RX350 Spark Plug Replacement Guide
#1
RX350 Spark Plug Replacement Guide
I could not find RX350 specific instructions.
This is just to add onto this guide for the RX330 (https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...with-pics.html)
If you cannot replace the front 3, do not continue reading.
This might not be the right way of doing everything, just how I did it.
Remove the RED 12mm bolts first (back left - back right)
Remove the WHITE screws
Remove the GREEN 5mm hex bolts
Remove the YELLOW 10 mm nuts.
This way puts the least amount of stress on the most difficult to reach objects. I did it the opposite way my first time around. FML that was awful. Never doing that again.
The RX330 guide has you remove a lot of the air intake assembly. I did not, just the last rubber connector before the throttle body.
This is a 12mm bolt connected to the back of the throttle body. 2/5 difficulty to get to.
There are studs holding down the intake manifold with 10mm nuts on them. You can also pull them out entirely if you have a reverse TORX. I did this but it did not help. The only thing neccessary to remove is the 10mm nuts.
There are bolts with 5mm hex heads. A socket attachment is much MUCH much better than using an allen wrench. That sucked @ss.
Do not
Do not
Do not disconnect any of the above until you remove the 12mm head bolt connected to the passenger side of the IM.
I could only get it with a non-flex-head ratcheting wrench
The ones from Autozone, Oriely, and Advanced Auto had heads that were too big. If you look closely at the picture above, you can see that the bolt head rests in a little channel. After FKing with it and getting pissed off the first time around, I sealed everything back up and borrowed my buddies broken Craftsman (I specify the brand because I know it fits). I worked on it about 30 - 45 minutes a day to loosen. It took me 4 days. After the bolt backed out, it became more and more difficult to get the pressure on the head to make it ratchet. Your luck may vary and I hope it is better than mine. Once this one bolt is taken out, the rest is pretty easy to disassemble.
The left circle is the other part of the bracket holding on the IM surge tank. 12mm bolt
The center circles is a bracket holding the wiring harness, disconnect both bolts for room. 10mm bolts
The right is a 10mm nut. Disconnect.
To get the spark plugs out the back I had to swap **** back and forth. A lot.
Drop this in:
Loosen with this
Pull out spark plug with this
Tighten spark plug
Pull out spark plug tool
Measurements
Six inches is too big to pull out the spark plug holder and extension. Five inches is too short. 5.25 - 5.5 might be perfect. I dunno. I don't have it and am not about to try.
While it was out, I cleaned my throttle body.
My most common mistake was not reconnecting the wiring harness to the throttle body.
The air management system should be easy enough to disassemble with help from the RX330 guide.
This is just to add onto this guide for the RX330 (https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...with-pics.html)
If you cannot replace the front 3, do not continue reading.
This might not be the right way of doing everything, just how I did it.
Remove the RED 12mm bolts first (back left - back right)
Remove the WHITE screws
Remove the GREEN 5mm hex bolts
Remove the YELLOW 10 mm nuts.
This way puts the least amount of stress on the most difficult to reach objects. I did it the opposite way my first time around. FML that was awful. Never doing that again.
The RX330 guide has you remove a lot of the air intake assembly. I did not, just the last rubber connector before the throttle body.
This is a 12mm bolt connected to the back of the throttle body. 2/5 difficulty to get to.
There are studs holding down the intake manifold with 10mm nuts on them. You can also pull them out entirely if you have a reverse TORX. I did this but it did not help. The only thing neccessary to remove is the 10mm nuts.
There are bolts with 5mm hex heads. A socket attachment is much MUCH much better than using an allen wrench. That sucked @ss.
Do not
Do not
Do not disconnect any of the above until you remove the 12mm head bolt connected to the passenger side of the IM.
I could only get it with a non-flex-head ratcheting wrench
The ones from Autozone, Oriely, and Advanced Auto had heads that were too big. If you look closely at the picture above, you can see that the bolt head rests in a little channel. After FKing with it and getting pissed off the first time around, I sealed everything back up and borrowed my buddies broken Craftsman (I specify the brand because I know it fits). I worked on it about 30 - 45 minutes a day to loosen. It took me 4 days. After the bolt backed out, it became more and more difficult to get the pressure on the head to make it ratchet. Your luck may vary and I hope it is better than mine. Once this one bolt is taken out, the rest is pretty easy to disassemble.
The left circle is the other part of the bracket holding on the IM surge tank. 12mm bolt
The center circles is a bracket holding the wiring harness, disconnect both bolts for room. 10mm bolts
The right is a 10mm nut. Disconnect.
To get the spark plugs out the back I had to swap **** back and forth. A lot.
Drop this in:
Loosen with this
Pull out spark plug with this
Tighten spark plug
Pull out spark plug tool
Measurements
Six inches is too big to pull out the spark plug holder and extension. Five inches is too short. 5.25 - 5.5 might be perfect. I dunno. I don't have it and am not about to try.
While it was out, I cleaned my throttle body.
My most common mistake was not reconnecting the wiring harness to the throttle body.
The air management system should be easy enough to disassemble with help from the RX330 guide.
Last edited by snydertalo; 07-28-15 at 12:48 PM.
#2
Wish I found this post before I tried in vain to remove the 12mm bolt connected to the passenger side of the IM! I used a flex-head ratcheting wrench and the 12mm bolt just doesn't budge at all. Will try to find the 12mm wrench shown here and wish myself good luck
Here is a picture of the wrench location. I believe it's the right location but let me know if you see something wrong.
