Need Some Help Please

ZINFANDEL22 · April 10, 2006

I have a 96 ES300 with 100,000 miles .I purchased the car last summer and just had all fluids flushed and replaced since I had no history on the car. I have an oil leak and my mechanic told me to order everything to replace a vaulve cover gasket as I am ordering everything from drivewire. I just was wondering what EVERYTHING includes? can anybody tell me. DRIVEWIRE is closed for the day and I just was wondering.

Also what plugs and wires would you go with? I am unsure on this also.. thanks

Toysrme · April 11, 2006

OEM Toyota/Lexus plug wires atleast. Or higher quality. I.E. Vitek <cough $250 Magnacore cough> It's *extremely* rare that you need plug wires on these engines. Just don't use cheap wires if you need to replace them.

I recommend NGK 5553's for plugs.

The upper intake manifold gakset it multi-layer steel. It shouldn't need replacing. You *might* break some of the paper seals for things like EGR / throttlebody / IAC / ACIS if you clean them while you have those off. I'd pick up a tube of Ultra RTV <whatever color you want> just incase you break some. You'll need it to put on the valve cover gasket around the cam bearing caps too - so you might aswell get a tube for $5-6.

Ofcorse you need the valve cover gaskets. The front one is nothing more than pull the plug wires / coils & unbolt it. So you might as well do that too.

I think I've solved the valve cover issue perminantly by using RTV (See that post). Obviously I won't know for a long time, but I am very hopeful. You have to have all day to piddle with that tho, so it's definately not for everyone!

So... All you *actually* need is the valve cover gasket & a bottle of RTV.

Change the front & rear o2 sensors. You'll never have an easier time doing the rear sensor than right now!!! & clean the intake while it's off!

ZINFANDEL22 · April 11, 2006

OEM Toyota/Lexus plug wires atleast. Or higher quality. I.E. Vitek <cough $250 Magnacore cough> It's *extremely* rare that you need plug wires on these engines. Just don't use cheap wires if you need to replace them.

I recommend NGK 5553's for plugs.

The upper intake manifold gakset it multi-layer steel. It shouldn't need replacing. You *might* break some of the paper seals for things like EGR / throttlebody / IAC / ACIS if you clean them while you have those off. I'd pick up a tube of Ultra RTV <whatever color you want> just incase you break some. You'll need it to put on the valve cover gasket around the cam bearing caps too - so you might aswell get a tube for $5-6.

Ofcorse you need the valve cover gaskets. The front one is nothing more than pull the plug wires / coils & unbolt it. So you might as well do that too.

I think I've solved the valve cover issue perminantly by using RTV (See that post). Obviously I won't know for a long time, but I am very hopeful. You have to have all day to piddle with that tho, so it's definately not for everyone!

So... All you *actually* need is the valve cover gasket & a bottle of RTV.

Change the front & rear o2 sensors. You'll never have an easier time doing the rear sensor than right now!!! & clean the intake while it's off!

[/quote

thankyou very much for your reply TOYS,what about ignition wires such as ngk or some other one offered from drivewire.com for 42-46.00 bucks? Are these good enough or should I just keep the ones I have? I am having no problems what so ever I just have no history on the car and thought to replace what I could to give me a starting point you know?I appreciate your advice as I want to get the correct parts needed.

EDIT"which 02 sensors do I need?"before cat, or after cat?

Toysrme · April 11, 2006

Not sure. If I were doing with a cheaper wire, it'd be NGK tho. Pre-cat. I recommend whatever the cheapest generic splice-in sensor for your car is.

Cut the wire & harness off the old sensor. Soldier + heatshrink it on the new sensor. (Or crimp/twist & tape if you just *have* to, but I don't like that.)

azmalu · September 27, 2006

guys when i did my plugs the connectors that look like spark plug wires(but have a different name) had a lot of rust and buildup inside . Is cleaning it with degreaser lubricant starter fluid etc a bad idea? Can I replace the wire portion without the square shaped mechanism on each plug that is 130 bucks from checker?