I used this guide to get at my knock sensors. If you have a 1st gen highlander I recommend doing them while you're in there. It's very common for them to fail at around 140k miles. Use genuine denso sensors and wiring harness, I used aftermarket and had to do the job again a year later. You can easily do this job without disconnecting the fuel rails, so no need to depressurize. Just lift the lower manifold and prop it up on the right side. I recommend draining the coolant first too. Otherwise it may overflow into the cylinders when you loosen the lower manifold bolts.
My son has a 2003 Highlander - workhorse of a vehicle. Thank you for sharing all your repair videos - you have been a lifesavers on a lot of the diy repairs we have performed. Really appreciate your efforts!
I finally got the time to get the work in. I changed out the valve cover gasket for the back bank only and that takes work. TD made it look easy but it’s ain’t. I didn’t change the front bank because it doesn’t leak. The old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix”. Everything is as described and I’m thankful for that. It took me 4 full days to change: Valve cover gasket, air intake top and bottom gaskets, spark plugs,oil, radiator fluid. With the radiator fluid drained the job is much cleaner, no mess. Spent over a day to clean parts and reinforce the wires that got damaged by engine heat. Thank you Tool Demo for the videos! It helped save me some $ and most importantly I gain so much knowledge about my car. Happy new year!
Finally a car channel with no B.S. Showing people how to fix cars unlike most who is overrated IMO and thinks toyota reliability is exclusive and I do owna one. Great job on the vids.
I changed the spark plugs in my wife’s 2006, and the bolts on the back side of the intake are ridiculous! First to even find them, second to get them off. Pretty much have to use a ratcheting wrench, I couldn’t fit a socket back there. Good luck to you and thank you for the videos!
Really appreciate the time you took in making your videos - very informative and helped to give me the courage to try this on my own! Now I'm almost done, but can you tell me what thetorque spec is for those 2 long bolts at 10:18?
@@ToolDemos Thank you for your response!! I’m new to Toyota and have been searching far and wide for the gaskets I’d need just for replacement after removing the upper manifold only. Could you possibly tell me which ones I’d need?
@@hjbonney glad to help. I like the Mahle MS16073, but they should all work. www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/toyota,2003,highlander,3.0l+v6,1418341,engine,intake+plenum+gasket,10394
Would pulling out the fuel pump fuse from the fuse/relay box serve the same purpose to unpressurize/strave fuel rail/run vehicle dry avoiding all of the work involved with disconnecting the fuel pump connector?
Did you actually use the small gaskets that come with the Fel-Pro kit? I don't see where the old ones are. I can only see the one upper intake gasket (which I believe metal gasket) and the two lower intake gaskets (which I believe metal with rubber coated). Should I buy the full intake gasket set which has everything or will the basic set with one upper intake gasket & two lower intake gaskets sufficient to do the job? Thanks
Yup, I just used the upper metal gasket and two lowers. If you remove the throttle body, you’ll need that. The other rubber-looking gasket is for the later engines. Not sure why Fel-Pro includes it.
Some coolant could have gotten into some of the cylinders. Depending on where the engine was rotated some of the intake valves could’ve been open. If you are worried about it, just pull the spark plugs and blow out all of the cylinders.
@@ToolDemos Especially seeing that the gaskets you are replacing are FelPro and look relatively new! I have an '02 Highlander that I just picked up that's going to need all the maintenance you performed on yours as well. It was infested with mice...for at least 2 years while it sat alongside a barn. I took the entire interior and dash apart and cleaned and sanitized every piece, part, and every square inch of the bare sheet metal, and replace all the sound deadening material which miraculously, was all they damaged- besides the multiple nests, droppings, and saturated carpet and padding which I cleaned to almost brand new! Took me 2 solid weeks from start to finish. I love this thing!
You dont need to do all that to reach the spark plugs youll just have to really reacharound the left side and have to remove the wires for the throttle
@@ToolDemosyou can remove the lower intake with the injectors and fuelrails still attached to it. no need to disconnect fuel lines. At least, you can do so on the 2005 highlander. The setup is slightly different, not as many wires and hoses.
@@ToolDemos Thank you so much! I never did the knock sensor replacement before and my engine looks different that any I can find on youtube. It is a 2006 3.3L highlander. The gas line looks weird as, it doesn't have any sort of clamp where it connects to the lower intake. The larger hose, that is connected to the lower intake has a clamp, but when I moved the clamp back, it has some weird metal clamp looking thing underneath the clamp I just moved. Will it come off anyway?
