Today I was changing the spark plugs on my 07 and while i was taking out one of the plugs, the ceramic on the wire side broke... I was able to get the plug out no problem, because the socket was on the plug when it broke, and I'm 99% sure that none of the broken ceramic fell into the engine because I was using one of those plug sockets with the rubber boot, so anything that broke off would have just stayed into the socket? Anyway.. put in new plugs and started it up and for maybe 2 or 3 seconds there was a loud rattle in the engine, then it went away. So maybe something did fall in and then got blown out the exhaust?

The problem now is that it's idling weird, like it's missing maybe? I don't know for sure that it's missing. When it idles it sure sounds like it's missing, rub-rub-rub-rub instead of a nice smooth idle. It revs up just fine though, every once in a while, maybe every 4 or 5 seconds it will jerk like it missed. I noticed when it does idle it bounces between 900 - 1000, and when I took it for a drive I saw it bouncing from 300-500 when I had my foot off the gas... Anyway I freaked out and took the Toyota and bought a new set of plugs and wires, put them on and no change.

HELP!

 

make sure all the wires are connected and on the right plug first

 

I already did, the wiring is sound.

 

check engine light on?

 

Are you sure you don't have 2 wires crossed? Mine did the same thing when I had the 5-6 swapped.

 

Yeah, I'm positive I don't have the wires crossed. I've checked at least 7 times, lol.

Also, thank god, I've ruled out a dead cylinder... I've tried killing each cylinder one at a time several times, and each time I kill one the engine shakes more and you can hear a change in the exhaust, so it's missing randomly, most likely in just one cylinder....


Acouple times when I was freaking out about the possibility of shrapnel in the engine I turned it over with the #4 cylinder spark plug removed so I could listen to the cylinder while it ran to see if I could hear if something got in there, and once I let it turn over a few rounds with no spark plugs, so I'm thinking could it be the timing?

I'll see if I can get one of the school bus mechanics to help me look at it tomorrow.

 

You have 100k on an 07?

 

are the plug gapped correctly?

 

have you pulled the plug that the one broke to make sure its not all messed up because something was down there..

 

why are you changing the plugs on an 07?

My 07 2.3 has 15k miles on it and it purs like a kitten and no issues and the mileage has only gotten better since it has broken in since it was new. I would know I drove it off the lot with ten miles on it, and out of those first ten i put 7 on it test driving it lol.

 

There is a possibility that a piece got stuck between the valve and bent it causing a miss. I would hope that is not the case but it seem like you have ruled everything else out.

 

+1 On this thought.

 

Pull the plugs and check the compression of eatch cylinder.

 

Doesn't sound good at all. Getting a "Check Engine" light warning yet?

If you've checked all the wiring and everything is back to normal (wires in the correct location, proper spark plug gap), I guess you'll have to wait until it throws some codes at you.

 

Or Check Compression

 

if you got new plugs after that and it's still doing it, i can't think of anything else but a bent valve

 

Yeah I hope that you dont have a bent valve.

 

Now do you guys think with something like this happening, not knowing if one of the peices of the broken ceramic fell in, would it be a good idea to try to suck out whatever may have fallen with a shop vac before putting in the new plug? Would that even work?

 

You need to do a compression leak-down test. not a compression test. That will tell you if you have a bent valve or not.

 

You beat me to it Mark. I was going to ask why in the heck you would change plugs on a new motor of less than 20k miles.

Was just about to mention this!

 

I thought it'd be a good idea to get all fancy and upgrade to some NGK plugs

Actually I've got it retty well narrowed down to the EGR. I'm finally getting a CEL - P0400 , EGR flow malfunction. It makes sense, too, it's not misfiring, just the idle is rough. If I even barely put my foot on the gas, and rev it to 1100rpm it's just fine. Anything above 1100 or so RPM it runs like a champ, not even a shake, and I've only lost maybe 1 or 2 mpg.


So, I spent almost an hour talking to the school bus mechanics, grizzard 65 year olds who know their stuff inside and out, and they agree the most likely scenario is that a little chunk fell in, blew through the exhaust and on it's way out decided to clusterf*ck the EGR valve. It makes sense-ish, and it fits all the symptoms perfectly...

 

Change the valve and see how she does

 

Take off the egr and look inside. I think it would have to be a preety small chunk to be pulled in by that small vacum.

 

could also be a broken valve spring.

 

I'm able to account for everything, metal or ceramic, except for a small shard of ceramic maybe 1/8th" wide by 1/4" long? Definitly small enough to get sucked up by and into the EGR.

Plus, P0400 was the ONLY code the OBD is throwing, even after about 100 miles of driving.. No misfire, ignition or other codes, just P0400. I wish I didn't have to drive it but I can't fix it without going to work and getting that paycheck!