For the 2013 2wd version, presuming USA , I only see one engine option
L4-2.5L 2AR-FE
Read all the way to the end of post 10… lol
It will explain my post (20) and Nevada’s post (12) a little more…
The spark plug socket is 16m with the rubber grommet inside, I’ve used it before to change out spark plugs many times.
The engine is a 2.0L 3ZR petrol.
From the information I have, the 3ZR engine uses the smaller spark plugs; 14 mm socket.
Ok I’ll have to check what plugs the car actually takes, but what about that hex cap on top of the plug?
$5 says that’s the rubber insert from the too big socket. Fish it out. I have found many uses for a long forceps. Gas line clamp, retrieving keys between the seats, fishing out something caught in the garbage disposal, small engine carb overhaul, etc.
Since the best route is going to be to replace the plugs anyway, why not try your socket wrench on one of the new plugs to see if sizing is the problem. That would also enable you to compare the replacement plugs with what you are seeing that is already installed.
The rubber grommet is still in the socket. So it’s not missing.
At this stage I only want to remove the current plugs to see if they’re iridium.
The owner’s manual online shows Denso SK20HR11 spark plugs, iridium. The Denso site indicates these spark plugs have a 16 mm hex.
What does your owner’s manual show?
The owner’s manual says Denso SC20HR11.
So I’m using the correct socket.
Actually the Denso website says its a 14m bolt head, so I’ll need to get a 14m spark plug socket.
It also says the plug is iridium and the only place where the cars been serviced before is Toyota and they would have put in the correct plugs in.
I’m not seeing a hex cap on top of the plug in your photo on post 1. Does anybody else here see it? Suggest to show a better view, better focus, or use a photo editor to add an outline to the first photo showing where you are seeing the hex cap.
1 Like
I don’t see it either. Just looked like a chunk of rubber. Can’t see how a coil could shoot a spark through that to the plug. Seems to me first thing would be fishing it out to see what it was. As Dave I think said, has had coils come apart before and hard to get the remains out. Naturally the socket, whether 14 or 16 will not do much with that chunk of rubber down there.
At some point niece will be asking what is taking so long on her car for a one hour plug job.
It can’t. Ask me how I know? … lol …However OP says the rubber plug remains in the socket, so I think what we are seeing in that photo is just the top of the spark plug, but slightly un-foccused. OP might compare to the replacement spark plugs. The socket must be rotating around the plug b/c it is the wrong size.
In the picture below, the red dot is on the coil connection, green dot on the porcelain and blue dots are on the base/hex.
3 Likes
I didn’t see anything either. My new guess is that they’re actually 14mm on the hex. (I also looked on the Denso site and found 14mm, tho @Nevada_545 said he saw 16mm (which I assumed from the start, but we know why we don’t assume).
So it’s a wild goose chase and just using too big a socket? I don’t even change plugs on the lawn mower before taking a new one and matching it to the right socket. More to come. Reset the gap and let the electrode break off and ruin the engine.
OP says its a “petrol” engine, so presuming OP is not in USA, and the plugs are differently sized there for the make/model/year. OP is not able to compare old to new plugs b/c the old plug is nearly impossible to see, being down inside that hole.
1 Like
