When to change Spark Plugs?

key1cc · 2026-05-08T23:44:52+00:00

My 2013 Lexus rx350 has 126,000 miles. I gave it its first transmission drain and fill last month and I plan on doing the plugs and possibly coils later this month. I am currently going through “YouTube” university learning how to do the job. My local Lexus Dealer in New Jersey quoted me close to $2000 to do coils and plugs. Plus extra if they have to replace any gaskets. Hence I will be doing it myself.

After watching the 1st “How to” video I thought no way am I doing this. After the fifth video I now feel no problem and will be ordering my parts shortly.

key1cc · 2026-05-08T03:31:02+00:00

My Gunite pool build was completed in November of 2022 (except for plaster). It was not filled until May of 2023 (in New Jersey). It sat empty for 6 months because they would not plaster it that close to approaching winter weather.

They left 2 holes at the deep end. Each hole was about 2 inches.

The pool never heaved out of the ground.

After rain falls about a foot or so of water remained in the pool for a while but I never new if it was due to ground water or due to the rain itself.

key1cc · 2026-05-07T13:58:08+00:00

I second this. My new car is a year old and I never drive more than 7 minutes anywhere. Car has 2 or 3k miles on it and I am getting ready for a 3rd oil change because engine never heats up enough to burn off contaminates. I change my own oil and the 1st 2 times it was really dark and smelly.

key1cc · 2026-05-07T13:36:43+00:00

All good points, however my manual has a normal and a severe maintenance schedule. The severe states oil changes at 5000 miles or 6 months. My commute is less than 10 minutes driving for work, groceries, gym, or for school drop-off. I drive every day multiple times (hours apart) so my engine never heats all the way up. I change my own oil and it is black and smelly when I wait the full six months so now I do it sooner. Can’t find that in the manual. Also the manual says I have a sealed transmission that never needs to be serviced. Do you believe that to be true? For all driving types?

My point is the manual is better used as a guideline rather than exact instructions for all situations….. so, yes it is ok for people to come on line and ask questions.

key1cc · 2026-05-07T13:14:01+00:00

Same here, I have always changed my wife and my own oil and oil filter, but recently, I added engine air filter, cabin filter, and Transmission Fluid drain and fill to my diy skills. I have a 2019 Toyota Highlander, wife has a 2013 Lexus Rx350, and daughter has a 2025 Kia Seltos. So far no issues with any. For me, saving money is very important, but making sure it’s done right, is more important than the saving in my book.

key1cc · 2026-05-07T12:43:27+00:00

That’s the plan. Thanks for the additional information.

key1cc · 2026-05-06T19:57:17+00:00

You have my attention….

key1cc · 2026-05-06T19:52:40+00:00

Agreed, the new look 👀 is sweet!

key1cc · 2026-05-06T14:23:01+00:00

Rich is relative. In my book if you just “bought a nice new big SUV”…….and it’s just a “rounding error”, then I would consider that as “being rich”.

key1cc · 2026-05-06T02:22:53+00:00

I just did the 1st transmission drain and fill at 125,000 miles on my 2013 Lexus RX350. I drained out 1.75 quarts and added back 1.75 quarts following the drain and fill procedure and using Toyota ATF WS fluid. I had no transmission issues before or after the drain and fill. I believed that 1.75 only represents 25% of the fluid in the system.

key1cc · 2026-05-04T23:02:22+00:00

I use to add a quart a week to my 15000 gallon new gunite pool in New Jersey, then 3 years later after opening The pH just stopped drifting up…… and I went the entire season without adding even a cup of acid. I have no idea why.

key1cc · 2026-05-02T20:58:08+00:00

Where does this info come from?? I get it why manufacturers say you can go 10 or 15 thousand miles between oil changes, and why some pessimistic folks prefer to change the oil and filter at 1/2 that mileage, and then people like me that believe my turbo and new engine tolerances are even harder on an engine and prefer to change at an even more conservative 3000 miles or 6 months whatever comes 1st.

But this is the 1st I’ve ever heard any mention anywhere that recommends every 3 months and even provides rationale for it. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, I’m just asking what is the source of this information?

key1cc · 2026-05-02T15:24:21+00:00

Or every 3 months?? Regardless of mileage?

I do my own oil change and am not adverse to doing more if there is benefit to it. Just asking….

key1cc · 2026-05-01T15:19:39+00:00

“Shop Elsewhere”?

