How to change spark plugs on 1MZ-FE under 1 hour

[albertezza]

After reading the posts here, I was prepared for the worst
when setting about to change out the spark plugs on my
Camry V6 1MZ-FE; mentally prepared to have to remove the
intake manifold. As it turns out, with the right tools,
the job took under an hour. This was a '94 V6, with six
individual coils above the plugs.

Tools required
Facom B.J16A2 16mm spark plug socket, 250mm long (almost 10"), 3/8" drive
Facom B.J211 125mm (almost 5") wobble extension, 3/8" drive
3/8" ratchet
10mm socket, 1/4" drive
6" extension, 1/4" drive
10mm combo wrench
long sleeves & latex gloves
flashlight
4mm hex wrench

Here's the procedure:
1. Locate the PCV valve, it's on the rear valve cover, passenger side,
has a right angle fitting. Pull the hose off, and then snake the
hose back out from under the input manifold. This is key, since
it's removal provides room for you to access the coils and plugs.
2. Just above the PCV valve is another hose going into the left side
of the input manifold. Pull this hose off and move it out of the way.
3. Remove the 10mm nut holding on the metal bracket that holds a vacuum
pipe, located between the input manifold and the firewall. Push the
bracket towards the firewall as far as you can. This too
is key, as it provides access to under the manifold from the rear.
4. Unlike other instructions in this forum, I found you can access
all 3 rear plugs from the passenger side.
5. I recommend you do the front 3 first, so you can see how the coils
get connected to the plugs. Begin by removing the black plastic
cover by removing the two chrome nuts with the 4mm hex wrench. Just
pull the cover off after removing nuts. Press connector release to
disconnect coils. Remove 10mm bolt. Pull coil off. Replace plug.
6. For the rears, begin by disconnecting the wires from the coils.
7. Using the 10mm socket on the 6" extension, snake it to the coils,
and remove the bolts.
8. Pull off the coils.
9. Using the long spark plug socket and wobble extension, snake it down
into the spark plug hole, and remove the plugs. The key is to
have the 8 degrees of wobble bend at 10" out from the plug.
10. Replace everyting in reverse order.

While the Facom tools are shockingly expensive, they did earn their keep
in this application. At ultimategarage.com, the socket goes for $38 and
the wobble extension is $26. The other tools are commonly available.

[wbulldogs]

sounds good, thanks for the instruction.

[V6LE_CAMRY]

Wow, congratulations i haven heard of any one who changed their plugs under an hour on the 1mz. When i first changed them on mine i did it in two days working abut three hours a day. Thas because i labeled each hose and slowly and cautiosly removed all the pieces so i wouln't mess up. the second time it took me about almost three hours.

[bmxr4life87]

ive done mine in about 30 minutes but at the dealership i did some on an es300 with individual coils in about 18 minutes, after working on rx300s the camrys and es300s are cake!!

[Toysrme]

Buy a cordless inpact driver, the tools to use it & a flexable extension.
You can do it in about 10 minutes on a stock engine. About 3-4 on mine lmao!


It's not hard. Just dive in & disconnect the hoses from the upper intake air chamber. That way they all go back to where they're suppose to go & you don't have to worry about it.

It's real dumb in the long run not to clean the upper & lower manifold ports & chambers, the throttle plate<s>, idle valve & EGR valve if equipped. it's routine maintenance & you're loosing power if you don't anyways so.

[frankierx]

What size nut is the one holding the metal bar on the passenger side near the firewall?

what hoses do i disconnect?

Originally Posted by Toysrme

Buy a cordless inpact driver, the tools to use it & a flexable extension.
You can do it in about 10 minutes on a stock engine. About 3-4 on mine lmao!


It's not hard. Just dive in & disconnect the hoses from the upper intake air chamber. That way they all go back to where they're suppose to go & you don't have to worry about it.

It's real dumb in the long run not to clean the upper & lower manifold ports & chambers, the throttle plate<s>, idle valve & EGR valve if equipped. it's routine maintenance & you're loosing power if you don't anyways so.

[Eye8Pussies]

^ If I remember correctly, that nut is a 14 and it's tough to get in/out just because there's weight on it....it'll help if you take the other bolts off the intake plenum first and then you can tilt the plenum backwards a bit and there's less stress on the bolt

and the hoses are all just vacuum hoses- you've got brake booster, 2 for power steering, and...a couple other ones that I don't remember...lol

when you get in there, you'll know what to do

[frankierx]

Originally Posted by Eye8Pussies

^ If I remember correctly, that nut is a 14 and it's tough to get in/out just because there's weight on it....it'll help if you take the other bolts off the intake plenum first and then you can tilt the plenum backwards a bit and there's less stress on the bolt

and the hoses are all just vacuum hoses- you've got brake booster, 2 for power steering, and...a couple other ones that I don't remember...lol

when you get in there, you'll know what to do

You seem to know fairly well the sequence of your work. Can you describe to me your sequence?

Do I disconnect the hoses to the brake booster, power steering, etc?

Do i unbolt the intake plennum to move in what direction and what bolts ( the bolts in the front of the plenum or the bolts on the rear brackets facing the
firewall)?

Do I need to drain the coolant before I unbolt the intake plenum inorder to tilt it backwards?

[Eye8Pussies]

^ no need to drain any coolant unless you remove the intake manifold underneath the plenum

and I can't really say the exact sequence....but usually take off all the hosesfirst- sequence doesn't matter. then I take care of all the grounding straps.

then all the bolts on the front of the plenum, and then the rear ones that are bolted onto the back

basically yes- you have to unbolt everything that's connected to the plenum to take it off

[terrastrife]

damn brake booster on RHD cars, takes all the space away

[Eye8Pussies]

^ is your brake booster also on the right hand side and behind the engine or something???

and damn...where did you disappear to for the longest time, terrastrife?

[terrastrife]

yup the brakebooster is by the timing belt side. theres enough space on the intake side to stash 2 dead bodies...

yeah i know.... last time i was here iw as supreme :P~

[Eye8Pussies]

^ good god...what a bad design.....I would have thought since they have to move the steering rack anyway, they'd move the brake booster and master cylinder as well

[frankierx]

But in this case I don't want to remove the plenum, only to tilt it backwards to allow pressure off the bracket facing the firewall?

Originally Posted by Eye8Pussies

^ no need to drain any coolant unless you remove the intake manifold underneath the plenum

and I can't really say the exact sequence....but usually take off all the hosesfirst- sequence doesn't matter. then I take care of all the grounding straps.

then all the bolts on the front of the plenum, and then the rear ones that are bolted onto the back

basically yes- you have to unbolt everything that's connected to the plenum to take it off

[Eye8Pussies]

no, you can tilt it back abit just to get the rear bolts off the bracket

THEN you have to take off the plenum for very easy access to the rear sprakplugs