Plug Life 2011-2017 1.33

[Al D]

Judging by the plugs only being inspected on service schedule, take it they're Iridium. What's the recommended mileage please?! My 1.33 TR 2013 has just under 35k on and since I got earlier this year it doesn't start instantly. Full history (not all main dealer) and due service 8 by end of the year. Friend's parents got identical car and he's currently borrowing. He's pretty sure that starts fine. Thanks.

[wildtapholer]

I read that Iridium plugs are long life and changed around 60k, I've just change the wife's plugs in her Yaris at 65k it was running fine, when removed from car there was very little difference, Iridium plugs aren't cheap, I changed them on the wife's Yaris and my Mokka, cost just under £90 for both sets.

[flash22]

Low miles mean nothing, a lot of short journeys and lots of cold starts can be hard on plugs, oem is Denso

Plugs will be standard Iridium's SC20HR11 these have now been superseded by SC16HR11 for the 1.33

Iridium TT are - IXEH20TT (TT - twin Iridium tips)

[Cyker]

Yeah low-mileage is one of the biggest cons of second-hand cars - When I was diesel Yaris-hunting I quickly learned that I was better off finding one that had been used regularly; roughly 10k a year as a rule of thumb.

I found if it was significantly lower than that, it usually meant the car had been sitting still for ages and is probably full of mold and algae and bits of it were probably seized and corroded, and/or had only been used for short runs, which would mean the engine never got hot and was probably gunked up with oily carbon deposit nastiness everywhere.

The problem isn't as extreme for petrol engines as they get hot much faster than diesel engines, but as flash says low miles isn't necessarily all good!

Why do you think it's the spark plugs that are the problem? Have you checked the Battery? Duff batteries are usually the most likely cause of sluggish starting.

[Al D]

@Cyker car turns over instantly but doesn't quite catch. Been dead reliable, done in 3 months what car previously did in a year. Has suspiciously clean MOT too. Though quite common for age and mileage.

[TonyHSD]

They are not that expensive at £47 for a set and easy diy job, you will need to have a thin wall 14mm socket, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-3-8-Drive-Thin-Wall-Hexagon-Spark-Plug-Socket-Metric-14mm-/143937826192?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m2548.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Toyota-Lexus-Spark-Plug-90919-01275-x4-New-Original-SC16HR11-Iridium-/254376840140?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m2548.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0 

plugs I would buy only from well known dealer through eBay as many others are selling fake even at closer price to the real ones. 👍
 

[Madasafish]

Redex fuel system cleaner £5 from Asda would be my first port of call. Cheap, will remove any deposits from short journeys.

Then check air filter is not clogged .

[Mooly]

I fitted new plugs to my 1.33 Auris almost 3 years ago. Mileage was 60k miles.

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/186870-133l-1nr-fe-engine-current-spark-plug-recommendation/?do=findComment&comment=1492618

Given the known issues of the 1.33L and oil burning it would be worth having a look to see what state the plugs and threads are in.

Poor starting is a possible issue linked to the oil burning and it is mentioned in some of the bulletins related to the problem. 

 

[scannerman]

Changed mine after 100K Miles, not because they needed changing, but I thought 100k was enough, still looked ok though, looked as if they could do another 100K. Bought some on eBay, the tips burnt out within a couple of days, Fake, won't do that again. Bought some Bosch from my motor trade factor (supplier), £40. Runs perfect, they've been in for a couple of months. 

Just to add I'm an ADI, lots of stopping and starting (pupils stalling) and slow running. Apart from death of batteries, has only failed to start once when I flooded it by moving it cold.

Edited October 28, 2021 by scannerman
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[Al D]

12 hours ago, Madasafish said:

Redex fuel system cleaner £5 from Asda would be my first port of call. Cheap, will remove any deposits from short journeys.

Then check air filter is not clogged .

Been run on VPower since E10 fuel came in. Idles a lot better and little perkier. Have seen good results with Redex though.

