A spark plug is a device that allows to delivery of electric current from a vehicle’s ignition to the spark-ignition engine’s combustion chamber. It helps to ignite the air mixture/compressed fuel by an electric spark while holding combustion pressure in the car’s engine.
A spark plug is made of a threaded metal shell that is electrically isolated by a ceramic insulator from a central electrode.
Central electrodes usually contain a resistor connected by a heavily insulated wire to the ignition coil’s output terminal. The metal shell of these spark plugs is screwed into the cylinder head of an engine. The central electrode protrudes via a porcelain insulator into a combustion chamber.
It forms the spark gaps between the central electrodes and the inner end. Where usually, one or more structures or protuberances are attached to the threaded shell’s inner end. So this was the introduction of spark plugs and their functions.
Here, we will discuss the best spark plugs for Toyota Tacoma and the features of each kind of spark plug. It is unnecessary that if one spark plug works best for one model, there is no surety that it will be a good fit for other models. It depends on your engine and sparks plug which spark plug fits best for your Toyota Tacoma model.
Table of Contents
Comparison Table of Best Spark Plugs For Toyota Tacoma
Design
Product
Features
Price
NGK 6619 Iridium Spark Plugs
If you are looking to buy a spark plug for your Toyota Tacoma, iridium has a pretty strong reputation in the market. Iridium is one of the most robust materials you can choose for your Toyota. The Iridium IX is manufactured taking care of its longevity in mind.
The multi-pack of these plugs is perfect when you need to replace multiple plugs. However, if you do not need to change numerous plugs, you can still use the rest of the spark plugs in the future. Iridium used for these plugs provides up to 25% longevity as compared to platinum plugs.
Even though, when we talk about the price, it costs almost double that many products, but still, it is worth a few more bucks. The cost of this spark plug is $9.49, and if you plan to purchase this, it will allow you to save the amount that you may have to pay in case of maintenance. Spending a small amount on these plugs is wise, as it will keep your car running strong.
NGK 6619 spark plugs are suitable for several cars, including Lexus ES, Subaru WRX, and BMW 3 series.
Toyota Genuine Parts Spark Plugs
As the name suggests, Toyota genuine parts spark plugs are a perfect fit for your Toyota Tacoma. These spark plugs are the ideal replacement unit for the plug that comes with your Toyota. These plugs are the ideal replacement spark club for your car.
Whether your spark plug is not efficient enough like before, or if you want to remove your old plug with a better one, this is the right option for you. The genuine Toyota spark plug is manufactured with a U-V groove design with single ground electrodes. It ensures that you get the best spark when you turn on your Toyota.
Another good part is that this spark plug is long-lasting for up to 60k miles, which means around ten times longer than its oil change. It simply means that you do not need to change or replace it before that.
Toyota also ensures that its spark plugs not only work best but also stand the time test. These plugs are made of nickel, iridium, and platinum to avoid cracking or any kind of damage. Usually, the spark plugs get damaged due to high-intensity use or any other reason.
E3 Automotive Spark Plugs
E3 automotive spark plugs offer improved fuel economy and deliver a quick start and smooth acceleration. The body-make of copper glass seal bonded insulator, central electrode, and terminal post ensures the tight seal. This seal makes the plugs completely leak-proof, and its copper core electrodes optimize plug life and improve its heat transfer.
Copper core plugs contain a steel shell for easy installation and high alumina ceramic for better dielectric strength. The copper core center electrodes produce higher thermal conductivity. These plugs are designed with a pretty high nickel alloy center and the ground electrode for its extended life.
New NGK Iridium IX Spark Plugs
New NGK Iridium IX spark plugs are from the NGK laser series and are designed for OEM application. Each dual precious metal plug is created to provide increased longevity. This dual precious metal iridium is placed on the tip of the center and platinum is designed on the down electrode for the OE iridium series.
Few of these plugs have multiple ground electrodes that are equipped with special resistors. But, it depends on the requirements of the original equipment. When talking about iridium IX spark plugs, are single metal aftermarket performance plugs.
They are a perfect option for any modified engine. These spark plugs are an ideal upgrade from regular nickel plugs. Also, these plugs are readily available in several heat ranges and sizes to make them convenient to fit in any automotive and non-automotive application.
The plug performs pretty well due to its fine-wire tip design, but it is different when it comes to service intervals. Iridium IX spark plugs are designed to be working 40 to 50k miles.
NGK 4302 Spark Plugs
NGK 4302 spark plugs were designed to ignite the fuel/air mixture within the chamber of combustion. These spark plugs can easily withstand combustion pressure and high temperature within the engine. The engine works efficiently and delivers an optimal performance if everything is working correctly.
