216,000km is nothing for these cars, as long as it's not burning a lot of oil and otherwise runs well... Loose suspension usually isn't a big deal and is generally easy to fix, and scratches/dents are purely cosmetic. Bad plugs would definitely cause it to not like to start when it's cold, because it's harder to ignite the rich fuel mixture.

I'd say go for it. Spark plugs are cheap, and one of the easiest things you can do. NGK 4996 plugs are what came from the factory, $6 USD each on RockAuto and you only need 4 of them.

 

It's a 10 minute job, VERY easy even for a beginner mechanic with minimal skills. I would say go for it! All you need is a ratchet, an extension, a spark plug socket, and a 10mm socket to get the engine cover and ignition coils off and out of the way.

- start by pulling your new spark plugs out of the box and making sure they're all good and none of them are broken! nothing is more aggravating and getting into a project and having something torn apart, only to go and pull your new parts you're about to install out of their box to find a broken part...

- I would recommend Denso Iridium plugs

- remove the 10mm bolts holding the black cover on top of the motor; if it's truly never been removed before, there should be 4 fasteners holding it on, but most I've seen have been removed at some point in their life and one or two are missing, if it still has a cover on it at all any more
- unplug the 4 coils along the top of the engine, and there's an extra plug in the same harness that runs to a sensor on the back side of the motor; reach around and unplug it too, then you can flop the hole harness over to your right (driver's side) and out of the way
- remove the 10mm bolts holding the 4 ignition coils down onto the top of the engine
- pull the coils straight up, you'll feel them "pop" loose as they let go of the spark plugs. set them aside, order doesn't matter as they're all 4 the same, they do not need to go back in same order
- use your ratchet, extension, and spark plug socket to remove the spark plugs. MY preference on this process is to crack all 4 loose with the ratchet, then pull the ratchet off and just have the socket on the extension, and grab the extension by hand and thread the spark plugs out. they should come right out with little effort after being broken loose.
- one at a time, place the new plug into the socket and lower it down into the hole and just the reverse of threading them out by hand, thread them down by hand until they stop. you should be able to get 2 or 3 full turns by hand before the plug starts to seat. do this with all 4, and if ANY start to get hard to turn about 1/4 - 1/2 turn, STOP, because that means you're cross threading the holes. this is why you thread them in by hand if they stop, simply back off and unscrew them, try to straighten up your approach angle, and try to thread them down again. I never had an issue getting them to line up in my Corolla, some cars can he harder than others, but the 1ZZ-FE is a pretty simple one to work with.
- once you get all 4 plugs finger tight, put your ratchet on them. the plugs have a metal gasket seat on them that needs to be crushed to form a seal between the spark plug and the cylinder head. crushing the gasket is accomplished simply by tightening the spark plugs down. I'm sure there's a specific torque you are suppose to tighten them down to, and there may be a torque nazi reading this than can enlighten us but I've always tightened them down with the forearm torque wrench... when you're tightening them and you get to the crush washer, they'll get a little tighter and harder to turn. it'll be that way for about a full turn, maybe a little less, and when it starts to get harder to turn, I usually put about another 1/4 on them to seat them
- drop your coils back down into the holes straight. again, it doesn't mater which ones you put in which order, they're all the same. push them down and you'll feel them "pop" back onto the spark plugs. then just put the 10mm bolts back on to hold the coils down. do not over tighten these as they're small bolts threading into aluminum and it's easy to destroy the threads. not the end of the world if you do, but it's obviously best to avoid it. just tighten them down snug, they're just holding the coils from rattling around
- bring the harness back over the top of the engine. plug the coils back in, you cannot mix up the plugs because they will only reach to the coil their suppose to be plugged into, and remember to plug in the one that snakes back around to the back of the engine
- place the cover back on and bolt it down

That's it! Fire it up and make sure it runs fine. It may stumble at first, but the idle should smooth out in a couple of seconds.

 

Denso Iridium Twin Tip plugs will last 200,000 KM no problem, last plugs you'll ever put in the car. Being a 2000 1ZZ it would be a wise idea to do a few piston soaks since they're prone to stuck piston rings and burn oil.

 

Thanks. I would do it myself but I lack the knowledge, tools, time, and I'm not comfortable doing it myself without seeing it done on person first, and the hassle. I most likely would ask a shop to do it for me depending on the price.

 

so i got a replied from the shop, it would cost $140-160 CAD for changing the spark plug depending on if i want to use OEM or non-oem (NGK 5464 BKR5EIX-11 i think)

 

You could literally save yourself over $100 if you bought them and did them yourself, your call...

 

You keep mentioning canadian prices if your near the GTA contact me asap in private ill give you a few shops that wont completely rip you off or maybe do it for you we can work that out.

Edit your profile to add where your located.

 

Is it misfiring and are you happy with your gas mileage. Whats CAD like .75 on the dollar USD? I think the plugs are If your not interested in getting under the hood in the future. Maybe ride them out, idk, if you go to the shop for everything. You'd probably spend enough in a couple years to get a newer corolla.

 

The Iridium-IX plugs you listed are great plugs. If you want to save money, the #7090 BKR5EGP, G-Power platinum plugs also feature a thinner center electrode but are dirt cheap relatively speaking.

Here in the US, we go to Harbor Freight to get 3/8"-drive torque wrenches for about USD $10. In Canada maybe Princess Auto?

 

I don't think the Iridium IX are great plugs, they don't last but 40K miles because the ground strap is plain nickel steel. The Iridium TT are great plugs since the ground is a platinum point and the center electrode is fine wire iridium, like the 100-120K mile plugs that come OE in the newer gens of Corolla, and they do an honest 100K miles. If you're going to pay for someone to do it then have them use the absolute best plugs so you never have to do it again.

You'd want IK16TT or 4701 Denso plugs, different numbers for the same plugs, one is a plug number the other is a stock number.

 

Left handed threads on those spark plugs? :wtf: :rofl2:

 

They, in reality, do not have left hand thread. NO CLUE why their image has that, so strange. I'd email and ask but I doubt I'd get a coherent reply.

 

Probably the marketing department was given an image with the ground electrode on the right and they wanted to put the words on the right so they flipped the image.

 

That could make sense.