[ghost_207]

Brought my corolla new in 2007, I have 140000 miles, thinking about getting a valve job done. Do I need to check out my valves? I have change everything out already. I travel about 17000 to 20000 miles a year. I have not replace my valve cover gasket yet.

 

[MasterTecInSTL]

You can check the valve clearance easy enough however making adjustments is difficult on this motor as you don't adjust them so much as replace the lifters with thicker ones to bring the valves into specification.

This involves measuring your valve clearances and then pulling the cams and lifters and measuring the lifters... then ordering new lifters of the proper thickness to bring the valves into specification... then reassembling everything and rechecking to make sure it's all good.

It's not a horrible job to do but can get expensive if you're paying someone to do it, and you'll be out of the car for at least a few days waiting for parts.

Personally I don't really plan on going through all that hassle. I'm actually right at 140,000 myself on my '03 and I'm just going to run it until it starts running rough or until I hear valve and/or lifter noise. If that time ever comes I'll probably just buy a used (or rebuilt) head and redo it myself and then swap it out.

IIRC Toyota recommends the valve clearance be checked every 120k or so but I really doubt many people even bother as there's nothing you can really (easily) do about it anyway. And many people on here have 300k+ miles on theirs.

 

[invader]

I got fed up with the ticking sound, and adjusted all 16 valves at or close to minimum spec at 100,000 miles with 7 new lifters, and by switching the other ones around. I had a couple exhaust valve clearances at near maximum spec which could be heard ticking. The others were closer to middle of range, and all the clearances had increased since I had measured them at 65,000 miles.

Toyota calls for an audible inspection every 48 months / 40,000 miles... No need to measure the lifter thickness which is clearly marked underneath. You do have to remove the camshafts to access the lifters. The lifters' thickness markings do match their actual thickness, as measured with metric micrometer.

I just started by measuring my valve lash clearances, removed camshafts and the lifters to see which thicknesses I had, and reassembled it the same evening. I then determined which replacement lifters I wanted, and ordered them and a new valve cover gasket... Once I received the parts, I removed the camshafts again and replaced the lifters, reinstalled camshafts and valve cover with new gasket to finish adjusting my valve lash clearances, again over the evening.

Lifters are available in 35 sizes in increments of 0.020 mm, from 5.060 mm to 5.740 mm.
A 5.060 mm lifter has a "06" marking underneath, and is Toyota part # 13751-46030... A 5.080 mm lifter has an "08" marked undernmeath and is Toyota part # 13751-46040, and so on up to the 5.740 mm lifter with "74" marking; part # 13751-46370.

Some original lifters may be in 0.010 mm increments (5.490 mm with a "49" marking).

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_2004_TOYOTA_CELICA_ZZT230L-BLMSHA_1302.html?hl=13751

http://madstyle1972.com/Repair/14/201lbc04/a040001.pdf

I did it without removing engine mounting insulator and serpentine belt and tensioner, by locating TDC with a straw on piston #1 (passenger side) with spark plugs removed for easy crankshaft rotation (clockwise). I also didn't have to unbolt timing gears from the camshafts.

It's not a valve job, by the way... Just a valve lash clearance adjustment.

 

[zythr]

You can check the valve clearance easy enough however making adjustments is difficult on this motor as you don't adjust them so much as replace the lifters with thicker ones to bring the valves into specification.

This involves measuring your valve clearances and then pulling the cams and lifters and measuring the lifters... then ordering new lifters of the proper thickness to bring the valves into specification... then reassembling everything and rechecking to make sure it's all good.

It's not a horrible job to do but can get expensive if you're paying someone to do it, and you'll be out of the car for at least a few days waiting for parts.

Personally I don't really plan on going through all that hassle. I'm actually right at 140,000 myself on my '03 and I'm just going to run it until it starts running rough or until I hear valve and/or lifter noise. If that time ever comes I'll probably just buy a used (or rebuilt) head and redo it myself and then swap it out.

IIRC Toyota recommends the valve clearance be checked every 120k or so but I really doubt many people even bother as there's nothing you can really (easily) do about it anyway. And many people on here have 300k+ miles on theirs.

I wonder why adjusting the valves is like this on the 1ZZ, but it is different on the 2ZZ (camshafts don't have to be removed to adjust valave clearances)