Also, the engine consumes the lowest exhaust emission and maximum fuel economy due to effective combustion. These plugs are available in different thread sizes, and heat ranges that suit to requirements of the engine. There are multiple factors, like thread diameter, thread reach, insulator nose projection, and whether the plug incorporates a gasket or not.
If the spark plug is of a conical type, choose the spark plug as per your requirements. If you have decided to buy this spark plug, it will meet the OE performance and quality. These plugs are available in a double platinum design that provides improved quality.
The platinum laser-welded center tip of the electrode and platinum disc welded to the ground electrode’s backside deliver a significantly minimized wear rate. It is crucial for the engines with distributor-less ignition systems (DIS) where these plugs are twice as often.
The plugs are protected from combustion gas leakage through the shell due to triple gasket sealing. However, most of the other spark plugs come with two featured seals. These plugs also feature an alumina silicate insulator which is pretty pure to ensure physical and dielectric strength.
Bosch (4309) Platinum+2 Spark Plugs
Bosch 4309 platinum spark plug is a perfect choice if you want your car to perform its best. These plugs use an innovative air-gap technology on their surface, unlike any other conventional spark plug. The spark of plugs travels over the nose of the insulator surface and arcs across the air gap towards a multi-ground electrode for a better spark.
The Bosch platinum plug’s central electrode tip helps reach a self-cleaning temperature right after a few seconds of starting it. It increases the plug’s wear resistance without increasing its voltage requirement. Yttrium alloy ground electrodes designed in these spark plugs allow for minimizing oxidation and gap wear, resulting in extending the service life of these spark plugs.
Bosch spark plugs are designed in a pre-gapped shape which helps to make installation more convenient and quicker. The spark plugs also generate 15 feet lbs of torque which result in an improved and smoother acceleration. All of these features help your engine to provide you with a better ride experience.
When talking about the fuel consumption, the quality parts used in the making provide improved gas mileage through improved efficiency. Less fuel consumption allows you to save money on fuel.
NGK 7090 BKR5EGP G-Power Spark Plugs
NGK 7090 G-Power spark plugs are equipped with a thin, 0.6mm platinum tip, allowing lower power requirements without impacting its performance. It results in better fuel efficiency, and engines get started more quickly. These plugs offer a consistently stable spark, and the platinum tip minimizes the consumption of required voltage.
The plug uses unique configurations for the insulator nose, resulting in improved throttle response and preventing the engine from fouling. The corrugated ribs crafted on an insulator avoid the chances of a flashover. The center electrode and platinum alloy ground give an enhanced spark while ensuring a reduced gap during the plug’s life.
The trivalent metal provides superior anti-seizing and anti-corrosion properties, while the triple gasket seal prevents combustion gas leakage. NGK 7090 G-Power spark plugs are a perfect choice available at an economical price.
Best Spark Plugs For Toyota Tacoma Buying Guide
When you plan to buy spark plugs for your car, you must know what factors a suitable spark plug offers. It mostly depends on your car model, but there are still a few things to consider when purchasing a spark plug—for example, the material, type, etc.
There are unlimited options available in the market to select the perfect plug for your car, and it is pretty easy to get a spark plug as per your vehicle’s model and your liking. Before buying a spark plug, you should check some features that ensure the quality of the spark plugs.
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Factors to Consider Before Purchasing a Spark Plug
Here is the guide to understanding what features to consider when making a purchase.
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Material
When you are looking to purchase spark plugs, it is crucial to understand which material best fits your requirements. If you have an older model, you should go for copper metal to work pretty well with the old models. Copper features a low voltage and distributer-based ignition.
Iridium and platinum are a good fit for the latest engines without a distributor. Platinum offers a perfect solution for longevity, performance, and economy. At the same time, iridium delivers a further enhanced mix, but at a high cost. We suggest selecting the plug recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer.
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Temperature
You can consider a spark plug best if it is the best heat insulator. On the other side, it is not a good heat insulator if it conducts more heat out of the tip and lowers the temperature. Usually, most manufacturers denote the spark plug’s heat range with a numeric value.
Some brands use ascending numbers for good plugs, while other brands do the opposite for poor plugs.
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Size
One of the most crucial features you must know when purchasing a spark plug is its size. The spark plugs are specified by the size of their nut or thread. Usually, nut and thread sizes are mentioned here. 10 millimeters (nut size: 16 millimeters), 12 millimeters (nut size: 14 millimeters, 16 millimeters, or 17.5 millimeters), 14 millimeters (nut size: 16 millimeters or 20.63 millimeters), and 18 millimeters (nut size: 20.63 millimeters). You can select the spark plug as per your requirements.
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Gap Style
Spark plugs are typically engineered to have a spark gap. This gap can be adjusted easily with the help of a tool called the spark plug gaper tool. Each spark plug may be designed for various engines having a different gap in each of them.
