@@meastwood274 thanks for responding. I’m looking into getting either an RX or ES 350 or 330 and can’t decide if I would rather pay a little more for the 3.5 or a little less for the 3.3 and have to deal with the timing belt. I love the looks of the ‘01-‘06 es 330 so would love to find a semi low mileage one and then pay cash. Only thing is here in Ca they’re still $8-12k even with over 100k miles
I know there will be folks who don't agree with me, and that's fine, but as a Master Mechanic of nearly 40 years, I always apply a tiny half a drop of anti-seize, never had an issue, and when it comes time to remove and replace for service, they come out like a dream. No fears on them snapping or a struggle on epic levels, easy. Do it and see, don't save your breath and enjoy the fear and struggles. And I know I'm not the only Master Mechanic to do that, I also know others that don't. To each their own. That's for reading. Ray, love ya brother you do you, still love your channel and I know you do honest work and honest work is the best work! 👍 ❤️
I own the Australian version of the same year car (called the Kluger here for some reason). It's unbreakable. Take care of the wear and tear components and maintain it regularly and it drives like a new vehicle after nearly 280,000 KMs
I enjoy watching you do your thing. I am a retired transport category aircraft A&P lead mechanic. I can no longer work due to health, but I enjoy watching you turn wrenches, troubleshoot, diagnose, and fix issues. I became a quick fan a few month ago. You speak the mechanic language fluently.
Great job always love your show. I am 87 yrs old and did some mechanic work when i was younger things were much easer then. Lots of luck and keep the show on.
I'm so glad I bought the base model of this year, model, and color. At 191,000 miles I have changed spark plugs twice and it was a 20 minute job. Interesting to see a car that looks like mine in the shop.
The engineers ? who design these ridiculous layouts should be made to do 6 months servicing them. But why should they, the customer ends up paying for all that faffing around ! Stay with it Ray ! Nil Illegitimus Carborundum.
@@johnweaire3389 Yeah its dumb, although on a transversal V6 doing it any other way can some with some engineering curves.... Its not nearly as bad as chrystler's 2.4l 4 cylinder, which dosent have the advantage of being actually reliable, and the intake blocks the entire fucking valve cover, changing valve cover gaskets is a nightmare on a car equipped with this engine (for example the PT Cruiser)
That’s just one of the drawbacks to the V6 motor. Yes, you have more power with a V6 but it’s more work to service. That’s why I like my 4cyl Tacoma. That thing is so easy to work on and I love it.
Did anyone notice at 0:09 when Ray hit the unlock button on the key he was carrying the parking lights on the FJ (parked two cars over) lit up? He was able to start the Highlander with the same key.
Look again. There's a footage break and you can clearly see that the keys he uses to start the car are not the same. 1st is fob/key 1 piece, 2nd is separate key and fob.
Our 06 Highlander AWD limited just hit 335k still rolling. I hooked the hot/ cold water to the outside hose, works great. We live next to lake superior. Closest car wash is 30 miles away, if it's working.
They just changed mine on my 2004 Lexus 3.3 engine. $500. I figured after 21 years it deserved new plugs! 50,000 miles and counting. Runs like a dream.
my niece got me a socket set that has a wobble adapter in it and also a gear wrench set this past Christmas, i have yet to use them but i am glad to have them. she works at the local napa so she gets the employee discount.
This is exactly why I don’t want to ever buy a transverse V6 again. If it’s front wheel drive, I’m buying a 4 cyl. To heck with the extra power. Most new 4 cyl cars have plenty of power anyway. I can change all the plugs, wires and valve cover gaskets in my car in 20 minutes. The accessory drive is the only thing that has anything difficult to access and that’s just the nature of front wheel drive.
I know it’s necessary to edit. But when you leave as much as you can . WE LEARN. Yes I have worked on cars. Super modified engines) But IF you can’t learn it’s sad . I need to know stuff. And you’re a great teacher.
i usually get those 2 bolts for the intake bracket from the bottom of the car with a really long extension saves a lot of time and fighting, also then you can leave the throttle bottle on the intake and not have to replace the gasket
I worked at a repair shop back in high-school to make some money. The more I watch these videos the more I miss and appreciate the old 70's cars. The most complicated thing in a car back then was the carborator.
I am always amazed at how you so nonchalantly seem to automatically know what bolt goes where, not forgetting any parts, when you reassemble the components after replacing the inner engine problem you are correcting. You must have a tremendous memory.
