Did I Have The Oldest Spark Plugs?

[mejojo]

Ok....I've just changed my spark plugs for the first time ever on this car. See attached pic.

202,000 miles. They don't look so bad, do they?

The car always ran great, good mileage (23mpg) so I just never got into it...taking off all the intake stuff was just a bit much.

So this weekend I decided to go all out since I had to pull the alternator anyway and I had some time.

- Front Tokico struts (backs will be done another day)

- Pulled the alternator awaiting rebuilt unit

- Changed Plugs

- Pulled dist caps and rotors, ordered replacements

- Have new wireset to be installed when it goes back together

- Got a can of throttle body cleaner and will do that before I put it back together

I had a bit of trouble with the lower cap shield on both sides...is it supposed to come out easily? After undoing the bolts, I couldn't work the shield much out of the way, so I ended up distorting it enough to be able to get the dist cap and rotor out. Was there an easier way?

The old shocks/struts had 202K on them, and the fronts were completely dead...I could compress it just by pushing on the rod, and it stayed compressed. I expect the backs are the same and I've been riding on springs for quite a while.

Also, the rubber bump stops at the top of the struts were destroyed. The Tokico's did not come with bump stops, and the instructions only mention that they are necessary if you are lowering the car. I put them in without. Was this a wise idea? Should they ever be used so long as the struts have gas and I don't go 4-wheelin'?

Joe

[dcfish]

Check out www.lexls.com B) Everything you need to know.

[mejojo]

Check out www.lexls.com B) Everything you need to know.

Did you have one particular tutorial in mind?

The change spark plugs one doesn't address cap/rotor.

The Timing Belt one takes off a lot more stuff than I wanted to which makes it very easy.

I just want to know if the lowers are supposed to be able to come off without taking off radiator hoses, wires, etc. If not, then I'll be happy that the way I did it was a "time saver" rather than "stupid because I didn't know the right way".

Joe

[Jerry Bransford]

Heh, 202,000 miles on a set of plugs has to be some kind of a record but I believe it. Are the Densos that come in our Lexuses standard double-tipped platinums or did Lexus go to anything more exotic like Iridium in recent years?

I'll share that photo of your plugs with a bunch of Jeepers I rock crawl with on another forum with, they'll get a kick out of it! :)

[DanW]

Ok....I've just changed my spark plugs for the first time ever on this car. See attached pic.

202,000 miles. They don't look so bad, do they?

The car always ran great, good mileage (23mpg) so I just never got into it...taking off all the intake stuff was just a bit much.

So this weekend I decided to go all out since I had to pull the alternator anyway and I had some time.

- Front Tokico struts (backs will be done another day)

- Pulled the alternator awaiting rebuilt unit

- Changed Plugs

- Pulled dist caps and rotors, ordered replacements

- Have new wireset to be installed when it goes back together

- Got a can of throttle body cleaner and will do that before I put it back together

I had a bit of trouble with the lower cap shield on both sides...is it supposed to come out easily? After undoing the bolts, I couldn't work the shield much out of the way, so I ended up distorting it enough to be able to get the dist cap and rotor out. Was there an easier way?

The old shocks/struts had 202K on them, and the fronts were completely dead...I could compress it just by pushing on the rod, and it stayed compressed. I expect the backs are the same and I've been riding on springs for quite a while.

Also, the rubber bump stops at the top of the struts were destroyed. The Tokico's did not come with bump stops, and the instructions only mention that they are necessary if you are lowering the car. I put them in without. Was this a wise idea? Should they ever be used so long as the struts have gas and I don't go 4-wheelin'?

Joe

Thanks for posting that! I was curious enough last weekend (curious enough to start taking things apart )that my plugs and wires had never been replaced (at 195K) mostly because the wires all said "1992" on them, and the car is a '92....but that must just be random conincedence. Found some aftermarket wires and Bosch platinums that don't look very old. If yours still ran that good with original plugs then maybe there was no need for my concern!

[ian11]

Hi all,

I just replaced the timing belt on my 91 celsior, 125k and all the leads and caps ,plugs etc were the originals ( stamped with 91 ) I thought the car ran great before,smoother than anything I've ever driven,but what a differance when I changed the lot. and by buying from the US,got the lot with postage for less than the price of the plugs in the UK.