V6 Valve clearance adjustment

[v-cam]

I have a 3vz-fe with a noisy valve. I never had the valve clearance adjusted at 160,000 kms as the mechanic said I don't need to.

So now at 220,000 kms I have a tick-tick-tick on hot idle.

To any fellow aussies out there, how much did it cost you to have the valve clearance adjusted, and did the engine have to be sent away? (one mechanic wants to send the heads away.)

Thanks.

[JetspeedCamry]

Yeah mine is doing the same, and am going to adjust them shortly...its making the same "tick tick tick"

[marc780]

I'm not familiar with how they do things down under, V-cam. But maybe the mechanic who wanted to send your heads away is trying to sell you a valve job? Or he doesnt know how to adjust valves.
I'd check the clearances myself first. If you can get the valve covers off you can check them. Most solid lifter engines will still make noise even if the clearances are within specs. I've never owned a solid lifter engine that DIDN'T make valve noise (5 or 6 now, ive lost count). And it never did any harm, drove em all to way over 100,000 miles and then some. So i'd at least check the valve clearances first before i had it worked on. And if they are within specs leave it.
If you want to adjust them yourself you can. You just need a special service tool or one like it to push down the lifter bucket to get the shims out if need be. And a micrometer to measure the shims and a source for Toyota shims. Not easy but im guessing way cheaper than having it done.
My Haynes manual 97 thru 01 lists these valve clearances (ENGINE COLD):

4 Cyl:
Intake: .007 to .011 inch
Exhaust: .011 to .015 inch

6:
I: .006 to .010 inch
E: .010 to .014 inch

[Axel Kain]

1992-1996-3VZ-FE engine cold!
Intake-0.005 to 0.009 inch
Exhaust-0.011 to 0.15 inch