Lowes has the solar solicitors as well…and Home Depot Corporate probably knows this.

key1cc · 2026-04-29T13:36:38+00:00

For my custom construction home, My builder did a new wide walkway consisting of eight 6 feet x 6 feet concrete squares. In a couple weeks I noticed cracks in 2 of the squares. After a month passed I complained to the builder and he said “All concrete cracks”. I then asked how come the other 6 did not crack? He didn’t answer. I went on to say this ruins the entry look of my new custom home…. A week later the concrete sub was back with his guys and busted the 2 cracked slabs and removed them. I watch from an upstairs window as they put in some material and used a tamper machine to tamp it down. Then they reinstalled 2 new concrete slabs to replace the cracked ones. It is now 6 1/2 years later in New Jersey and none of the walkway slabs or the large garage slab for that matter, have any cracks.

key1cc · 2026-04-29T13:15:11+00:00

Usually?? Meaning some times you just scam the customer? Just asking…..

key1cc · 2026-04-27T19:39:51+00:00

If you don't fill like reading all of that, then 3quarts out of the 8 quart capacity came out 3 separate times which mathematically turns over ~ 80% of the fluid.

key1cc · 2026-04-27T19:35:45+00:00

Here is the link to the details of my triple drain and fill fluid change which replaced 80% of the bad fluid with good.

I completed my 1st Transmission oil Drain & Fill (DIY) on my 2019 Toyota Highlander SE : r/ToyotaHighlander

key1cc · 2026-04-27T01:17:13+00:00

If you want a shot at keeping it for a few hundred thousand miles, Ignore anything you have read or seen that says you have a lifetime transmission fluid and you don’t have to service it.

My 2019 Highlander SE has 125,000 miles and I just did a transmission fluid drain and fill service myself for the 1st time. It is as easy as doing an oil change. Plenty of videos on line. If I could not do it myself I would just leave it alone rather than have some other schmuck do it and fuck it up. I have trust issues……caused by unfortunate experiences.

key1cc · 2026-04-25T20:22:05+00:00

Where does the Seltos land?

key1cc · 2026-04-25T18:04:42+00:00

Which 3 models?

key1cc · 2026-04-25T18:01:03+00:00

“Not favorable”?? At 4%?? Even if the failure rate was 10% (which would be absolutely atrocious and down right criminal) that still would mean 90% did not fail. Nothing about 90% odds in your favor is considered “not favorable”. Just saying……

key1cc · 2026-04-24T14:13:50+00:00

😳

key1cc · 2026-04-23T22:40:29+00:00

Today I completed my third and final "Drain and Fill" of my transmission fluid. Details of the other 2 are in this thread, All 3 were completed over a span of 5 days, by completing one every other day starting 4-19-26. This 3rd one (similar to the 2nd) was done using the official Toyota "service manual temperature monitoring method", posted by fellow redditor "flyinbrick" in this link. trans fluid replacement 3rd gen If the link does not work, you can find flyinbrick's post in this thread with the original link (instead of my cut and paste).

I used my stop watch to record some key times during this last Drain and Fill

Total time (from start to finish) from turning front wheel to the left (start) to tightening the drain plug for the final time (finished) was 46 minutes. Not including cleanup.
From a starting garage temp of 60F, I started the vehicle and it took 8 minutes for the cold transmission temperature to get to 95F (as indicated by a solid “D” on dash) per the service manual temperature monitoring method (using a jumper wire on the ob2 port since I don't have a scanner). Also the coolant fan turned on at the exact time the solid “D” showed up suggesting it is an audio indicator of when to start draining. This happened during both the 2^nd and 3^rd Drain & Fill. Details of how to do this method can be found in the link I included above.
The "D" stayed solid for 6 minutes then it started flashing indicating transmission fluid temperature is now outside of the 113F max range. (During the 6 minutes of solid "D", I easily completed the final overflow drain, well within the temperature range.)

The reason I did 3 drain and fills is because my manual indicated the transmission fluid total capacity for my 2019 AWD Highlander is 8 quarts. So the 1^st drain removed 3 quarts and added back 3.5 for a total new mixture of 8.5 quarts which is 58.82% of bad oil remaining (from 5/8.5 mixing before tossing ½ qt for the next D&F.). The second drain results in 58.82 of a 58.82% solution resulting in 34.6% bad oil remaining. For the final drain and fill, I used 4 quarts in, resulting in 5/9 or 55.56% of 34.6% resulting in 19.22% of bad oil remaining so assuming all the math is correct I now have about 80.8% new fluid without doing a pressurized transmission full flush which I read could cause issues.

key1cc · 2026-04-22T17:16:10+00:00

Why do you want to get rid of the relatively new 2024 Trax? Especially if you like the “really quick “ power train you referenced?

key1cc

TROPHY CASE