[JohnSmith0909]

Hi,

I have a 2AZ-FE engine. About 200k miles. Have never had valve clearance adjustment done. I think I'm overdue. I'm noticing some noise that I think is coming from worn out camshaft lobe and valve lifter buckets. To much clearance probably. I'll have to check with feeler gauges but this is what I suspect to be my issue. Want to be prepared just in case this is the issue.

Can anyone point me towards a good video of this being done with the engine still in the car? I was hoping to DIY it. I looked at the service manual. Do I need to be prepared to remove the timing chain cover just in case the chain comes off the teeth of the sprocket? The service manual recommends removing both camshafts, the timing chain tension. I'm worried that it might come off the teeth of the crank shaft sprocket. I seen online, some people attempt this repair by using zipties on the chain to secure the chain to the sprockets on the camshaft. They then move the end of the camshaft (the one that doesn't have the chain on it) enough slightly to create enough clearance to remove the valve lifters for measurement. Kind of a round about way of doing it that is not in accordance with the service manual. Is there an aftermarket version of the valve lifter buckets? I'd rather not pay $30 for a single one from Toyota lol! I think this engine doesn't have shims, but solid non-hydraulic buckets that don't allow oil to flow out of them. Thanks for any help or advice on doing this job.

Of done this job before, but on a Honda product, with the engine already removed from the vehicle. I don't have the tools I need to completely remove the engine from this Camry. If I can do it with it still in the car, that would be preferred. With the engine removed, it would be very easy, but I don't want to go through the hassle.

Just for laughs and giggles I called my Toyota dealer and they wanted $1,600.00 for this job hahahaha.

 

[kenny-bob]

Measuring the valve clearance doesn't require much, but adjusting clearance by pulling lifter cups is where the $hop time adds up.

Section 14 of the FSM covers engine and there are several pages devoted for adjusting valve clearance while engine is in the car and without removing the timing cover. i posted the shim calculation from the FSM in another thread, let me know if you need it.

 

[Gen4-L4-5MT]

I have, in my sphere, a 2005 Corolla with this same valve clearance methodology. I have not checked the valves on my daughter's car... but when I do I hope to not have to adjust any of them.

Seems to me you need the engine at TDC on compression, for cyl no. 1, and then you need to wire the chain upwards, on both sides of the chain-course, so it does not get unhooked from the crankshaft sprocket teeth. Also, when the cams come out, they need to always be parallel to their normally installed positions... so the camshaft thrust-arrangement is not "boogered-up". So, slackening off cam caps has to be done in the FSM-prescribed way.

 

[kenny-bob]

Mark the chain links that align with the cam arrows before removing the chain--those marks are used during reassembly.

TDC compression on #1 is the timing mark on the crank pulley and the cam lobes will be pointing away from each other, intake to the rear and exhaust to the front.

 

[JohnSmith0909]

Mark the chain links that align with the cam arrows before removing the chain--those marks are used during reassembly.

TDC compression on #1 is the timing mark on the crank pulley and the cam lobes will be pointing away from each other, intake to the rear and exhaust to the front.

Hey thanks. Yea I have the service manual. So when I undo the timing chain tensioner or remove the camshafts I just need to insure a constant upward force remains on the chain to ensure it doesn't come off teeth on the sprocket for the crankshaft? I see the service manual says to just to tie it something using string.

Also none of the dealerships have the valve lifters in stock in the surrounding states. It's supposedly a special item that they don't keep in stock, and they have to order it, costing about $30 a piece lol. Is there an aftermarket manufacturer that makes these parts? I guess with 0.001 tolerance on these things, no aftermarket manufacturers make them? Was hoping to not buy them from Toytoa, but I don't see them on like Rock Auto.

 

[Old Mechanic]

The range of tolerances on valve clearance are pretty large. If few suppliers carry them in stock, it's a pretty good indication that there is no demand for them. I would check the tolerances and leave them alone if they are not out of specification. I did basically the same type of valve job on a 1973 Alfa Romeo GTV at 60k miles. Every single valve was 1 thousandth under that measurement after another 100k miles put on the motor when I sold it. I pulled the head to install Mercedes valve guides that were the same dimension BUT had a provision for valve seals when the Alfa did not.
The reason many have no recommended adjustment is because it is not considered an issue, unless you have to pull the head and do valve work. In some cases a really good machinist can replace the valve seats and cut them to make the clearance whatever they want. In general they start with the highest clearance and over many miles that clearance will get closer as mine did by .001 in 100k miles.
Another way it to do it would be to get the thicker buckets and mill them down to the desired clearance. There is a lot of strategy to get it to the perfect tolerance while using as many of the buckets as you can from what you take off.
The Alfa had separate buckets and shims that sat between the bucket and the head of the valve.
If you have a damaged cam lobe then that must be corrected before any adjustment is attempted.
Pop the valve cover (cam cover) and check what you have, you may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Gen4-L4-5MT]

Shim over bucket is a better- if less robust design (i.e. better from a svce. perspective). Alfa's shim under bucket is a PITA too, but the shims are (I'm guessing) cheaper than whole-bucket shims. Has anyone ever heard of a shim-over-bucket shim having been flipped out? I prefer that design, at least for a street- rather than race car. Wonder why they abandoned that design for the Camry and the Corolla?

 

[Old Mechanic]

Here is a video of valve adjustment. Just remember if there is no recommended interval of adjustment, then it is not considered necessary unless the cylinder head is removed. The Alfa engine was basically a box with wet liners for the cylinders. I did that job over 40 years ago. The engine would foul out the plugs if you let it idle for two minutes, cut the oil consumption by almost 75% with 280 SL guides and seals. I worked for Mercedes at the time. In those days you bought a 92 cent can of R12 and used it in an ash tray to freeze the guides before driving them in place.

 

[Gen4-L4-5MT]

That is cool, @Old Mechanic ! i.e., not the use of R12, but using refrigerant to shrink down the diameter of the guides. Of course this is done to achieve shrink fits... but that's a cool in-shop trick. I've thought about using propane for this, starting from being in the deep freeze overnight. The key is not broaching the valve guide bores in the head... And to remove them, drill them out to 90% of their wall thickness drilled-out, and tap them out. I expect there are special stepped drills that pilot on the original valve guide bores so as to accurately achieve that 90% (and NOT intrude into the valve guide bore in the head).

Yeah, re wet-liner Alfa's... Iron barrels, aluminum blocks... O-rings. They often would result in galvanic corrosion. I'm not fond of wet liners. Having said this, the Ferrari / Maserati 4200 V8 has this, but the barrels are aluminum alloy, and that engine is robust by way of block/cylinder design.