The Black Cats took half-an-hour to get into their stride after making a lack-lustre opening that was not helped by a swirling wind, but then surged into a three-goal interval lead.
Central defender Steve Caldwell crossed from the right for Dean Whitehead to head home his fifth goal of the season in the 30th minute.
Paul Wotton forced Thomas Myhre into his only save of the half three minutes later, the keeper holding onto the well-stuck 30-yard drive.
Whitehead turned goal provider in the 39th minute, crossing low into a crowded goalmouth for Julio Arca to slide the ball home from close range.
The third goal in the fifth minute of added time caused controversy. Marcus Stewart went down when challenged by Graham Coughlan and though referee Mark Cowburn brushed aside penalty claims, he changed his decision on the signal of his linesman. Stewart calmly stroked home the penalty for his 15th goal of the campaign.
Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy brought on Liam Lawrence and Sean Thornton for Jeff Whitley and Whitehead at the start of the second half, but the hosts continued to be more effective down the left flank with Arca and George McCartney causing endless problems.
The referee incensed the home crowd midway through the half when he booked McCartney and then Carl Robinson for encroachment to a twice taken free-kick just outside the penalty area by Wotton. The pressure was finally relieved when Bjarni Gudjonsson chipped just too high.
To their credit the Pilgrims kept plugging away but after a spell of sustained pressure, fell further behind in the 75th minute, ironically from Sunderland's first corner of the game.
Plymouth failed to clear and Lawrence centred from the other flank to leave the unmarked Caldwell with the easiest of chances to head home at the far post.
The visitors were rewarded in the 88th minute when substitute Scott Taylor scored a fine individual goal only for Thornton to restore the four-goal advantage in stoppage time.