Valve Clearance Adjustment

Is there any DIY videos on how to check and adjust the valves on a 2007 Tacoma with a V6? Thanks

 

If you dont find a specific how to video Its bucket over shim style. So any video of that style setup will work.

 

Once you get the valve covers off, it’s not too hard to check them. The service manual does a very good job showing how to check each of them. You will just need a feeler gauge to check. Adjusting them would be a little bit more involved. How many miles on your truck?

 

Bucket over shim, same as my Kawasaki. All you need is a micrometer and a few shims, with some basic hand tools.

 

One thing I’ve always done is to remove the spark plugs. It makes rotating the engine much easier not having to fight compression.

The few times I’ve messed with timing chains, I’ve found myself frustrated and wishing I’d paid someone else to do it. I’m impatient, easily frustrated, and don’t like doing things that take too long.

 

Nope, actually the buckets are the shims. Checking clearance is real easy but changing the buckets requires removing the cams which gets a bit more involved. Thankfully they rarely ever need adjustments. I checked my valve clearance at 200k when I installed different exhaust cam gears, and they were dead on in the middle of the spec’d range.

OP, unless you have issues that point to valve clearance or are already taking the valve covers off anyway, I wouldn’t bother!

 

Agree with this ^^^. That is why I asked the OP about his mileage. I checked mine while doing my head gasket at 295k miles. There was only one out of spec. When I say out of spec, it was barely out by .001".

 

interesting, so you would have to have everything apart before ordering new lifters. That sounds like extra down time. I'd just run em and go with it then LOL.

 

I've done the shims on subarus and older toyotas and it's a pain in the ass, even with the engine out on a stand. You need a assortment of sizes ready to go, otherwise all you can do is take measurements, do the math to figure out what you need, order them and hope they fit close when you get them. Not realistic unless you can have the engine opened up for a while

 

My truck has 185000 miles and runs like new. It has what sounds like a rod knock from inside the cab but when looking under the hood it sounds like the noise is coming from under the valve cover. Worse when the engine is cold. I drove it 300 miles today and was not even noticeable after the drive. Just had the truck serviced last week.

 

You sure it isn’t a VVT phaser that’s going bad?
They will knock on cold starts like that.
And clear up when warm/ oil pressure builds.

 

Noise is coming behind the driver side valve cover. Where is the VVT phaser located and how do you check it? Thanks

 

It’s probably just your vacuum switching valve. Toyota valve trains are notoriously noisy, but make up for it in reliability. Don’t lose any sleep over it. If it runs well, and you have no codes or really terrible noises, find something else to worry about it

 

Where is the vacuum switching valve and is it hard to change? Something else I was thinking about was that I purchased the truck with 181,000 miles and this was the first oil change I had done since my purchase. The noise became considerably louder after the dealer oil change. Maybe the previous owner ran thicker viscosity oil to silence the noise! It's strange that it makes the most noise when cold and the oil viscosity and oil pressure is highest. When I drive 10 miles all noise goes away. Thoughts?

 

It's under the valve covers, attached to the front of the cam shaft. When these start making noise it's a clacking noise. From my understanding it still works, its the locking pin that doesn't engage to keep it from clacking at start up.

 

This is definitely not a clacking noise. Sounds more like a rod knock or piston slap. Only noticeable after 5 to 15 minutes after start up and then goes away. I am going to try 15-40 motor oil instead of the 5-30 the dealer installed and see if that makes any difference. Thanks for your ideas.

 

I thought modern vehicles don’t require valve adjustments, only old school cars

 

Try taking the belt off and see if the noise goes away?

 

Is it possibly an exhaust leak at one of the manifold gaskets? Those will get quieter as they warm up.

The 4.0L is a noisy engine, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

I definitely wouldn't reccomend putting 15W-40 in it, stick with the manufacturer reccomended oil which is 5W-30.

Here's a clip of mine idling.
https://youtube.com/shorts/qyv-iJjt8yk?feature=share