@@Squddle The fuel connection that you need to remove is not at the manifold, it’s down further underneath the brake master cylinder and above the transmission. It should be the same plastic connection that I show in this video. Maybe this website can be helpful: www.tohighlander.com/knock_sensor_3mz_fe_-443.html
@@ToolDemos really! I haven't ever done it on this one but have on my first gen Sequoia. I almost put "or does it not have one". But thought for sure it must have. By the way great videos. Very helpful. I am doing a bunch of the stuff your covering in these videos. Doing knock sensors, intake gaskets, that bypass hose, rear plugs while I'm there even though it didn't need them, valve cover gaskets cause it needed them like 9 years ago! Cheaped out, thought about doing rear coils but I would use denso so I saved the money. I also have an extra upper intake gasket so if I need to go back in it will just be the cost of the coils. Well and the pain in the ass pulling that upper intake but trying to save where I can these days!
@@natevanlandingham1945 yeah, frustrating. I looked for a relay or fuse, but the injectors (if I remember correctly) share the circuit. I’m glad you’re taking care of yours, these are good cars and it’ll serve for years.
I used this guide to get at my knock sensors. If you have a 1st gen highlander I recommend doing them while you're in there. It's very common for them to fail at around 140k miles. Use genuine denso sensors and wiring harness, I used aftermarket and had to do the job again a year later.
You can easily do this job without disconnecting the fuel rails, so no need to depressurize. Just lift the lower manifold and prop it up on the right side.
I recommend draining the coolant first too. Otherwise it may overflow into the cylinders when you loosen the lower manifold bolts.
My son has a 2003 Highlander - workhorse of a vehicle. Thank you for sharing all your repair videos - you have been a lifesavers on a lot of the diy repairs we have performed. Really appreciate your efforts!
That’s great to hear! Thanks.
I finally got the time to get the work in. I changed out the valve cover gasket for the back bank only and that takes work. TD made it look easy but it’s ain’t. I didn’t change the front bank because it doesn’t leak. The old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix”. Everything is as described and I’m thankful for that. It took me 4 full days to change:
Valve cover gasket, air intake top and bottom gaskets, spark plugs,oil, radiator fluid. With the radiator fluid drained the job is much cleaner, no mess. Spent over a day to clean parts and reinforce the wires that got damaged by engine heat. Thank you Tool Demo for the videos! It helped save me some $ and most importantly I gain so much knowledge about my car. Happy new year!
That’s great Binh! Congrats for getting all of that done.
Finally a car channel with no B.S. Showing people how to fix cars unlike most who is overrated IMO and thinks toyota reliability is exclusive and I do owna one. Great job on the vids.
Thanks Colton, I really appreciate that.
I changed the spark plugs in my wife’s 2006, and the bolts on the back side of the intake are ridiculous! First to even find them, second to get them off. Pretty much have to use a ratcheting wrench, I couldn’t fit a socket back there. Good luck to you and thank you for the videos!
Definitely the worst part! Thanks 👊🏼
Great video, have a 2001 Avalon, very similar stuff. Thank you for sharing
I’m glad it was helpful
You also have to do all of this for replacement of the knock sensors.
Wow this is a big project
No doubt!
Thanks for your sharing.
You bet!
thanks for sharing!
Thank you grate work
I appreciate that
Really appreciate the time you took in making your videos - very informative and helped to give me the courage to try this on my own! Now I'm almost done, but can you tell me what thetorque spec is for those 2 long bolts at 10:18?
11 lb/ft
@@ToolDemos Awesome, thanks!
Great informative video I've probably watched it 20 times already.
Would you recommend replacing the upper intake manifold gaskets after removal?
Thanks Harrison. Almost always, yes. They can be reused if they are in decent shape, but leaks can cause your engine to run lean at idle.
@@ToolDemos Thank you for your response!!
I’m new to Toyota and have been searching far and wide for the gaskets I’d need just for replacement after removing the upper manifold only. Could you possibly tell me which ones I’d need?
@@hjbonney glad to help. I like the Mahle MS16073, but they should all work. www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/toyota,2003,highlander,3.0l+v6,1418341,engine,intake+plenum+gasket,10394
@@ToolDemos I appreciate it
Would pulling out the fuel pump fuse from the fuse/relay box serve the same purpose to unpressurize/strave fuel rail/run vehicle dry avoiding all of the work involved with disconnecting the fuel pump connector?
Not on this car, Fred. That would also kill the injectors.
Pulling the fuel relay is a lot easier and won’t damage anything
Nice video!!
Thanks Tech May, I appreciate that.
Did you actually use the small gaskets that come with the Fel-Pro kit? I don't see where the old ones are.
I can only see the one upper intake gasket (which I believe metal gasket) and the two lower intake gaskets (which I believe metal with rubber coated).
Should I buy the full intake gasket set which has everything or will the basic set with one upper intake gasket & two lower intake gaskets sufficient to do the job? Thanks
Yup, I just used the upper metal gasket and two lowers. If you remove the throttle body, you’ll need that.