I will have to remember that " EYE CROMETER " that was funny as heck. Anyway it is good to see that your dream of being your own boss has become a reality and your YT channel is growing.
I wouldn't go by the front ones because it doesn't mean that the hard to get ones were changed. I've seen car having the original plugs in 15yrs later. Never been changed. Sometimes they only change the easy ones
I don't think I have said this since you opened your own shop, but I'm happy for you doing your own thing. Much success and may every bolt you turn come right out with ease (without snapping) 😂. Thanks for the education and entertainment 👍
I've actually done this job with a hybrid and you don't have to remove the cowl. The rear bracket bolts are still a pain but you can still access them the same way.
Can confirm. Northerners do like our all wheel drive. We're unlucky if we need the AWD more than two weeks a year. It depends on how good the local municipalities are at clearing snow.
You are not wrong. When I was a kid, everyone drove RWD cars and trucks, and just put sand bags or whatever else weight over the rear wheels in the winter with a good set of studded tires. Now people NEED the $5000 optional AWD because 3 snowflakes could fall over the course of the winter. 😂
@@OTEP1234567891011 imagine not knowing what you're talking about. These are not off-road vehicles. Snow tires are all you need. If the snow is too deep all wheel drive won't help you anyway
I will have to think about whether or not to spend the $ for AWD or 4WD next time i buy because in southern NJ we rarely get snow anymore and if we do its one 6" storm every few years....2WD seems to be enough 98% of the time
gotta be careful inspecting brake pads from the north, had one recently where the outsides were both 8mm, one of the inside pads was less than 1mm before metal on metal.
Nice job- having come from the great white north i used to periodically spray a rust sealer spray underneath it will slow down the "crustiness" that Eric O is used to!
It's a great idea to put three new coils in the back. I think I'd do OEM coils so the chances would be better they would last a long time and I would save the old back three coils in case ones in the front go bad--- I'd have used but good coils to use and save lots of money in the future.
The work required to replace the back coils and plugs now while you are at it versus the cost of them makes it sensible to do so - it is NOT ripping the customer off (as others may claim). Also glad to see you used the mirror to check the seating of the back tappet cover gasket. They are so easy to get wrong when they move only slightly out of the groove. I have never been caught with one leaking after full reassembly - I caught it at the mirror inspection stage. You have not shown it yet but those back inlet manifold supporting nuts/bolts near the firewall are a pain to refit. They really can test your patience/perseverance. Retired mechanic in Land Down Under.
I highly recommend Denso coils on Toyotas. My local Napa auto parts carries them and so do some other places I have gotten very used to removing the wiper motor and tray on Toyotas. The first time I changed plugs on my Avalon, I couldn't believe all that had to come off but it's really not that bad and the plugs last 100,000 miles. Power tools really make this job easier. I've reused the intake gasket. All three of my coil connectors broke when I changed the plugs at 120,000. I barely touched them! I put a little silicone on them and never had problem. About a year ago at 220,000 one the rear coils went out. I replaced all three rear coils and did plugs too. I didn't bother putting silicone or a zip tie on the broken connectors. Those connectors fit pretty tight even without the clip. So far so good- fingers crossed
Here AWD or 4WD + real winter tires is the best. Winter tires are mandatory. No hill in city , 2wd is ok, but if you need to travel, AWD is better, even on highway. But then i live closer to the north pole then Florida, New-York, Toronto, Montreal and Quebec city.
I owned exactly 1 rear wheel drive car when I lived up north. It was mothballed for 5-6 months of the year. Ever try to drive a Mustang Cobra with summer tires through 8 inches of snow? Damn lake effect snow got me over at a buddy’s house one fine November day. It was sunny when I left and sunny the whole time I was there. I got halfway home and hit a blizzard out of nowhere. Luckily the snow band was only a couple miles wide and I was out of it rather quickly, but it was parked until April after that. I put it away from Halloween to Easter. Everything else was front or 4/all wheel drive before and after that. And ALWAYS run whatever you have through a car wash with an undercarriage wash every week.
To secure the harness to the coil I dab a bit of silicone (rtv) over the connectors and let it dry thorougly. The problem I find with zip ties is that they get brittle and break from the heat. Even without any securing measures the connector is really tight when they are seated properly. I conducted an experiment and deliberately left one unsecured and never had an issue. Replacement harnesses are available if you wanna go that route.
