2.7l Cylinder 3 misfire

$37 Multi-Function Cylinder Leak Down Tester Automotive Kit,Gasoline Engine Compression Tester,Dual Gauge Leakdown Detector Tool Set for Pressure Check & Leakage Rate Test on Cars,Motorcycles,Trucks...

Amazon.com: Multi-Function Cylinder Leak Down Tester Automotive Kit,Gasoline Engine Compression Tester,Dual Gauge Leakdown Detector Tool Set for Pressure Check & Leakage Rate Test on Cars,Motorcycles,Trucks... : Automotive

 

Thanks for the help guys, I just ordered the tools for the shim adjust on the valves. A bit tricky to find, no one in my area had the kit so I ordered it online which was hard to find a place that had it in stock that shipped to US. They will be here in a couple weeks, in the meantime I ordered the leak down kit so I will test that in a few days when the kit arrives. Will follow up with this post once I have results.

 

What tools did your order for the shim adjustment?

 

Honestly I just watched the Timmy the toolman video and found a pair of those clamp and pick that he uses to hold the bucket down. Is there another way to remove the shim w/o specialty tools?

 

The best tool is a buddy....makes it like a hundred times easier....

Bent small pry screw driver.....like the smallest one in that HF set...




I bought one of these for shits and giggles....

$15 Motion Pro 08-0019 Valve Shim Tool for Kawasaki KZ

https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-08-0019-Valve-Kawasaki/dp/B000WJDXD0?crid=28Q3NDGWEU87X&keywords=kawasaki+valve+tool&qid=1686021913&sprefix=kawasaki+valve+tool%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-2





Only mine's the Honda one....exact same...

 

Its really hard to reach out and get leverage on any tool...you'll see....

easiest solo way is to take the hood off.....and sit on the engine.....


That Schley tool works for some...but not for others....

 

This was the cause of the misfire on my friends 2.7l at somewhere over 200k. He had a couple burnt valves and cracks. I had the same problem on my 3.4l at around 200k miles, one badly burnt valve and numerous cracks between the valves.

 

Sorry it took a while to get back to this post, I bought a kit to perform the leak down test and it began leaking when I supplied air to it so I had to order a different kit. When the new kit came I performed the leak down test on the #3 cylinder. When I pressurized it at 90 psi the reading gauge was at 48psi. So 47% loss of pressure. I had air leaking out of where the pcv hose connects to the head cover. What is this telling me? Piston rings? Head gasket? Or do I need to just pull the head and find out what glorious problem awaits me underneath.

 

If I remember right, you want to make sure the cylinder being tested is in a position that both intake and exhaust valves are closed. Then you are listening for air coming out the exhaust or the intake to see if it'sa valve. If it is leaking past the rings I suppose you could have it coming out the PCV hose.

 

Yeah I made sure that both valves were closed and it was at TDC. I just finished pulling the head it looks like I might have found the culprit. One of the exhaust valves in cyl 3 will not close all the way. Time to YouTube how to r&r it. Here is a pic for reference:



Looks like daylight coming from up underneath. Another question for you all is: since I have the head off should I take it to get cleaned and checked for cracks/get resurfaced?

 

I would definitely take it to be cleaned and checked at a machine shop. If it were mine, I would either have that head rebuilt, replace everything that needs replacement, or source a quality reman. I wouldn't just replace one valve with that high of miles. I know it's a different engine, but my 3.4l had something like 14 small cracks combined on both heads.

 

Good info, this might be a dumb question but can machine shops do the valves for me or is that something I have to do?

 

Yeah I've since found this video from timmy....
.......life for a tacoma head can really be a bitch......check @ 13:20

(33) Engine Head Gasket / Cracked Head Repair (Toyota 3.4L V6 5VZ-FE ) - Part 4 - YouTube

 

Yes most machine shops will be willing to completely rebuild the head, including installing the valves.

 

Congratulations on the diagnostic.

With the mileage on her take it to a machine shop for a valve job, do not be surprised if you have to replace the head.

 

Thanks fellas for the follow up. I’m going to look around for a machine shop in my area that can do this. Crossing my fingers that there isn’t a crack(s) in my head. I think I’ll do a post on here with pics/results of taking the head in for future readers.

 

Update:

It took forever but I got the truck back together. I sent the head off to a machine shop to get cleaned, checked, and have new valves get put in. The shop said that all the valves looked fine, they shaved a little bit off the head and adjusted the valves and I got it back.

Since I was already in deep I decided to say fuck it and ripped the lower end out as well. I took the lower end in to the same machine shop and they said the cylinders were hammered. They rebored the cylinders, new piston heads, and rings, repaint, it looked good when I got it back. I put the truck back together and took it for a test drive and bam, same problem!!! Cylinder 3 misfire! I thought I was on the right track and now I’m in a bunch of money with nothing to show from it.

Limped it into the driveway and swapped the coil packs from cylinder 1 and 3 with each other. I thought maybe Napa had given me a faulty coil pack back when I thought that was the original problem. That did not move the misfire to cyl. 1. Rechecked all the injector wires with a noid light - all pulsed good. I don’t know what to do now. Any other ideas fellas? Might be time to hang it up and let a professional diagnose.

 

Were the injectors themselves ever checked?
I read over this again and I didn't see where they were.

 

Damn, damn, damn… I am going to ask a seemingly stupid question, is it actually misfiring or did a code pop and you proceeded from there?

This one is a head scratcher and I am going to have to think on this for a bit… mechanically the motor is sound, secondary ignition wise it is sound, fuel wise, it is sound. Going out on a limb here… the camshaft position sensor should be on the intake side of the valve cover. Take the valve cover off, again, and find TDC #1 then crank her over by hand and follow the firing order until coming up on TDC #3 and look at the cast in bumps on the camshaft… does anything for #3 look different than the others? There is something unique and specific to #3. I dont think that it would be the crankshaft position sensor or trigger wheel because the crank rotates twice per cycle and I would think that it would show a code for that. Again, out on a limb here.

 

Well fellas I think I learned a lesson here. I took the injectors into a shop to get cleaned and tested and got them back with a clean bill of health. I just took them back out again and tested all for continuity and the #3 cylinder injector has no continuity at all. I should have checked that much earlier. I’m surprised the shop doesn’t check that. I ordered a new oem injector from the dealership. Whoof they are damn expensive $300 per injector. But I’m pretty sure this is the issue. Standby until Wednesday when I can put this thing to rest.