The other rubber-looking gasket is for the later engines. Not sure why Fel-Pro includes it.
What if I disconnect the fuse for the fuel pump fuse instead of doing all that work to drain the fuel? You think that will work?
No it won’t, the pump uses the same power as the injectors.
@@ToolDemos thank you
When I pulled the lower intake manifold off coolent spilled all over, should I be worried about flooded cylinders?
Some coolant could have gotten into some of the cylinders. Depending on where the engine was rotated some of the intake valves could’ve been open. If you are worried about it, just pull the spark plugs and blow out all of the cylinders.
@@ToolDemos will do! I appreciate it
Well done! EDIT: Fel-Pro garbage.
Thanks. I’ve switched to Mahle gaskets. They seem better.
@@ToolDemos Especially seeing that the gaskets you are replacing are FelPro and look relatively new! I have an '02 Highlander that I just picked up that's going to need all the maintenance you performed on yours as well. It was infested with mice...for at least 2 years while it sat alongside a barn. I took the entire interior and dash apart and cleaned and sanitized every piece, part, and every square inch of the bare sheet metal, and replace all the sound deadening material which miraculously, was all they damaged- besides the multiple nests, droppings, and saturated carpet and padding which I cleaned to almost brand new! Took me 2 solid weeks from start to finish. I love this thing!
Can you show me how to change PCV valve 1MZ-EF Toyota Highlander v6 2003, Pls.
Look at 6:22 - the hose I remove there is on the PCV. Once the hose is off, just unscrew the PCV and replace it.
You dont need to do all that to reach the spark plugs youll just have to really reacharound the left side and have to remove the wires for the throttle
Why were you replacing the gaskets? Running lean?
I was doing a tuneup and replacing leaky valve cover gaskets. Since the intake was off, I replaced those gaskets.
Hello..mine dont have intake manifold gasket..shud i put gasket?
I would recommend it.
can you show me how to change spat plus
ruclips.net/video/DM8tDHqHsTA/видео.htmlsi=6ifrW5dUoFzJD6B0
So there is no fuel pump fuse you could pull?
No, in this car the injectors share the same relay.
Hi could u tell me where this hose go to on my 01 highlander 3.0
It’s the hose that come from the vacuum surge
They go in a bundle down to a manifold near the front engine mount. Vacuum source is just behind the throttle body.
Would it be same as 2001 limited all wheel drive?
Yes, they’re the same generation.
Can’t you just remove fuel pump relay instead of all that work at the pump?
No, not on this car. The fuel pump relay also powers the injectors.
no fuel line work needed for this job. Why do you include this extra work?
Because I removed the lower intake also.
@@ToolDemosyou can remove the lower intake with the injectors and fuelrails still attached to it. no need to disconnect fuel lines. At least, you can do so on the 2005 highlander. The setup is slightly different, not as many wires and hoses.
@@z07af thanks, I’ll try that next time.
how long would the gas spray out if you didn't drain it first?
It will spray for about 1 second and then drip for a few minutes. You can cover the connection with a rag to keep the spray contained.
@@ToolDemos Thank you so much! I never did the knock sensor replacement before and my engine looks different that any I can find on youtube. It is a 2006 3.3L highlander. The gas line looks weird as, it doesn't have any sort of clamp where it connects to the lower intake. The larger hose, that is connected to the lower intake has a clamp, but when I moved the clamp back, it has some weird metal clamp looking thing underneath the clamp I just moved. Will it come off anyway?
@@Squddle The fuel connection that you need to remove is not at the manifold, it’s down further underneath the brake master cylinder and above the transmission. It should be the same plastic connection that I show in this video. Maybe this website can be helpful: www.tohighlander.com/knock_sensor_3mz_fe_-443.html
I would of just pulled the fuel pump relay or fuse 🤷🏻♂️.
Not possible on this car.
@@ToolDemos really! I haven't ever done it on this one but have on my first gen Sequoia. I almost put "or does it not have one". But thought for sure it must have.
By the way great videos. Very helpful. I am doing a bunch of the stuff your covering in these videos. Doing knock sensors, intake gaskets, that bypass hose, rear plugs while I'm there even though it didn't need them, valve cover gaskets cause it needed them like 9 years ago! Cheaped out, thought about doing rear coils but I would use denso so I saved the money. I also have an extra upper intake gasket so if I need to go back in it will just be the cost of the coils. Well and the pain in the ass pulling that upper intake but trying to save where I can these days!
@@natevanlandingham1945 yeah, frustrating. I looked for a relay or fuse, but the injectors (if I remember correctly) share the circuit. I’m glad you’re taking care of yours, these are good cars and it’ll serve for years.
Dude you could've pulled the fuel pump relay. Way less work
This car doesn’t have a fuel pump relay.