Original spark plugs removal in 15 yr old engine

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: mehullica
I've done plugs in that model hundreds of times working at the dealer. You don't need to spray anything in the spark plug tubes. The hardest part will be getting the bank 1 coil wire harness off each coil. Remove the pcv, pcv hose, purge hose, cruise control cable & 12mm bracket on the intake manifold side & you can reach each hand under the intake manifold. It's a little painful, but about 1 hour & you'll be done.

+1, although I have always pulled the manifold to do these. If you are going to attempt this without pulling the manifold, I would definitely remove the cowl and the wiper motor.

You won't have any problems with the plug r/r itself. Your biggest challenge will be removing the manifold to gain access. Be sure to put back the ground connections in the correct spots or else you will have driveability issues.

I took this picture from the last 1MZ I did. For some unknown reason, I did not separate the TB from the manifold, so that is why the manifold is bungee corded out of the way.

Untitled by The Critic, on Flickr

 

[wing0]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: mehullica
I've done plugs in that model hundreds of times working at the dealer. You don't need to spray anything in the spark plug tubes. The hardest part will be getting the bank 1 coil wire harness off each coil. Remove the pcv, pcv hose, purge hose, cruise control cable & 12mm bracket on the intake manifold side & you can reach each hand under the intake manifold. It's a little painful, but about 1 hour & you'll be done.

+1, although I have always pulled the manifold to do these. If you are going to attempt this without pulling the manifold, I would definitely remove the cowl and the wiper motor.

You won't have any problems with the plug r/r itself. Your biggest challenge will be removing the manifold to gain access. Be sure to put back the ground connections in the correct spots or else you will have driveability issues.

I took this picture from the last 1MZ I did. For some unknown reason, I did not separate the TB from the manifold, so that is why the manifold is bungee corded out of the way.

Untitled by The Critic, on Flickr


Thanks for the photo.
That's what I want to avoid as it's quite labour intensive to take all those things off.

If we rate on a scale of 0-10(10 being most difficult).
How would you rate it? I want to see how much benefit there would be. It takes time to remove stuff, but if those don't translate in time saving in doing the plugs. It might be better to leave those alone. I find that on some other cars, the cowl doesn't line up as well after removal. Maybe due to the clips alignment.

1. Remove intake manifold, cowl+wiper motor
2. Remove just the cowl+wiper motor
3. Remove nothing, just the hoses/cable that are blocking hand from reaching down.

 

[KrisZ]

Usually if you remove the intake manifold there is no need to remove the cowl. I know that sometimes it is not intuitive to remove extra things, but in a lot of cases, the extra time you spend removing some of the things that are in the way, more than pays for itself in less frustration, avoiding possible injury, breaking unexpected things due to lack of working room and sometimes actually saves overall time.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: wing0


Thanks for the photo.
That's what I want to avoid as it's quite labour intensive to take all those things off.

If we rate on a scale of 0-10(10 being most difficult).
How would you rate it? I want to see how much benefit there would be. It takes time to remove stuff, but if those don't translate in time saving in doing the plugs. It might be better to leave those alone. I find that on some other cars, the cowl doesn't line up as well after removal. Maybe due to the clips alignment.

1. Remove intake manifold, cowl+wiper motor
2. Remove just the cowl+wiper motor
3. Remove nothing, just the hoses/cable that are blocking hand from reaching down.


I would remove the cowl, but my arms are on the large side and I find the cowl to be in the way.

I know you are not interested in removing the manifold, but as a FYI - I personally find it to be very difficult to remove the manifold without removing the cowl. The bolts to the hangers can be very difficult to thread back on...and they are easy to lose. The manifold will go on/off more easily if you separate it from the throttle body.

As far as your list:

1) 8 (if your past experience only involves light vehicle maintenance such as oil changes and filters)
2) 3, the cowl comes on/off easily. Just do not be tempted to use a screwdriver to pull off the wiper arms or else you may crack the windshield
3) Not sure, I have never tried to do the plugs on a 1mz-fe or 3mz-fe without removing the manifold.

 

[artificialist]

I was able to do this to dad's 1997 Lexus ES300 without removing the intake manifold, but I am not sure about what is needed on a 2001 Lexus RX300.

Does the 2001 have a waste spark ignition or does it have one ignition coil per cylinder? Since the ES300 I worked on had waste spark ignition, I was able to reach under the intake manifold to remove the spark plug wire boots and then remove the spark plugs without looking. I would think the job would be much harder if ignition coils needed to be removed.

I have small hands, so my advice might not apply to you.

 

[wing0]

Originally Posted By: artificialist
I was able to do this to dad's 1997 Lexus ES300 without removing the intake manifold, but I am not sure about what is needed on a 2001 Lexus RX300.

Does the 2001 have a waste spark ignition or does it have one ignition coil per cylinder? Since the ES300 I worked on had waste spark ignition, I was able to reach under the intake manifold to remove the spark plug wire boots and then remove the spark plugs without looking. I would think the job would be much harder if ignition coils needed to be removed.

I have small hands, so my advice might not apply to you.


I believe, individual coils and the cowl is more intrusive in RX300 vs ES300.

 

[GMFan]

A few months ago I changed the factory spark plugs on my Dads '03 Chevy Trailblazer. I had no problems removing the plugs with a socket wrench. The boots were another story. I had to put the boots back on 3x before I didn't get an engine misfire when starting the truck. What a pain in the neck that was. It made it more of a pain since the motor is a straight six and the rear-most plug is practically underneath the dang firewall. Getting the boot to go over the plug nicely at a harsh angle due to lack of room is like trying to nail jello to a wall.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: JGmazda
Anyone have any tips for a 2001 Buick LeSabre? Front plugs are super easy to see... rears? I've heard a rumor that the engine needs to be dropped and it's a dealer gig.

Any ideas? Thanks!


Complete and total bologna!

At most, you may need to remove the dog bones and pull the engine forward. I don't recall needing to. Now the 3.1 cars, yes.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: JGmazda
Anyone have any tips for a 2001 Buick LeSabre? Front plugs are super easy to see... rears? I've heard a rumor that the engine needs to be dropped and it's a dealer gig.

Any ideas? Thanks!


You can get the rear on the 3.8 without rotating the engine forward, remove the air intake hose to the throttle body from the air cleaner for easier access. Easy job.
As Eric said The 3.1 and 3.4 can be a PITA even with the engine rolled forward.

 

[Gasbuggy]

I did them on 98 GTP by keeping my eyes closed to better focus on removing them by feel, with my arm wrapped around the engine.

 

[wing0]

Why can't we just all have inline 6...

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Originally Posted By: JGmazda
Anyone have any tips for a 2001 Buick LeSabre? Front plugs are super easy to see... rears? I've heard a rumor that the engine needs to be dropped and it's a dealer gig.

Any ideas? Thanks!


Complete and total bologna!

At most, you may need to remove the dog bones and pull the engine forward. I don't recall needing to. Now the 3.1 cars, yes.


The redneck way is to release the parking brake and push the whole car with the dogbones out!