm going to go dig through first. Might even do a trial run on pulling the plenum off one of those. I feel like I'll be so angry at that point that i'll just start ripping hoses and pieces off -- unhappy pick&pull owner.

Thanks for the inputs either way.

[bolink654]

I've tore wires like that on all kinds of vehicles. Dont sweat it. How long are the wires good for? I'd just buy a new set personally - unless they are almost new or somethin.

[Chris Crash]

Don't give up, bro! Keep at it. We've all had our very fair share of frustrating moments (at least I sure have...) just keep working on it and you'll get it right and feel great about it.

[Silent Runner]

Yup, I broke one pulling them off the back bank on my 3vz, the first time I changed the rear plugs too. I ended up buying a set of kneedle nose pliers that reached right down in there and yanked that nasty old connector off after alot of twisting, turning and sweating. After that the right combo of spark plug sockets, extentions and a small head/drive socket, got that cranky old girl outa there, just like the rest of them on that rear bank. BTW I'm not a licenced mechanic, just a dumb old B.Comm. and later on I pulled my plenum off to fix an oil leak. If I can do it, you sure can.

[71Corolla]

Originally Posted by Silent Runner

If I can do it, you sure can.

Don't sell yourself short, you beat me to doing the projector retrofit, and you somehow got yours more level than me.

[Silent Runner]

Originally Posted by 71Corolla

Don't sell yourself short, you beat me to doing the projector retrofit, and you somehow got yours more level than me.

Hehe. Ya I just couldn't stand looking at the box of new stuff and do nothing with it, drove me crazy.

Ultimately, "Necessity is the mother of Invention" Quote- unknown (I probably should know though) Userdfdf: you can find a way to make it work, you just have to decide to be tough enough (persistant), and smart enough to make it happen. I just watched my DVD of Apollo 13, for the 10th time, and while I really didn't have anything to fix, I had to make sure I had a roll of "duct tape" in the house, just in case. "Failure is not an option". -Quote ? again..

That was a pep talk!

[fenixus]

sorry about my little blunt reply yesterday
I was a little tense before the Irene hit our area hehe. Now all passed, thankfully the hurricane got downgraded to a tropical storm (of enormous size) before hitting NYC area (localized flooding is only major problem here, plus some utilities disruption).

anyways, I would just go ahead and buy a set of new spark plug wires for your V6. Last time I checked the cheapest option was getting original OEM Denso wiring (it comes with plastic tubes/holders) from an online dealer and replace the whole thing (all 3 wires for rear of 1mz-fe).

If you so easily broke one of the wires, then the rest cannot be much better. old wiring gets brittle, replace it. maybe you will even notice some MPG/acceleration improvement, who knows

I myself can actually do this (along with new spark plugs if old ones look bad) as I did a major tune up on my V6 omitting 2 minor tune up items ... namely I left the original wireset (127k miles old) and spark plugs (dealer replaced 30k miles ago).

[carsrus]

That happens more often then not on an older car....Nothing to be surprised about. Pulling the plenum is a piece of cake on this car. I'm sure youve done much more complex repairs working on aircraft.

Just make sure to change the gasket and plug up the manifold when you have it off. Ive seen guys change the rear plugs without taking off the manifold but its a pita.

[OceanView]

Question for the informed,
What is the interval for changing the spark plug wires?
Is there one or is it just a case by case scenario?

[71Corolla]

Originally Posted by OceanView

What is the interval for changing the spark plug wires?

There isn't one. Unless the connectors have corroded or there is an internal break in the wire, they will last the life of the car. Some people claim that the wires will increase resistance the more you use them, which is not true at all. Almost every time there is a wire problem, it's because it got stuck to the plug or the coil.

[pmesfun]

You can change the rear spark plugs without touching anything else. Really simple, two 6" 3/8 drive extensions and a 3/8 u-joint with a ratchet is all that is needed. Don't forget to put anti-seize on the spark plugs.