As I have this issue now with my grandson's 04 Solara, this is why I have a mechanic. So he can do the things I really don't want to/don't have time to do. Could I do it? Sure. Does it cost me more to have Bob do it for me? Yeah, but the guy's got to make a living.
It's not just the ignition coil connectors that break it's also the fuel injector connectors and some other odds and ends and it's not just with Toyota but also with Honda I've realized as well and it's because of heat cycles and the type of plastic that they use they use phenolic plastic just like plastic radiators over a long period of time with many many heat cycles they just become brittle no matter what you try to do you cannot keep them from breaking eventually the connectors will get so bad that the connector themselves will start to break
My wife had a "simiular" Highlander (2WD) got rid of it at "tree-hundred and fiddy" thousand + miles. It needed about $6,000 worth of front end rebuilding and the interior was dry rotting. Never need any repairs at all up to that point.
my parents gave me their 2005 3MZ Sienna that was running rough, after ruling out plugs and a coil in #6 it ended up needing an injector on #6. it has 505,000 miles and still runs great. they let all the little issues pile up until it sat for a few years and they didn't want ti anymore. I also had to do engine mounts, control arms, cv axles, wheel bearings, struts , shocks, outer tie rods, brakes all around, and both O2 sensors on the rear bank.
Recently changed rear plugs on 2013 Highlander and had same problem with connectors breaking. I found they can easily be replaced with new connectors by popping out each individual wire from old and placing them one by one in new connector, works like a charm but does take a lot of patience.
had to pause the vid...and im sure you know this, but for the air intake a lil spritz of PB or WD or whatever right where ya first put the pick under while your trying to get it to come off helps a ton. FYI i DO NOT miss workin on east coast rigs!!!
Ray Lexus and Toyota original plugs have a letter stamped on the top of the plug. I believe I saw it when you removed 1st plug. Oem Replacements won’t have it
Thanks Ray. I have the hybrid version of this Highlander, you dont need to remove the wipers cowl to reach the intake. Lexus RX350 they try to hide everything under plastic covers, to make it look better for the eye. molte grazie in Italian.
Good video as always, I have a 2005 Highlander 2 FWD with 180k, fixing to do the same maintenance plus timing belt; the other “while you are there” maintenance items in addition to what you just did would be PCV valve, clean MAF & IAC valve and that engine will be ready for another 100k mi😊
I've done valve covers on these and the 1MZ-FE 3.0L in the Camrys and Avalons ETC. Valve covers are frequent fliers. Those tube seals can be a pain to remove. Rock hard and don't want to come out.It's also fun fighting that rear wiring harness and trying to get the valve cover in place without moving it.
@Radio Rescue: Is it worth replacing the valve covers/gaskets on a Lexus? I just searched the cost and it is approx. $4K (USD). I have a Lexus IS 250 w/ 108K miles. I'm fixing all the things that go wrong (maintenance) on a Lexus with 100K miles. I'm guessing if I was faced with the repair Ray is doing, I should trade the car.
The front coils fail first because of the radiator fan blowing hot air onto the front of the engine in city driving and highway hot air while on the highway. When I pulled my intake off (2005 highlander) I replaced all of the coils with TRQ brand, between the plugs and coil, it made a big difference in performance.
Hi Ray, thanks for all the interesting videos. I was thinking if it could help to spay some plastic/vinyl refresener on the plastic connector and also apply some heat from a heatblower to soften up the plastic before open the clip.
gday ray. a few years ago i was working on a toyota camery with the same engine. a small alloy tube under the intake manifold was leaking. to get at it i had to take the manifold off. problem was the hex stud in the centre stripped out so i could not remove it. all i could do was put a lot of sillicone sealer in the hole. it lasted 6 months before the man sold it to the wreckers..
Thank you for posting this video. My plan is to replace spark plugs and valve cover gaskets on my '06 Highlander Ltd in 2 months or so. Yah, getting access to the rear plugs is a PITA with those intake brackets bolts. Took me 2 days to work on my '05 Sienna last year - had to remove the cowl. 😮💨
Clean and test the plugs first. Yes they look worn but re gapped properly and they'll last. Also, the oil looked like it was leaking down from the filler neck. I've watched every single video of yours but this is the first one I had to shut down early.
