"Vehicle needs valve clearance adjustment/Throttle and fuel system cleaning"

Fuel mileage and power is just as good as before.

 

Yes, almost all high performance motorcycle engines use it as well, and they all spin 2x as fast as the Tacoma engine and even faster.

But removing the cams to do an adjustment just sucks.

My KZ900 had shim-over-bucket lifters, which just required a little $15 tool to compress the valve spring & you never had to remove the cams. That was one of the most bullet-proof engines ever designed and was able to rev over 13,000 RPM without blowing up.

I sure wish Toyota had used that method.

 

You have to remove the cams to adjust valve clearance? Well, at least you can check it without doing all that I'm sure--and if you're lucky you won't be out of spec.

That's a step backward from my '64 Plymouth. Solid lifters, and you adjusted the clearance with a wrench and screwdriver on the rocker arms.

 

If it's the "tick" that set the mechanics off, I would suggest the following,,, unless the mechanic has a good answer when you query them; go get a mechanics stethyscope (sp??), or a long screwdriver, and place it against the valve covers. If the tick is coming from the valve cover(s), the dealer _may_ have something. If the noise is coming from that annoying little air valve on the intake, then you've seen the thread on trying to minimize that.

I have a very hard time believing that the valve shims need adjusting.

Note that if it is the valves ticking, you may first want to try an oil change with a good synthetic oil and new filter. Sometimes old/low/wrong viscosity oil will cause a valve tick.

 

I have a '47 Plymouth flathead with the same system.

The thing is that bucket lifters eliminate rocker arms, and that coupled with the OHC design's lack of push rods and screw adjusters, eliminates a lot of weight from the valve train.

Weight is the main enemy of reciprocating machines, and a lighter valve train can run much faster without wearing out or requiring frequent adjustments.
(Or floating the valves!)

Here a Tacoma is only suspected of requiring a valve adjustment at 80,000 miles, while I did a valve adjustment on my Plymouth every 15,000 miles and it needed it too.

 

Welp I got around to doing this but the ticking is still there. Started it up with the hood up and listened, I'm pretty sure the noise is coming from the valves.

Has anyone ever cleaned their valves?

 

I was a Toyota Master tech in the dealer for 8 years and I NEVER adjusted valves on the newer engines as a service. The shim/bucket design is good. There are times where a bucket can become defective and you have to replace it but other then that.

The only time I adjusted them was when I was doing heavy engine work. Even then, they are VERY difficult to adjust. It is a time consuming process and it's not recommened at ANY service interval.

 

rip off on the fuel system cleaner. I've used seafoam for years w/ no problems. Throw some in the tank, and vac. line before an oil change.

 

Slightly noisy valves are happy valves. What you have to worry about is valves that make no noise, those are too tight and can burn due to insufficient contact with the valve seats and too much heat.

It's a completely different engine, but on my old 22r, the valves were always tighter when I went to adjust them, not looser. I feel like I should have the valves on my v6 checked, but Toyota only recommends an audible check, not actually pulling the valve covers. My independent Toyota mechanic has told me that they don't need to be checked until well over 100k. He says they almost never are out of adjustment unless the engine has previously had a valve job.

I would be asking them how they determined an adjustment is necessary. If they point to the maintenance schedule, I would point out to them that Toyota is asking that they listen to the valves, not physically check them. If they can hear something wrong, then it's time to pull the covers and check. I have no clue how they are going to hear one tight valve among the 24 valves on this engine. Also, the labor to check the clearances should be much less than what the book calls for to adjust all the valves.

You should be asking for a detailed description of what they think is wrong before they go taking things apart.

 

Dang it! This thread has just scared me off buying a new 2010 DC LB. I was all set to buy. Now I'm looking at a Frontier. I drive my vehicles to the ground. Current Trooper has 1995 193K and is still going Ok and I've not spent more than $1K over it's life at any shop on maintenance or repair. I've done all that myself including timing belts etc. (Only paid to swap out a starter motor which was hard as hell to reach and behind a busted SS exhaust Y pipe that I needed to replace. So the repair of the starter got the bolts free so I could replace the Y pipe hehe).

The thought that I might have to do a valve clearance job on this engine is a show stopper. Especially since that Toyota service centers I called for quotes gave me $$s from $1,500 to $4k!!!

The 1GE looks like its only been in use since 2003? Hows it going to be doing at 200K and the year 2025?

Anyone have that type of mixed use mileage on there Tacoma / 1GE?

Thanks.
Mike - frustrated to my limit.

PS: 1st post and long lurker of the tacomaworld forum - FAR and AWAY the best forum on ANY vehicle I've every found and a very large part of why I think I like the Tacoma over the Frontier.

 

I just bought a 2010 DC SB and wouldn't take any dealer recomendation to heart. Get the Taco, you'll be happy that you did. The "thought" of doing a valve clearance job certainly isn't pleasant but everything I've read point to it not being a real problem. Hell, I've got 480 mile on my truck and it wouldn't suprise me if the dealer thought I needed brakes. That's pretty much what the told my Wife about her RAV4 without checking the odometer.

 

I actually found using a Mobil 1 oil filter and 5w-20 penzoil ultra quieted the tick down. Went back to oem filter and 5w-30 penzoil ultra and the tick is louder. Strange. The m1 filter seems shorter than the own if that matters

 

My BS meter just pegged on the valves at least...

I remember reading the process for adjusting valves on the V6 in the service manual. To put shims in you have to disassemble most of the engine top end (take out the cams) to do it. Cost would be WAY over $470 unless they really plan to CHECK the clearance and then come back for another go at your wallet.

If the valve train isn't noisy and running fine, don't do it.

 

You do check clearance without removing the cams...just take the valve covers off and align the cams using sprocket and crank shaft marks.

But ADJUSTING them involves removing the cams and replacing shims. Just reviewed the process in the repair manual!

 

Regular oil and filter changes alond with quality air filter changes will keep problems with cam-lobe and bucket wear to a minimum.
Crappy air filter will let junk in and infrequent oil/filter changes will allow those contaminats to accelerate wear.
No need to be scared off of the toyotas because of the type of valve adjustments. Regular maintenance will keep them running to 250k easy. They're more reliable and longer lasting than Chevy's 350, and that"s a good engine.

 

Regular oil and filter changes alond with quality air filter changes will keep problems with cam-lobe and bucket wear to a minimum.
Crappy air filter will let junk in and infrequent oil/filter changes will allow those contaminats to accelerate wear.
No need to be scared off of the toyotas because of the type of valve adjustments. Regular maintenance will keep them running to 250k easy. They're more reliable and longer lasting than Chevy's 350, and that's a good engine.

 

x2 on the nissan, my xterra makes a little noise. but its reliable as hell.

As far as the fuel treatment I would not touch anything other than Lucas. Go to autozone or any auto parts store and buy 1 gallon, every oil change give your taco a dose and call it a day. you might do one dose every other tank for a month at first. I would also take her out for a long drive on the weekend and get on it to burn up some of the carbon build up in the engine.

Don't trust any fuel treatment that has alcohol in it. The alcohol will dry up all of your rubber seals in your fuel components. Buy the lucas or any non alcohol based fuel system treatment.

just my .02

 

Most all gasolines in North America now have up to 15% ethanol as a fuel supplement to make the cumbustion process 'cleaner'.

Ethanol is alcohol.