Knocking noise

[shawn]

i am sure there is a previous post about this but i can't find what i am looking for.  i noticed yesterday that there is a knocking sound coming from my engine when i am in gear or at idle.  anyone have this problem?

[cyclone]

It is usually a bad plug or loose plug wire

[shawn]

thanks, i will try that.

[shawn]

Will either one of these work?
http://www.sparkplugs.com/results_appOther.asp?otherMotiveID=53711&mfid=3

[Capt Rick]

The knocking noise if it goes away after 1100 rpm is normal. The installation of a fresh set of plugs is always a good yearly maintainence items. Plugs autolight #3923. The noise is the backlash of the gears in the transmission.

[phenom_1819]

Ditto. This was the problem I had last year -- but was told it's nothing to worry about until it's bad at the higher RPM's.  That happened at the end of the year with new plugs.  Rather than going out and buying a whole set (unless you want to drop the cash), go out and buy one and test each of the cylinders.  Shouldn't take more than an hour at the most to find the bad plug.

[wakejunky]

just thought I'd chime in. repeat after me "I will never put anything other than Denso plugs in my Toyota-----EVER------ " epic, car, truck, suv. Toyotas love factory plugs.? By the way Toyota and Lexus dealerships have denso's cheaper than any worthless autozone could ever have. Plus they are pregapped for your engine. That includes regular, platnium, and irridium plugs. If you go to the dealerships just ask for plugs for a 2000 GS400 or LS400. By the way do not wait for Knocking or pinging to get worse. Normally the Knock sensors detects Knocking or ping well before you can hear it and the ECM retards the timing, that equals a big loss of power. If the ECM cannot retard timing anymore you can then actually hear it Knock or ping and IT WILL DAMAGE your engine. So if you can already hear it Knocking change the plugs NOW!!! and only run premium fuel. Also when changing plugs always apply antiseize to the threaded portion of the plug.

[phenom_1819]

I can only read the first line of text on Wakejunky's post, so forgive me if I repeat something or say something stupid.  But I agree with the Denso's. I honestly think I can feel/hear a performance difference after upgrading from the NGK's.

[shawn]

just got the densos today, i have one little silly question, do these plugs come already gapped to our specs?

[cyclone]

They should, but I always check. I have control issues.

[toyotafreak]

Yes, whatever you do, don't gap them. They're muy bien from the dealer.

I agree on the anti-sieze thing. Just go get some (think Loctite makes a few kinds, but whatever as long as it's silver and way messy). I put some on the threads then wiped a lot of it off on the Sequoia. The stuff is used to prevent th hard plug threads from winning the heat battle with the aluminum head threads when you torque them down. And make suer you torque them to 13 ft./lbs.

The manual doesn't mention antisieze, so take this FWIW. If you do use the antisieze, make sure you keep the cylinder-exposed surfaces completely clean.

I sound like a mom.

[shawn]

I got mine from sparkplugs.com, do you think they came pre-gapped, and if not, what is the correct gap?

[toyotafreak]

So long as you got the correct Denso part number, you're gapped. Sorry i made it sound like the dealer did the gapping. Denso SK20R11 and NGK IFR6A11


The book says that if you do need to gap, bend the base of the electrode only and gap for 1.1 mm (0.043 in.)

Oh yeah, the torque on the coil caps is 66 in/lbs, or exactly not too tight, but just right.

[shawn]

thanks guys, you all have been a great help.  Heading up to lake beryessa right now.  It's going to be in the 80's today...See Ya!

[cyclone]

Will they still let you jump off the big rock up there? I have a funny story about that place

Cal, take a look at the right side of each post, there is a slider bar so that you can see all the lines of text. It's a new thing with the new forum software.