Ray, you do what you know what works. It is the internet. There are always going to be trolls and lowlifes that just want to bring others down. You are a great man and a good mechanic. Many more of us support you than want to tear you down. Be well.
My FWD was adequate to clear my neighbor's driveway when their Altima would not go. The only noticeable tune-up improvement came about from cleaning the throttle body.
Hi Ray. Just a thought on the coil clips breaking. What about hitting them briefly with a heat gun. Should return some flexibility, not perfect but might help!
The coil connectors are out in the environment and take a lot of heat off of the engine. The plastic becomes brittle and the lucky tech to touch them, gets to play breakage roulette.
I'm from erie pa. If you don't have 4x4 or awd it's makes winter travel pretty difficult. But my brother drives a 2001 taurus from Utah. And gets around fine. But some trouble getting around in front wheel drive
Ray, the plug breaks, because they are on hot-cold-hot-cold-hot cold, especially those at the front of the engine, of course and the thin plastic. They get all the heat over time aaaaand...... they breaks at most. That on the air filter is not so "get heated"., so it is still good.
My god Ray it's not surprising the labour cost in what was once a simple spark plug change the engineers DEFINATELY aren't friends of mechanics ,but it does make good viewing for all of us thanks mate Kym Adelaide
My wife’s 2008 highlander hybrid turned 400,000 last week. That was the last year of that motor. They knew it was too good. We Love that vehicle.
That’s the 3.5 not the 3.3 though correct?
@@natlovell122 my wife’s 2008 is the 3.3. That was the last year of 3.3.
@@meastwood274 oh gotcha, looks like you guys got some great life out of the vehicle. How often did you change the timing belt?
@@natlovell122 401250 today. Last change was at 375. It is due soon. Just did spark plugs and valve gaskets. I do those every 75k.
@@meastwood274 thanks for responding. I’m looking into getting either an RX or ES 350 or 330 and can’t decide if I would rather pay a little more for the 3.5 or a little less for the 3.3 and have to deal with the timing belt. I love the looks of the ‘01-‘06 es 330 so would love to find a semi low mileage one and then pay cash. Only thing is here in Ca they’re still $8-12k even with over 100k miles
I know there will be folks who don't agree with me, and that's fine, but as a Master Mechanic of nearly 40 years, I always apply a tiny half a drop of anti-seize, never had an issue, and when it comes time to remove and replace for service, they come out like a dream. No fears on them snapping or a struggle on epic levels, easy. Do it and see, don't save your breath and enjoy the fear and struggles. And I know I'm not the only Master Mechanic to do that, I also know others that don't. To each their own. That's for reading. Ray, love ya brother you do you, still love your channel and I know you do honest work and honest work is the best work! 👍 ❤️
I own the Australian version of the same year car (called the Kluger here for some reason). It's unbreakable. Take care of the wear and tear components and maintain it regularly and it drives like a new vehicle after nearly 280,000 KMs
I enjoy watching you do your thing. I am a retired transport category aircraft A&P lead mechanic. I can no longer work due to health, but I enjoy watching you turn wrenches, troubleshoot, diagnose, and fix issues. I became a quick fan a few month ago. You speak the mechanic language fluently.
Check out Watch Wes Work.
I'm subed to both.
Great job always love your show. I am 87 yrs old and did some mechanic work when i was younger things were much easer then. Lots of luck and keep the show on.
Appreciate your shout out to the various tools that streamline your workflow in this repair.
I'm so glad I bought the base model of this year, model, and color. At 191,000 miles I have changed spark plugs twice and it was a 20 minute job. Interesting to see a car that looks like mine in the shop.
Yeah its a super fun feeling, when he did the video on that 2015 highlander with the 2GR-FE, identical to mine. super cool
The engineers ? who design these ridiculous layouts should be made to do 6 months servicing them. But why should they, the customer ends up paying for all that faffing around ! Stay with it Ray ! Nil Illegitimus Carborundum.
@@johnweaire3389 I would say 6 years in prison would be a better sentence for the miserable cretins.
@@johnweaire3389 Yeah its dumb, although on a transversal V6 doing it any other way can some with some engineering curves.... Its not nearly as bad as chrystler's 2.4l 4 cylinder, which dosent have the advantage of being actually reliable, and the intake blocks the entire fucking valve cover, changing valve cover gaskets is a nightmare on a car equipped with this engine (for example the PT Cruiser)
That’s just one of the drawbacks to the V6 motor. Yes, you have more power with a V6 but it’s more work to service. That’s why I like my 4cyl Tacoma. That thing is so easy to work on and I love it.
