Adjusting valves on 2.7

I would get sick if payed $1000 for a valve adjustment... I'm 18 and did the one on my 3rz no problem. Just cost about $30 in shims

 

And the thing about valves getting tight could be several things. Valves stretching or cupping, or the seat in the head sinking. Keep your air filter clean and that won't happen. When they loosen up it could either be the cam lobe wearing, bucket wearing, or carbon buildup under the valve head.

 

It's common for normal wear to tighten the valves up. Just follow the manual, replace all gaskets with new and after your back together running do a short oil change interval just to be sure you flush out any contamination you may have accidentally allowed to enter the engine.
Other than that general maintenance should fix you right up.

 

Thanks for the advice. I'm new to Taco's. I change my air filter every year and it isn't off-roaded a whole lot.

 

I'm 56 and don't have the energy or the time you young spuds have. When I was you're age I was replacing starters in the rain on the side of the road. Hell, just seven years ago I rebuilt the entire suspension front and rear on a '73 Cadillac Coupe DeVille outside in the snow with nothing but a tarp to "kind of" cover up with. Freezing puddles everywhere under that car. I'm past that now and you will be too someday.

 

Yeah, my truck went 225k miles and only 2 of my exhaust valves were off by .001", these motors are really good about valves. Not like the Honda b series that needs valve adjustments every 30k lol. Plus none of my local Toyota dealers even do valve adjustments on tacomas or 4runners, parts guy didn't even know what a Shim was

 

That's nice to hear. I want to have them checked though just for peace of mind but I'm in no big hurry.

 

Yeah it's not very common to hear about Toyota engines needing valve adjustments, even with the ones that need to be manually adjusted.

 

My 01 2.7L is at 207k miles

What should I expect an independent mechanic to pay ?

There is no noise and truck runs perfect

Or should I leave well enough alone ?

 

Valves get tighter with age. It wouldn't hurt to have it checked. Also if your not having any issues you are probably in the clear.

 

I was quoted around $400 from the dealer. Keep in mind that they will have to order shims and they will not know what shims they need until the pull the existing ones. This makes it a multi-day job.

 

$400 to do the whole service, or just to inspect valves?

 

Whole service. You can check the valves with a feeler gauge with the cover off very easily, but you have to remove the shims to measure them in order to get the replacement ones. Meaning if your clearance is .010 and you want it .014, you need to know what the existing shim thickness is so you can get one that is .004 thinner.

 

Appreciate the help

I am just not sure I trust my local dealer monkeys who can't even change oil on our new Land Cruiser, to do this service.....

 

I agree with that as well. I had my dealer check the clearance when they had the valve cover off. I checked it myself before doing the adjustment and got different measurements then they did. If I was going to do it again I would just remove the exhaust cam. Trying to get the shim out at the back of cylinder 4 was not fun.

 

I had my dealer as well as a friend of mine who was a Toyota tech for 20 years tell me the valves wear "loose" not tighter. My dealer said that Toyota tells them that if they aren't making any noise don't mess with them.

That being said my dealer also told me that there is the very rare occurrence of a valve wearing tight. Go figure. He also said that if your going to get in there and check as well as adjust with the entire shim ordeal it's close to $1000. Not to take any chances I will probably get mine checked once I get close to 200,000 miles. I'm around 163,000 now.

Just to be on the safe side.

 

Wow that seems like incorrect information to me. It was my understanding that tighter valves are quieter than loose ones. Also, the 3RZ is known to get tight exhaust valves over time. My dealer said that they have not done an adjustment on a 3RZ in 20 years, but I'm guessing that's because they never check them.

 

Valve clearance is pretty easy to check. Anyone with high mileage and questions, just go ahead and check them. Might want to get a new valve cover gasket ahead of time -- the rubber ones are good but they don't last forever

 

Yep it sounds wrong to me as well since everyone says they wear tighter. All I can say is the two people that told me they wear loose are who and what I said they are. I guess the best thing to do is get them checked and adjusted if you're worried about it.

 

If it's like my tractor, the intake valves get loose due to wear, while the exhaust valves get tight due to the exhaust valve seat receding. Granted the tractor does not have Stellite exhaust seats, and was not designed for lead-free gasoline. It was probably not designed for gasoline with alcohol in it either.