Here is a picture of the wrench location. I believe it's the right location but let me know if you see something wrong.
#3
Finally removed the 12mm bolt connected to the intake using the magic wrench and hundreds of punches with a small hammer. After removing the intake, I found out that the 12mm blot connected to the another end of the bracket is already very loose which can even be removed by hands
To put the bolt back, it's much easier to connect the bolt and bracket to the intake first, then connect the bracket onto the engine body.
This is the bracket I'm talking about. I borrowed OP's photo.
To put the bolt back, it's much easier to connect the bolt and bracket to the intake first, then connect the bracket onto the engine body.
This is the bracket I'm talking about. I borrowed OP's photo.
#4
Here is the how-to I followed when I did my plugs - https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...ug-change.html
Here is what I did to the bracket for the next time I remove the intake -
Now it is loosen the bolt and slide it off.
Here is what I did to the bracket for the next time I remove the intake -
Now it is loosen the bolt and slide it off.
The following users liked this post:
Mesquite77 (09-18-19)
#7
the front plugs were easy peasy!! did those myself in about 15-20 minutes. The back ones however are a totally different ball game. They are a royal PITA!!!!. I had to enlist the help of my sisters husband who is huge car guy and does work on both of their vehicles to help with the back 3 as they are just buried in there against that darn firewall. Took about 3-4 hours to get the back ones done.
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The following 2 users liked this post by iMSQ:
JimmyRX350 (08-08-21),
spinellib (03-24-21)
#9
again i say the front ones are a cakewalk!; easy! 15-20 minutes; boom; done!. The rear ones; are a $%#^^!. took 3-4 hours to get mine done. Theres no real "quick" way around the rear ones that im aware of.
#10
I just watched this.
Best 2GR-FE spark plug video on youtube!
Thanks for posting it.
The following users liked this post:
JimmyRX350 (08-08-21)
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Margate330 (08-07-21)
#13
This video for spark plugs removal/replacement is the Best
https://youtu.be/ING-RK7NJ-c
https://youtu.be/ING-RK7NJ-c
The universal impact socket used at 12.00 mins to reach the hard bolt can be had on ebay and made by Gearwrench and sometimes sold "ala-carte" so buying the whole expensive set is not necessary.
The following users liked this post:
JimmyRX350 (08-08-21)
#14
2007 Lexus RX350 Spark Plug change
Hi Everyone,
I believe this is my first post here. I have a 2007 Lexus RX350 and have been doing my regular maintenance on my own. Today finally I decided to change the spark plugs since the truck just clocked 60K miles. The maintenance manual says 120K or 12 years so it was due now. Everything went smoothly after watching the video below.
I have one question, while opening the coil on cylinder 5 my plastic connector broke. I tried my best to do it slowly but it's an almost 15 years old vehicle and those plastic parts are really brittle. Has anyone had that issue? I ordered the coil connector harness from amazon in case I need to replace the plastic cover but wanted to see if someone else had that and did that cause the check engine light to come up?
Here are some pics of the work.
Thank you!
Imran
I believe this is my first post here. I have a 2007 Lexus RX350 and have been doing my regular maintenance on my own. Today finally I decided to change the spark plugs since the truck just clocked 60K miles. The maintenance manual says 120K or 12 years so it was due now. Everything went smoothly after watching the video below.
I have one question, while opening the coil on cylinder 5 my plastic connector broke. I tried my best to do it slowly but it's an almost 15 years old vehicle and those plastic parts are really brittle. Has anyone had that issue? I ordered the coil connector harness from amazon in case I need to replace the plastic cover but wanted to see if someone else had that and did that cause the check engine light to come up?
Here are some pics of the work.
Thank you!
Imran
The following users liked this post:
Margate330 (10-09-21)
#15
Hi Everyone,
I believe this is my first post here. I have a 2007 Lexus RX350 and have been doing my regular maintenance on my own. Today finally I decided to change the spark plugs since the truck just clocked 60K miles. The maintenance manual says 120K or 12 years so it was due now. Everything went smoothly after watching the video below.
I have one question, while opening the coil on cylinder 5 my plastic connector broke. I tried my best to do it slowly but it's an almost 15 years old vehicle and those plastic parts are really brittle. Has anyone had that issue? I ordered the coil connector harness from amazon in case I need to replace the plastic cover but wanted to see if someone else had that and did that cause the check engine light to come up?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ING-RK7NJ-c
Here are some pics of the work.
Thank you!
Imran
I believe this is my first post here. I have a 2007 Lexus RX350 and have been doing my regular maintenance on my own. Today finally I decided to change the spark plugs since the truck just clocked 60K miles. The maintenance manual says 120K or 12 years so it was due now. Everything went smoothly after watching the video below.
I have one question, while opening the coil on cylinder 5 my plastic connector broke. I tried my best to do it slowly but it's an almost 15 years old vehicle and those plastic parts are really brittle. Has anyone had that issue? I ordered the coil connector harness from amazon in case I need to replace the plastic cover but wanted to see if someone else had that and did that cause the check engine light to come up?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ING-RK7NJ-c
Here are some pics of the work.
Thank you!
Imran
I had to replce my front 3 coil connector too. The 3 in the back aren't as bad but I have the parts to do it if I need to- they can fall off if they won't click in properly.
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