[Al D]

12 hours ago, Mooly said:

I fitted new plugs to my 1.33 Auris almost 3 years ago. Mileage was 60k miles.

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/186870-133l-1nr-fe-engine-current-spark-plug-recommendation/?do=findComment&comment=1492618

Given the known issues of the 1.33L and oil burning it would be worth having a look to see what state the plugs and threads are in.

Poor starting is a possible issue linked to the oil burning and it is mentioned in some of the bulletins related to the problem. 

Oil burning or oil usage?! Still golden 4k miles and nearly 11 months after was last changed. I've done half that distance, not used a drop.

[Al D]

17 minutes ago, scannerman said:

Changed mine after 100K Miles, not because they needed changing, but I thought 100k was enough, still looked ok though, looked as if they could do another 100K. Bought some on Ebay, the tips burnt out within a couple of days, Fake, won't do that again. Bought some Bosch from my motor trade factor (supplier), £40. Runs perfect, they've been in for a couple of months. 

Wouldn't surprise me if plugs never been changed as I'm a cynic. May start instantly once swapped during service. Guess will see in 5 weeks.

 

[TonyHSD]

Plugs may look alright but best to change them at the recommended intervals, sometimes they can cause premature coil failure, more expensive part to replace. If we are talking about fuel additives I can recommend wynns injector cleaner and catalytic converter and lambda sensor cleaner, these two work a magic, much better stuff than redex, redex ok for when you fill up from supermarkets cheap fuel , don’t know even if it going to work with E10 at all. 👍

[scannerman]

23 minutes ago, Al D said:

Wouldn't surprise me if plugs never been changed as I'm a cynic. May start instantly once swapped during service. Guess will see in 5 weeks.

If you have the correct plugs in, at 35K, I would doubt it's the plugs, they're pretty well bullet proof and are designed to last upto 100K.

[Al D]

@TonyHSD Thanks for injector cleaner idea. Claims to improve cold starting. Test driven two other Yaris 1.33 cvt's, can't remember if they started instantly or not.

[Mooly]

9 hours ago, Al D said:

Oil burning or oil usage?! Still golden 4k miles and nearly 11 months after was last changed. I've done half that distance, not used a drop.

I'm not sure what the distinction is between those two tbh. As far as I know it uses oil because of the known issue with the oil scrapper rings.

[Madasafish]

I doubt if it's plugs . Modern Iridium plugs are designed for a MINIMUM 70k Miles.

 

Those in my Honda Jazz are 9 years old and 50k miles. Fuel consumption is as new (I keep detailed record on Fuelly)

[Mooly]

In the thread I linked to earlier I mentioned the heat range of the original fitment had been increased to a hotter plug and I also seem to recall that the heat range of some of the other brands were actually slightly cooler than the original fitment. For what they cost in the overall scheme of things I would advise to get the correct and latest fitment from Toyota. I did wonder if the hotter plug was in response to the oil burning issue and done to prevent deposits building up.    

[flash22]

It wouldn't hurt to pull the plugs check the colour, gap and clean as needed, plugs are a consumable, the conductors wear opening up the gap - larger the gap stronger the spark needs to be to just that gap, the porcelain can also crack

short journeys can foul up the plug due to it being on the richer side

[Al D]

@flash22service schedule says inspect them, may use Toyota due to free Relax Warranty. Though wonder how many exclusions there are.

[Al D]

Mate checked his parents' Yaris today (13 plate with 6k miles). Started exactly the same as mine. So doubt much of an issue, obviously turns over couple of times before it catches.

[FROSTYBALLS]

On 10/29/2021 at 11:49 AM, Al D said:

may use Toyota due to free Relax Warranty.

See the first post of the following topic:

 

[Al D]

Thanks @FROSTYBALLS, answers queries I had on Relax as Toyota's Facebook site got confused when asked them.