2015 4.0 broken valve spring

So I have a 2015 4.0 tacoma 4x4, zero compression on the driver side front cylinder (#1 I think) it the intake valve, is there a way to do this without pulling the head? Thanks for any tips or tricks.

 

If it's indeed a broken spring you would have to remove the cam at a minimum, providing there's room for a spring compressor you can bring the piston up to TDC and put air in the cylinder to hold the valve shut while you change the spring.

 

If you haven’t already, scope the cylinder and look for any signs of contact between the valve and piston crown and / or do a cylinder leakdown test on the affected hole to make sure you don’t have a bent valve.

There is zero point in trying to replace the spring with the head on if the valve is bent.

If all good there, I think it would be possible with that cylinder at TDC, and air pressure in the cylinder to hold the valve closed.

 

Yeah I scoped the hole, and all the other cylinders too. no damage to the piston all other cylinders have 180-185 psi across the board. Getting the intake cam off is the major problem I’m running into. I’m guessing I’m going to have to pull the front cover as well

 

Never heard of a broken valve spring on a Toyota engine, How many miles?

 

Well they had a recall for the 4 bangers due to defective valve springs.

https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/2013-14-toyota-tacoma-recalled-for-potential-engine-failure.html

 

Cylinder #2. #1 is on the passenger side.

It can be done with compressed air. Removing the cams in the engine bay is very tricky.

The inspection cover on the passenger side of the timing cover, is how to access the main tensioner for the timing chain.

 

Thank you very much, that is what I was needing. I hope!

 

I agree compressed air will keep the valve up - but is there an on-engine spring compressor he can use? Or only the C clamp kind for when the head is on the bench?

 

@Athlaos

 

This is the kind I'm thinking of, which we use on our overhead cam ski engines:

 

You can replace the spring without taking the front cover off, I replaced all my springs and retainers by holding the chain out of the way with some heavy duty elastic bands tied down to something solid. I wish I had pictures of the setup, I totally forgot to take some when I did the work. Just make sure it doesn't skip on the crank sprocket and you're good. Mark the timing chain and the smaller exhaust chain and check your timing once everything is back together.

I made a spring compressor, it's an adapter block and bucket that adapts a compressor that I used for my car. It's pretty hacked, and tedious, but it worked, and it's less expensive than the overhead lever-type compressors.

You'll see that little compressor-bucket in the second photo. That bucket ended up being slightly too small (like a few mils) and I had to make my own out of an old Tacoma bucket. I am searching for a photo of that...

 

Dang, that is nice and looks expensive. HF to the rescue?

 

Yeah, it's for Yamahas. Only one company makes it and it's $250. Couple of us threw in together and bought it for spring changes.

 

I would pull the head................it is entirely likely the valve itself is damaged

unlikely it will seat properly with a new spring

thereby ‘ tweaked ‘...u will effect a repair near term

yet time / miles down the road that valve may give it up

the head / valve will be destroyed...................maybe the piston

id pull the head clean up Everything !

long run will cost U l e s s