Did anyone notice at 0:09 when Ray hit the unlock button on the key he was carrying the parking lights on the FJ (parked two cars over) lit up? He was able to start the Highlander with the same key.
Look again. There's a footage break and you can clearly see that the keys he uses to start the car are not the same. 1st is fob/key 1 piece, 2nd is separate key and fob.
Me being disabled. I learned a lot watching your videos. I love it.
Our 06 Highlander AWD limited just hit 335k still rolling. I hooked the hot/ cold water to the outside hose, works great. We live next to lake superior. Closest car wash is 30 miles away, if it's working.
The Holiday in Ashland?! 😂
They just changed mine on my 2004 Lexus 3.3 engine. $500. I figured after 21 years it deserved new plugs! 50,000 miles and counting. Runs like a dream.
tip of the month try heating these plastic clips before trying to unplug them , its plastic so its flexible heated....just do it !!.
Genius
my niece got me a socket set that has a wobble adapter in it and also a gear wrench set this past Christmas, i have yet to use them but i am glad to have them. she works at the local napa so she gets the employee discount.
I like how you show the real struggles of turning wrenches. Just how hard it can be to get to some fasteners.
This is exactly why I don’t want to ever buy a transverse V6 again. If it’s front wheel drive, I’m buying a 4 cyl. To heck with the extra power. Most new 4 cyl cars have plenty of power anyway. I can change all the plugs, wires and valve cover gaskets in my car in 20 minutes. The accessory drive is the only thing that has anything difficult to access and that’s just the nature of front wheel drive.
I never go by the front plugs the last 3 I did the back plugs were originals the front 3 were like new
I know it’s necessary to edit. But when you leave as much as you can . WE LEARN. Yes I have worked on cars. Super modified engines) But IF you can’t learn it’s sad . I need to know stuff. And you’re a great teacher.
i usually get those 2 bolts for the intake bracket from the bottom of the car with a really long extension saves a lot of time and fighting, also then you can leave the throttle bottle on the intake and not have to replace the gasket
Helps to heat gun tabs like that sometimes.
In Southern mn it can snow 5in but the plow clears the street and the end of the driveway has 10-20in got to have 4x4
I worked at a repair shop back in high-school to make some money. The more I watch these videos the more I miss and appreciate the old 70's cars.
The most complicated thing in a car back then was the carborator.
This is supposedly the easier ones
I use a spray adhesive on the valve cover and gasket to keep them in place.
I am always amazed at how you so nonchalantly seem to automatically know what bolt goes where, not forgetting any parts, when you reassemble the components after replacing the inner engine problem you are correcting. You must have a tremendous memory.
I will have to remember that " EYE CROMETER " that was funny as heck. Anyway it is good to see that your dream of being your own boss has become a reality and your YT channel is growing.
I wouldn't go by the front ones because it doesn't mean that the hard to get ones were changed. I've seen car having the original plugs in 15yrs later. Never been changed. Sometimes they only change the easy ones
Took the words right out of my mouth I have also seen this many times. But I guess if the front ones are bad you know the backones are definitely bad.
Greetings from across the pond to you Rainman and Mrs wife unit. Have yourselves a great day.
I like adding a small amount of silicon grease on the rubber to aluminum connections/
Yup here in frostbackistan it's necessary to have four wheel sometimes. Even chains are necessary depending how bad the road is.
I don't think I have said this since you opened your own shop, but I'm happy for you doing your own thing. Much success and may every bolt you turn come right out with ease (without snapping) 😂. Thanks for the education and entertainment 👍
Good thorough Work @Rainman Ray's Repairs
Those are original Toyota spark plugs. They have a white mark on the tip. Good luck at your new shop.
Thank you Ray for explaining things in detail. It helps me understand what you're doing and why. Great job as always.
I've actually done this job with a hybrid and you don't have to remove the cowl. The rear bracket bolts are still a pain but you can still access them the same way.
Can confirm. Northerners do like our all wheel drive. We're unlucky if we need the AWD more than two weeks a year. It depends on how good the local municipalities are at clearing snow.
Full set of winter tires and all wheel drive is not necessary. And you can stop
@@kevinbarry71
Lol imagine blanket-summarizing someone else's needs.
