My 2001 Tacoma, 2.7 was due for new plugs. The last ones I replaced at 58,000 and now I have 85,500 and decided to replace them with the NGK Platinum plugs. The book calls for setting them at 0.43 and that's what I did just like the other ones but it doesn't seem to be idling as smooth as it did before I changed the plugs. The old ones looked a little wore and they were burned down to about a 0.50 gap but the truck still ran great, just a little sluggish on the really steep mountains here.
It's running fine now going down the highway and climbing hills but it's just seems a little rough idling to me. Should I give it some time to maybe break in a little or pull the plugs and see if something is wrong?
The negative side of the battery was disconnected when I worked on it so the computer should be reset. I also checked all the vacuum hoses and everything seems to be hooked up as it should be. Throttle body was real clean(just did that a few weeks ago) and the the MF sensor is clean, Mike

 

are the sparkplug wires tight and in good shape ?

 

Go read your book again. the 2.7 liter takes a .031 gap .8mm


the v6 takes the bigger gap.

 

In addition to the gap, check to make sure the wires are on the right plugs.

 

That .031 gap is something I have seen before on here and other sites but I have never found anything that Say's that in my manual or from any mechanics from Toyota. Here is what my 01 Tacoma manual says about plugs on page 283 under service specifications for the engines.:

Spark Plug type:
2rz-fe and 3rz-fe engines
Denso K16r-u11
Ngk Bkr5eya-11

5vz-fe engine
Denso K16tr11
Ngk Bkrekb-11

Spark plug gap , mm (in.)
1.1 (0.043)


That's all it Say's. The last plugs I replaced worked beautiful at .043 and that's why I went with the same thing this time. Wish someone could show me where Toyota Say's the 2.7 , 01 Tacoma engine should be .031. That's a big difference when it comes to plugs.
Don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying your wrong here at all. If I'm doing it wrong then I want to know about it but I just don't see how the Mechanics are wrong here and the book. Mike

 

Elton, The wires seem to be great! I checked them after dark the other night and I cleaned the contacts with contact spray cleaner and made sure they snaped back togeather as they should. Mike

 

Jim, When I do my plugs I do them one at a time from beginning to end. It's not easy to cross these wires anyway. Mike

 

From techinfo.toyota.com:

SS049-04
SS-30
SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS - IGNITION (2RZ-FE, 3RZ-FE)
2001 TOYOTA TACOMA (RM835U)
IGNITION (2RZ-FE, 3RZ-FE)
SERVICE DATA
Spark plug:
Recommended spark plug DENSO made - K16R-U11
Recommended spark plug NGK made - BKR5EYA-U
Correct electrode gap - 1.1 mm (0.043 in.)


Camshaft position sensor
Resistance at cold: 835 - 1,400 W
at hot: 1,060 - 1,645 W


Crankshaft position sensor
Resistance at cold NE+ - NE: 1,630 - 2,740 W
at hot NE+ - NE-: 2,065 - 3,225 W

 

just as your book says...I dont know where the .31 came from..

 

Nevermind, I found it. 1998 Tacomas have a gap setting of .031. BUT they also use a different plug.

Spark plug Recommended spark plug ND - K16R-U
Recommended spark plug NGK - BKR5EYA
Correct electrode gap - 0.8 mm (0.031 in.)

 

Thanks Cougar, Looks like I'll stick with what the books say.It's good to know that if you do use different plugs then it does call for a different gap. Good thing to remember.
Guess I'll give these a little time to see what happens.Mike

 

http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/part_fi...uv/results.asp
Just got off of the NGK web site and they are saying I should be at 0.32 for my 01, 2.7 Tacoma using there NGK Bkr5egp Platinum plugs! So the plug is what makes the difference when it comes to gap and not the manufacture.
Thanks guy's it's been a good learning day for me, Lol. I'll pull the plugs in the morning and see what happens after I re-gap them. Mike

 

the .031 gap came right from my book. 1998 model 2.7 liter. Changed the plugs...gave it that gap. runs like a charm.

You should also go outside at night time...raise the hood...and fire it up. If it looks like a firework show...you got yourself some arching.

 

I coulda sworn we went over this already...

YOU have a 98, which takes NGK - BKR5EYA gapped at .031
HE has a 2001, which takes NGK - BKR5EYA-U gapped at .043

Note the "U" They are not the same plug, hence not the same gap.

And beartracker, you are precisely correct. Its the plug, not the manufacturer that makes the difference. Platinum plugs have different gapping than Iriduim, which have different gapping than copper, etc etc.

The gap they give you in the books, is based on the plugs they installed at the factory.

Crazy: Im sure it came right from your book, as did the info I looked up directly off of toyota.techinfo.com (which is an online FSM for all '90-up Toyota, Lexus, Scion models)

btw..I hope he there isn't any arching going on under that hood....bows and arrows have no place in an engine compartment!! Perhaps he would find some arcing tho.....

Cheers all!

 

Ask and ye shall receive.

This is a picture of what my book says.

But then again, my engine might have different requirments.

 

I am not arguing your 01 is different. Just wanted to share that.

 

Guys, This is one of those rare times on here when none of us are wrong and we all learned something. My mechanics and the Toyota mechanics were not wrong either. This is a good one as far as I'm concerned it settles allot of arguments I have seen on proper plug gap on our Toyota's. Thanks again for all your help and I did the arching thing at night as I mentioned above and the wires seem to be in good shape. I'm sure now that the problem is the gap on the plugs. As soon as it warms up enough I'll fix that!,Lol. It's 28 out now (8:29 am)and going to be 65 and sunny soon, have a good one, Mike

 

Yep, That did it! Purrs like a kitten now and runs down the road like a scared rabbit! Thanks again guy's, Mike

 

whats the gap size for a 2002 3.4 v6?? i changed mine also and its a little shaky at idle

 

1.1mm or 0.043in