Best Plug?

[Nyyankees3511]

Ok, is there a secret in checking them, or you just replace them?

[JavaJoe_2]

Ok, is there a secret in checking them, or you just replace them?

Put the car in gear, apply the brake, have a buddy watch the engine movement. I would suggest him do the watching, unless you are very sure of his abilities.
If you see it lift an excessive amount, they are probabely in need of replacement.
Look at them for signs of cracking and/or dryrot.

[StockSolara]

Ok, is there a secret in checking them, or you just replace them?

Put the car in gear, apply the brake, have a buddy watch the engine movement. I would suggest him do the watching, unless you are very sure of his abilities.
If you see it lift an excessive amount, they are probabely in need of replacement.
Look at them for signs of cracking and/or dryrot.

Fa Sho

[townboy2]

i will stay with the stock one... when i have the shop changed them they still look like new with 90K on it...

[Nyyankees3511]

I used the stock ones for the gen 1.5 solaras. They use iridiums. Can anyone verify the part number, does it start with SK?

[Solorange]

yeah I agree bosch plugs suck. I put those in my camaro and it hated them. I ended up replacing them after about 5k on them with NGK's. My car liked those much more. But for toyota's denso plugs are the best.

[Turbosolara]

+ 1 for bosch sucks. Iridium is way to go

[noodlerooney]

I was under the impression that any vehicle that required dual electrode sparkplugs was because it used waste spark ignition (plug fires twice per 4 stroke cycle, emissions thing). I have been told that using a single electrode plug will only last 1/2 as long (not what you want for the V6). I have also been told that NGK/Denso makes a dual electrode iridium plug that can last 100K miles. Just passing on some of my research...

[Nyyankees3511]

No i havent found a dual prong iridium plug. All i did was go into the toyota dealer and told them i have a 2003 solare sle v6 which has vvti, and they use a single prong denso iridium plug.

[noodlerooney]

Then I would stick with the double platinums in this case = OEM = 60K miles. IMHO, I try to always stick with OEM specifications on spark plugs. I must resist urge to fix something that isn't broke...
Nyyankees3511: Your sig says 2000 SLE? = waste spark = Double Plats.

[Nyyankees3511]

Yea but the 02 and up switched to iridiums. So i had to tell the dealer i had an 03.

[fhriley]

Yea but the 02 and up switched to iridiums. So i had to tell the dealer i had an 03.

Maybe it's just me, but I would hope my dealer would notice it's an '00 rather than an '03 they're dealing with.

[Nyyankees3511]

I changed them myself, but in order to get the plug i wanted i told them i had a 2003.

[Fratsgotasolara]

whoa now, first things first, don't take out the dual electrode plugs EVER there is a reason they are there, reason being spark is lazy,as spark is jumping from center electrode on the firing cylinder on the exhaust cylinder(waste spark) it is jumping from the ground electrode side to the center electrode as such when spark jumps it takes some of the material with it that is why they use hard metals that are exceptionial conductors for the tip, when you take out the added ground/ power path you make the plug eccentially do twice the work and will eat the outer electrode off. Bosh plugs are meant for cars like vw and mercedes where you have a capacitive discharge spark system when you have a inductive discharge system like the solara they misfire like its there job. Lastly if your car wants platinums stock do your self a favor and keep the platinums in it, when you change the electrode material you change the electrical resistance in the plug which may cause the car to have a mis under load or just idleing, not worth your money
Keith

[Nyyankees3511]

I used the plug that they use on the ES300. So no harm here. Only difference is that es300 has vvti.