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Best Spark Plug Replacement for Gen4?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Mavi, Feb 20, 2018.

  1. Mavi

    Mavi Active Member

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    #1 Mavi, Feb 20, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2018
  2. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    #2 JimboPalmer, Feb 20, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2018
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    #3 Mendel Leisk, Feb 20, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2018
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  4. booke02

    booke02 Active Member

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    Handbook says to use only iridium plugs.
     
  5. Mavi

    Mavi Active Member

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    Awesome, thanks for the part number... much cheaper to get them via that method. I was looking up by the Denso number and they cost 18 a piece plus tax and shipping. If anyone uses different iridium plugs with good results post them below but other then that! Problem solved!
     
    #5 Mavi, Feb 20, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2018
  6. milkman44

    milkman44 Active Member

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    #6 milkman44, Feb 20, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2018
  7. Mavi

    Mavi Active Member

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    Are the autolite or the denso 3499 performance and mpg wise more or less the same? Thanks for the tip.
     
  8. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I suspect nobody knows (or wants to experiment!!) - I doubt if any Gen 4 have got to 200,000km (as mentioned by JimboPalmer).

    I'd consider putting genuine in if the price is reasonable - I'd assume TOYOTA tested something like that carefully as they wouldn't want them to fail before the 200,000km.
     
  9. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    They may be purchasing soldierguy's old car. I doubt many 2016 Prius in California have over 90K miles already.
     
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  10. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    I just verified the 2017 uses those same plugs so the 2016 should use them too.
     
  11. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Genuine is the aforementioned Denso. Toyota does assign it a Toyo part number, but it's a Denso plug, just like tires.
     
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  13. Mavi

    Mavi Active Member

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    I just picked up one for my dad over in San Diego , 96k miles 2016. Which is why I'm asking.. I'll be postponing purchase of the plugs till 120k as it doesn't seem to be needed as of yet :) Will check again then.
     
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  14. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    I was referring to the user here who started this thread. He traded in his Prius with over 90K miles for a VW Diesel.

    Super-Commuter & high mile thread | PriusChat
     
  15. Kenny94945

    Kenny94945 Active Member

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    Yes appears Iridium plugs.
    Many brand choices, yet staying with OEM insures correct reach and heat range.
    Iridium is good for 100K mileage, wear would show with a gap measurement.
    Your plan to change at 100K is perfect IMO.

    FWIW copper conducts electricity better than exotic metals.
    But then you need to change plugs ever 25K mileage.
    I would replace with OEM plugs and call it a day.

    Good luck with your decision.
     
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  16. milkman44

    milkman44 Active Member

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    I replaced my original plugs at 140,000 with Denso Iridium. At 180,000 I started getting a missfire at idle, after checking, I found that the plugs had fifty to fifty five thousandth gap and there was no iridium tip on the ground electrode. I didn't have a way to the parts store, so I reinstalled the original plugs and still working fine. The gap on the original plugs is still good so I'll get around to replacing the originals if they start missing.
     
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  17. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    It says somewhere not to adjust the gap - which is contrary to anything we've done over the past 100+ years, but they seem to work fine that way. Which is a good reason to buy OEM, as you'll be guaranteed (hopefully) they're to specification in the first place.
     
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  18. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Yes, a fair amount of the necessary advice on Prius chat is 'Don't do it like it was 1968, do it like it is 2018"
    Iridium must not be very malleable.
    Wikipedia says "Iridium is a chemical element with symbol Ir and atomic number 77. A very hard, brittle, silvery-white transition metal of the platinum group, iridium is the second densest element (after osmium). It is also the most corrosion-resistant metal, even at temperatures as high as 2000 °C.

    Resisting corrosion sounds good but brittle is going to rule out gapping the plugs.
     
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  19. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    I don't have facts but I think just the very tip has the iridium on it, the part you always bent is the same.
     
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  20. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Bosch's website says "Iridium spark plugs can reduce voltage demands by 24%, leading to a longer spark plug life." I can't see where they first started being used, with Platinum preceding them, but it seems aviation were the first users.
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