$600.00 bucks to replace spark plugs on a 2000 Toyota Sienna

[Throckmorton]

Platinum plugs aren't much more expensive than regular ones so that is a hell of a markup

[Homerboy]

I suppose its a bad idea to just change the front 3?

[bruceb]

Waste of time to do just the front 3 plugs. When they get to around 100K miles, they are just about worn out. Engine will not run as smooth, plugs will start to foul, you may get a misfire MIL now and then, emissions may go up, fuel economy and engine performance, will go down. Doing them once every 75K - 100K is not bad and is usually one change if you keep the car till about 170K or so. Two changes if you want to keep it over 200K miles. Also, I suggest new plug wires with the change.

[DVad3r]

I did my plugs (V6) in like 45 minutes. The back ones were a bit tricky. All in all I saved a shit load of cash.

[kornphlake]

Originally Posted by DVad3r

I did my plugs (V6) in like 45 minutes. The back ones were a bit tricky. All in all I saved a shit load of cash.

You haven't done it on a sienna, it's not as simple as other vehicles with a traverse mounted V6. There are literally a couple inches between the firewall and spark plug well, not even enough space to get a 6" extension down into the well to get at the plug. There's barely enough room to get the spark plug socket down into the well without an extension. Just removing and reinstalling the cowl is a 45 minute job. If you've done it that quickly on an 99-02 sienna I'll pay your airfare to come change the plugs on my van.

[DVad3r]

Originally Posted by kornphlake

You haven't done it on a sienna, it's not as simple as other vehicles with a traverse mounted V6. There are literally a couple inches between the firewall and spark plug well, not even enough space to get a 6" extension down into the well to get at the plug. There's barely enough room to get the spark plug socket down into the well without an extension. Just removing and reinstalling the cowl is a 45 minute job. If you've done it that quickly on an 99-02 sienna I'll pay your airfare to come change the plugs on my van.

I've done it on my 2001 Lexus ES 300. I believe they are similar engines or?

[bruceb]

The engines may be the same, but the space in the engine bay will not be equal. As to use of an extension, what you need are either a 1 inch or at most a 2 inch 3/8" drive extension. A short ratchet handle of about 8 inches should be plenty to remove the plugs. They also make handles with a swivel head, but you need to be careful if you use them to tighten the new plugs. Socket must not get cocked or you will crack the porcelain and all it takes is a microscopic crack to get a misfire. Be sure any plug socket you buy has the rubber cushion inside it.

[BUTCH1]

Originally Posted by Pacfanweb

100 bucks cash says you can't do it in 15 minutes

Hey! his wife says he can do it in 5!...No, seriously, today's cars are just bitches for plug replacement, I'm dreading mine too (V6 FWD) when the time comes, Only good point is it doesn't have to be done very often

[Pacfanweb]

Originally Posted by DVad3r

I've done it on my 2001 Lexus ES 300. I believe they are similar engines or?

It's not the engine, it's the body. Most minivans are tough, especially for the back plugs.

Even the old Aerostars were mofo's to get at the right rear two plugs. They had to be in the air and be removed from underneath. The paid 2.5hrs and those were traditionally-mounted engines, not transverse.

[marcmm]

I'm not a mechanic. I've worked in the Parts Dept. of an established Toyota Dealership for over 23 years. It's different now, you don't just buy plugs and a special adapter for your socket. The flat rate book says it takes 3 hours because it's necesseray to remove the plenumn. Techs that have 8+ years experience (let alone 12 or more), plus training that Toyota pays thousands and thousands of dollars for theses guys to, learn how to do jobs more efficiently. Though the NAPA and PEP BOY guys should still be charging the same rate. I encourage all of you to take your vehicles to "Bob's Discount Auto Repair", or give it a shot yourself. When you realize that there are 12 computers and countless sensors that will do everything from warming your wipers to heating your butts (literally), you'll go to a respected repair facility with ties to a Dealer.

Leave the necro threads in the ground and do not resurrect...

AT Moderator
Bartman39

[RagingBITCH]

Originally Posted by marcmm

I'm not a mechanic. I've worked in the Parts Dept. of an established Toyota Dealership for over 23 years. It's different now, you don't just buy plugs and a special adapter for your socket. The flat rate book says it takes 3 hours because it's necesseray to remove the plenumn. Techs that have 8+ years experience (let alone 12 or more), plus training that Toyota pays thousands and thousands of dollars for theses guys to, learn how to do jobs more efficiently. Though the NAPA and PEP BOY guys should still be charging the same rate. I encourage all of you to take your vehicles to "Bob's Discount Auto Repair", or give it a shot yourself. When you realize that there are 12 computers and countless sensors that will do everything from warming your wipers to heating your butts (literally), you'll go to a respected repair facility with ties to a Dealer.

Well that came from out of nowhere.

[phucheneh]

Originally Posted by marcmm

I'm not a mechanic. I've worked in the Parts Dept. of an established Toyota Dealership for over 23 years. It's different now, you don't just buy plugs and a special adapter for your socket. The flat rate book says it takes 3 hours because it's necesseray to remove the plenumn. Techs that have 8+ years experience (let alone 12 or more), plus training that Toyota pays thousands and thousands of dollars for theses guys to, learn how to do jobs more efficiently. Though the NAPA and PEP BOY guys should still be charging the same rate. I encourage all of you to take your vehicles to "Bob's Discount Auto Repair", or give it a shot yourself. When you realize that there are 12 computers and countless sensors that will do everything from warming your wipers to heating your butts (literally), you'll go to a respected repair facility with ties to a Dealer.

I am a mechanic. I've worked for multiple established dealers. It is completely the same as it has always been- some plark plugs are akward to change; some are not.

Techs that the dealer hired out of trade school for the same pay of a McDonald's assistant manager with little experience, that the dealer is to cheap to send to factory training, learn to only sell the jobs that are easy to do.

When you realize that there are multiple computers and a specific number of sensors, which do not warm anything (outputs != inputs), and that they have nothing to do with the labor of changing spark plugs, you might realize that the dealer, like most shops, is still an errant roll of the dice that could result in a complete retard working on your vehicle. Then hopefully you'll find a trustworthy mechanic, rather than an anonymous person in the back of a dealership that hates your face and communicates by proxy through a glad-handing douche that gets paid to fuck you.


P.S.
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