You are not wrong. When I was a kid, everyone drove RWD cars and trucks, and just put sand bags or whatever else weight over the rear wheels in the winter with a good set of studded tires. Now people NEED the $5000 optional AWD because 3 snowflakes could fall over the course of the winter. 😂
@@OTEP1234567891011 imagine not knowing what you're talking about. These are not off-road vehicles. Snow tires are all you need. If the snow is too deep all wheel drive won't help you anyway
I will have to think about whether or not to spend the $ for AWD or 4WD next time i buy because in southern NJ we rarely get snow anymore and if we do its one 6" storm every few years....2WD seems to be enough 98% of the time
The half moon puck you are calling it Ray is the Cam Caps @Rainman Ray's Repairs
gotta be careful inspecting brake pads from the north, had one recently where the outsides were both 8mm, one of the inside pads was less than 1mm before metal on metal.
Nice job- having come from the great white north i used to periodically spray a rust sealer spray underneath it will slow down the "crustiness" that Eric O is used to!
I have no complaints about you secretly turning the car around, because NOBODY puts Ray-Ray in the corner!
It's a great idea to put three new coils in the back. I think I'd do OEM coils so the chances would be better they would last a long time and I would save the old back three coils in case ones in the front go bad--- I'd have used but good coils to use and save lots of money in the future.
Always on toyota....
I did that, used Denso (oem) and still had one fail on a Sienna. Back one too. 10x worse on the sienna, you can't get to the intake bolts from above.
I'd only replace the front lol😊
The work required to replace the back coils and plugs now while you are at it versus the cost of them makes it sensible to do so - it is NOT ripping the customer off (as others may claim). Also glad to see you used the mirror to check the seating of the back tappet cover gasket. They are so easy to get wrong when they move only slightly out of the groove. I have never been caught with one leaking after full reassembly - I caught it at the mirror inspection stage. You have not shown it yet but those back inlet manifold supporting nuts/bolts near the firewall are a pain to refit. They really can test your patience/perseverance. Retired mechanic in Land Down Under.
@@bobhudson6659 waiting till they actually had a misfire wouldn't be ripping them off either.
We aussies love our Toyotas. If you ever go on dirt roads, the most common car you will find on them is a Toyota. They are obscenely reliable.
I highly recommend Denso coils on Toyotas. My local Napa auto parts carries them and so do some other places
I have gotten very used to removing the wiper motor and tray on Toyotas. The first time I changed plugs on my Avalon, I couldn't believe all that had to come off but it's really not that bad and the plugs last 100,000 miles. Power tools really make this job easier. I've reused the intake gasket.
All three of my coil connectors broke when I changed the plugs at 120,000. I barely touched them! I put a little silicone on them and never had problem. About a year ago at 220,000 one the rear coils went out. I replaced all three rear coils and did plugs too. I didn't bother putting silicone or a zip tie on the broken connectors. Those connectors fit pretty tight even without the clip. So far so good- fingers crossed
Use zip tie trick ...see YT
Here AWD or 4WD + real winter tires is the best. Winter tires are mandatory. No hill in city , 2wd is ok, but if you need to travel, AWD is better, even on highway. But then i live closer to the north pole then Florida, New-York, Toronto, Montreal and Quebec city.
Ray, you're exactly right. Up in the "Frozen North" 4 wheel or all wheel drive is almost a necessity.
I owned exactly 1 rear wheel drive car when I lived up north. It was mothballed for 5-6 months of the year. Ever try to drive a Mustang Cobra with summer tires through 8 inches of snow? Damn lake effect snow got me over at a buddy’s house one fine November day. It was sunny when I left and sunny the whole time I was there. I got halfway home and hit a blizzard out of nowhere. Luckily the snow band was only a couple miles wide and I was out of it rather quickly, but it was parked until April after that. I put it away from Halloween to Easter. Everything else was front or 4/all wheel drive before and after that. And ALWAYS run whatever you have through a car wash with an undercarriage wash every week.
It definitely helps even in NY. I only buy AWD or 4WD.
To secure the harness to the coil I dab a bit of silicone (rtv) over the connectors and let it dry thorougly. The problem I find with zip ties is that they get brittle and break from the heat. Even without any securing measures the connector is really tight when they are seated properly. I conducted an experiment and deliberately left one unsecured and never had an issue. Replacement harnesses are available if you wanna go that route.
