Valve adjustment at 260k

I'd recommend looking for a pick and pull near you. I was able to score like 20 shims from our local yard for a few bucks. Had a nice assortment and managed to adjust 8 valves in my truck, and 10 in my buddy's '98.

 

That would be the move but although there are toyota 4x4s rotting in the mtns all around me there is no junkyard like that. I could run around the woods at night with a tool bag and headlight but I'd blend in too much with the meth heads

 

That’s funny ^^^^
Can’t stop laughing

 

The shims from corollas and Camrys are the same OD

 

Yeah that was gonna be next question....


so all the 1.8's, 2.4, 2.7, 3.4's ...right....
during that period....

VVT ended that...

 

I got shims from LCE

 

Yes. That era of Toyota engines. 3.0 Camrys and descendants also. Never looked at 3.0 truck engine specs. (The 3.no)
Edit: I'm sure you're correct all that interchangeability stopped at VVT intro.

 

That's weird how the Camry 3.0 was a great engine, the opposite of the 3.blow in the trucks.

 

Ok compression on the 97 3rz is 153 and 154 psi for all 4 cylinders. That's dry and on a warm engine. Seems to hold just fine. Min is 145 and max is 175psi so I'm sure it's wise to go ahead with the valve adjustment. What tools are you guys using? The adjustment 2 tool set. Not trying to spend a lot for snap on or whatever but want a set that works and doesn't suck to use as it WILL be done again. Also feeler gages. I don't really trust the harbor freight ones

 

If they’re not burnt by 260k, someone must’ve adjusted them at some point. Or maybe the truck was driven for long trips on the highway. I’d just check the clearances and leave it alone unless any are getting too tight. You may be an experienced mechanic, but this is a situation where someone could create more issues than they solve by messing with it.

 

I wouldn't shim them of they weren't out of spec. I have an odd fishbite intermittent "miss" or slightly rough idle with no codes. The truck is for my dad and it's gonna be perfect there's no stopping me. Whatever it takes.

 

That does sounds like it could be a tight valve. You’d be lucky if you catch it before it burns out. I’d also pressure test the cooling system and do an oil analysis to help rule out a cracked head.

 

I'm trying to rule out the big stuff before I chase coils and injectors. Check out this number 3 plug tho. The condition is only after warm up and is non existing at any rpm above idle. Perfect drive ability

 

I bought the two tools, but mostly ended up using screwdrivers, picks and a magnet. Did use the holder tool a bit though. The springs were actually surprisingly easy to compress. The worst part is breaking the oil suction of the shim in the bucket.

 

Highly suggest getting a friend to assist, because it makes it way easier to compress the bucket, whilst also getting the shim out of the bucket. 2 sets of hands with screwdrivers and a magnet will work better than those tools.

 

Yeah the best tool you can have is some backup muscle.....
like 30mins worth.....

Watch the timmy video...




(123) Toyota 3RZ-FE Valve Adjustment - YouTube

 

A brand new very strong magnet on a wand is worth buying beforehand. Sucks them right out.
This isn't a bad job if you go in patient. There's and app for just inputing measurements to make it easy to keep track but I always just printed out the motorcycle scratch sheets to write it all on and keep a record. Like these. Avail. by googling.

 

A digital caliper is fine for this, their accuracy is around .001 give or take a 100th, you are measuring something with increment approx 50x that so even if they're a little off it's down in the dirt compared to the increment's you're dealing with. You've probably seen them on Amazon or HF, fine for measuring a shim and you won't gain much if anything getting using a micrometer. I tested my HF calipers one time and they were very close. Even if the caliper is off a slight amount there will be no doubt which shim your dealing with.

Word of wisdom, cover the cam belt tunnel with something like a rag so you don't drop a shim down it.

 

Noted. I'll measure the clearances Saturday. Hopefully I'm not in a bad spot with them and the diagnostic can continue with fuel delivery and ignition. I'm suspect of these old coils. If anyone has the fsm pages for 97 wasted spark coil inspection diagnostic stuff that'd be sweet. I ordered the 97 fsm from bishko today. My 2001 fsm doesn't cover the wasted spark packs bc coil over plug switch