Usually, the spark plug gap is between 0.6mm to 1.8mm. You can use a gap gauge to measure the spark plug’s gap. It helps to understand whether the gap is within its specified range or not.
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Easy to Use
An essential factor that must be considered is checking whether the plug is easy to handle. Many spark plugs come in a pre-gapped state when you unbox the packaging and do not need to be adjusted. The pre-gapped spark plugs are ideal and convenient for those looking for an easy-to-use plug that doesn’t require interference with the tool and gap gauge when installing.
Types of Spark Plugs
Here we have the list of all types of spark plugs available in the market. You can pick up one as per your vehicle’s model and make it.
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Copper
Copper core spark plugs are pretty economical in price and are the most basic type of spark plugs. In the past time, copper plugs used to be quite common in the market. But, for a long, these plugs have already been replaced by iridium and platinum spark plugs.
Iridium and platinum spark plugs offer a better lifespan, efficiency, and enhanced performance. When talking about modern vehicles, a lot of them do not support copper spark plugs. Copper plugs fit best with older models of cars.
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Platinum
Platinum spark plugs offer much better performance as compared to copper plugs. These plugs are available at a lower price than iridium plugs and can efficiently operate at a lower temperature, unlike copper spark plugs.
When talking about lifespan, platinum plugs can last twice as compared as copper spark plugs.
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Iridium
Iridium spark plugs are considered to be the best spark plugs available in the market. These spark plugs offer better fuel mileage, reliability, longevity, and performance than double platinum spark plugs. The innovative technology and smart material used in integrating iridium plugs make it stand out from the crowd.
The cost of iridium spark plugs is higher than copper and platinum spark plugs. These plugs are suitable for vehicles with high-performance engines.
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Double Platinum
Double platinum plugs deliver better performance, efficiency, and longevity than single-plated platinum spark plugs. When comparing double-platinum spark plugs with iridium plugs, double-platinum costs are lower than iridium spark plugs. If you are looking for an upgrade from a platinum spark plug at an affordable price, you may opt for double platinum spark plugs.
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Double Iridium
Double-iridium spark plugs are pretty much similar to double-platinum spark plugs. These plugs are made of two metal discs that ensure better durability and enhanced performance. The design of these plugs provides firepower for all types of driving conditions, including continuous high speed and extreme heat.
Double iridium spark plugs offer up to four times longer lifespan than copper spark plugs. So far, double-iridium spark plugs are the best ones available in the market.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are many factors to consider when selecting a spark plug, such as heat range, projection, and dimensions. If you have a modern car, you should go for platinum or iridium plugs, while for older models, you can purchase a copper spark plug.
It depends on the brand and which spark plug you are looking to purchase. Most spark plugs come boxed with a gaped electrode for the user’s convenience. You can modify it as per the requirement if it doesn’t fit. The method is not complicated at all.
Usually, the manufacturer tells when it is required to change or replace the spark plug. If you drive your vehicle mostly on LPG or CNG, you may need to replace it a bit earlier. LPG and CND minimize the lifespan of the spark plug by 25 to 30 percent.
If you apply a thread lubricant such as grease on the plug thread, it will increase the tightening of the spark plug, and when you use the same torque, it can be because of damage to the spark plug. The vibrations can be a reason to loosen the spark plug.
The air-fuel mix near the spark plug can be very rich in direct-injected engines, which may cause carbon fouling on the ceramic insulator. Carbon contains the ability to conduct energy from spark to the housing via an insulator, which results in a misfire.
The spark is directed away from the insulator on to side-electrode by inserting side-electrodes to prevent misfire. However, combustion begins near the side-electrodes, and the generated heat burns the carbon fouling. The insulator is clean during the next step, and a spark will occur between the main ground and center electrodes.
Conclusion:
Here, we have discussed the features of different spark plugs in detail in the article; hopefully, you will find it helpful. A spark plug is a device that delivers electric current from a vehicle’s ignition to the spark-ignition engine’s combustion chamber. It helps to ignite the air mixture/compressed fuel by an electric spark while holding combustion pressure in the vehicle’s engine.
Please consider these factors when selecting the correct spark plug for your vehicle. If you are using an older model of a car, you should go for copper spark plugs. But copper spark plugs do not work perfectly with modern vehicles. If you have the latest model car and are looking for the best spark plug, go for iridium spark plugs.
If you are looking for a good option at a reasonable price, you can buy platinum spark plugs. Copper spark plugs are the most basic plugs, while iridium and platinum are designed for modern vehicles. When we compare the prices, copper spark plugs are the cheapest, while iridium spark plugs are the most costly among all these as they are the best option available for the latest vehicles.