Same car as my pops, only got 90k miles on it. same color too. has a noisy original alternator but still works well
As I have this issue now with my grandson's 04 Solara, this is why I have a mechanic. So he can do the things I really don't want to/don't have time to do. Could I do it? Sure. Does it cost me more to have Bob do it for me? Yeah, but the guy's got to make a living.
It's not just the ignition coil connectors that break it's also the fuel injector connectors and some other odds and ends and it's not just with Toyota but also with Honda I've realized as well and it's because of heat cycles and the type of plastic that they use they use phenolic plastic just like plastic radiators over a long period of time with many many heat cycles they just become brittle no matter what you try to do you cannot keep them from breaking eventually the connectors will get so bad that the connector themselves will start to break
My wife had a "simiular" Highlander (2WD) got rid of it at "tree-hundred and fiddy" thousand + miles. It needed about $6,000 worth of front end rebuilding and the interior was dry rotting. Never need any repairs at all up to that point.
my parents gave me their 2005 3MZ Sienna that was running rough, after ruling out plugs and a coil in #6 it ended up needing an injector on #6. it has 505,000 miles and still runs great. they let all the little issues pile up until it sat for a few years and they didn't want ti anymore. I also had to do engine mounts, control arms, cv axles, wheel bearings, struts , shocks, outer tie rods, brakes all around, and both O2 sensors on the rear bank.
No apologies for not seeing behind the manifold. A very realistic picture of what it takes working in the blind. Great job as always sticking with it
Zip tie wiring harness out of the way, and a couple strategic drops of super glue to hold gasket.Been there a time or two.
Recently changed rear plugs on 2013 Highlander and had same problem with connectors breaking. I found they can easily be replaced with new connectors by popping out each individual wire from old and placing them one by one in new connector, works like a charm but does take a lot of patience.
had to pause the vid...and im sure you know this, but for the air intake a lil spritz of PB or WD or whatever right where ya first put the pick under while your trying to get it to come off helps a ton. FYI i DO NOT miss workin on east coast rigs!!!
Good day to you Ray time for my morning coffee watching Ray make magic
Ray Lexus and Toyota original plugs have a letter stamped on the top of the plug. I believe I saw it when you removed 1st plug.
Oem Replacements won’t have it
Thanks Ray. I have the hybrid version of this Highlander, you dont need to remove the wipers cowl to reach the intake. Lexus RX350 they try to hide everything under plastic covers, to make it look better for the eye. molte grazie in Italian.
Went to Marquette,MI . Its a college town. Most autos you see are AwD Toyotas, Subaru and Hondas.
Good video as always, I have a 2005 Highlander 2 FWD with 180k, fixing to do the same maintenance plus timing belt; the other “while you are there” maintenance items in addition to what you just did would be PCV valve, clean MAF & IAC valve and that engine will be ready for another 100k mi😊
I bought my wife a highlander very impressed. With this car and the video
I agree 100% on the plugs, just visually see if they are way out in any way of not then they are close eough
Good work Ray !
I've done valve covers on these and the 1MZ-FE 3.0L in the Camrys and Avalons ETC. Valve covers are frequent fliers. Those tube seals can be a pain to remove. Rock hard and don't want to come out.It's also fun fighting that rear wiring harness and trying to get the valve cover in place without moving it.
Ditto from my 3.0L Lexus.
@Radio Rescue: Is it worth replacing the valve covers/gaskets on a Lexus? I just searched the cost and it is approx. $4K (USD). I have a Lexus IS 250 w/ 108K miles. I'm fixing all the things that go wrong (maintenance) on a Lexus with 100K miles. I'm guessing if I was faced with the repair Ray is doing, I should trade the car.
What about the Cadillac from yesterday’s short?
Enjoyed that .. Nice to see a job well done .. and it was the fastest 45 min I have spent in a long time. Thank you.
Inspection mirror and flash light work wonders for peace of mine on the back side of valve cover.
Articulated / telescoping mirrors are handy for checking the condition/position of valve cover gaskets that are hard to check otherwise!
Thank you Rain man and wife unit for helping me get through a boring day at the office!
40:10 replace the rear coils but save them to replace if one of the front one's fail. Simple to get the front ones.
The front coils fail first because of the radiator fan blowing hot air onto the front of the engine in city driving and highway hot air while on the highway. When I pulled my intake off (2005 highlander) I replaced all of the coils with TRQ brand, between the plugs and coil, it made a big difference in performance.
She was cleaning her sunglasses!
Hi Ray, thanks for all the interesting videos. I was thinking if it could help to spay some plastic/vinyl refresener on the plastic connector and also apply some heat from a heatblower to soften up the plastic before open the clip.
gday ray. a few years ago i was working on a toyota camery with the same engine. a small alloy tube under the intake manifold was leaking. to get at it i had to take the manifold off. problem was the hex stud in the centre stripped out so i could not remove it. all i could do was put a lot of sillicone sealer in the hole. it lasted 6 months before the man sold it to the wreckers..
Zip ties are probably the best method. Nobody likes goop when disassembly. Good job Ray. Nothing wrong with higher end coils but I prefer Denso.
You can do plugs and coils without pulling to intake.Valve cover gasket on bank 1 you do have to pull the intake.
Thats why the dealer charges $600 to change the spark plugs on this thing.
Thank you for posting this video. My plan is to replace spark plugs and valve cover gaskets on my '06 Highlander Ltd in 2 months or so. Yah, getting access to the rear plugs is a PITA with those intake brackets bolts. Took me 2 days to work on my '05 Sienna last year - had to remove the cowl. 😮💨
Clean and test the plugs first. Yes they look worn but re gapped properly and they'll last.
Also, the oil looked like it was leaking down from the filler neck.
I've watched every single video of yours but this is the first one I had to shut down early.
he sucks
The only other thing id recommend is going ahead and cleaning the throttle body while it's off. I'm about to tackle this job on my 3.5l avalon.
Sad to not see your little intro the last couple videos. Always a good laugh
Thank you Ray. You are the sanity in an insane world.
He doesn’t bleed while working on these cars. That’s not normal…
Awesome video I think I would have also changed the washer seals under valve cover bolts as well
Yep up here the awd is a necessity
Did this job on my 2015 lexus rx350. I wish the back plugs were easier to get at. Had to remove cowling and windshield wipers.
This was a work of art. Talent.
Ray, you do what you know what works. It is the internet. There are always going to be trolls and lowlifes that just want to bring others down. You are a great man and a good mechanic. Many more of us support you than want to tear you down. Be well.
Yes. Many people think their two cents is the right and only way of doing things.
My FWD was adequate to clear my neighbor's driveway when their Altima would not go. The only noticeable tune-up improvement came about from cleaning the throttle body.
Is that silicone sealant around the oil cap
Hi Ray. Just a thought on the coil clips breaking. What about hitting them briefly with a heat gun. Should return some flexibility, not perfect but might help!
Too late... the plasticizer is completely gone out of the plastic.
Wd-40 on them and soak for 10 minutes,it helps to reduce the brittleness of the plastic clips.
The coil connectors are out in the environment and take a lot of heat off of the engine. The plastic becomes brittle and the lucky tech to touch them, gets to play breakage roulette.
It's Spring Training Ray! I think she wanted you to bunt the runner into scoring position...
I'm from erie pa. If you don't have 4x4 or awd it's makes winter travel pretty difficult. But my brother drives a 2001 taurus from Utah. And gets around fine. But some trouble getting around in front wheel drive
Ray, the plug breaks, because they are on hot-cold-hot-cold-hot cold, especially those at the front of the engine, of course and the thin plastic. They get all the heat over time aaaaand...... they breaks at most. That on the air filter is not so "get heated"., so it is still good.
15:40 "I know you guys can't see what I am doing here"
That's OK, I can't see what I am doing either!!!!
My god Ray it's not surprising the labour cost in what was once a simple spark plug change the engineers DEFINATELY aren't friends of mechanics ,but it does make good viewing for all of us thanks mate
Kym
Adelaide
Step by step detail is a good thing...as we know it's all in the details:-) A great part 1 Ray🙂
A whole nother language with words for everything! Krazy !
"Every twenty minute job is one broken bolt away from becoming a three-day ordeal"
Ray, did you notice the FJ's lights blinked when you pushed the key fob😂
What is the difference between the green batterie operated ratchet and the red Milwaukee 3/8" ratchet?
i noticed when you pushed the unlock button the fj lights flashed.
Did i see that good wen you pusht the button on the key the blinkers from the other car wer blinking .