160K Valve clearances

[chesty Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close chesty]

I'm just a 2K short of doing the 160K service and thought I would get an idea of how difficult it is do do the valve clearances. I have been digging through the other posts on valve clearances only to find that most dealers only listen to the engine to see if they need adjusting. I'm not paying Toyota not to do it, infact I'll be surprized if they checked them at 80K (before I owned the car).
I can't see the job being that difficult, well at least the checking part - having to remove the camshafts to replace any shims doesn't sound that appealing. Has anyone actually done this job themself on the 1GR-FE engine and have any advice or pointers ? I've done other cars and motorbikes but not this particular engine.
Also, I've checked the prop shaft bolts every service as indicated in the service list but not once have I actually need to tighten them. Is it common that they come loose and has anyone ever had to tighten them?

Cheers,
Chesty

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: 160K Valve clearances

having to remove the camshafts to replace any shims doesn't sound that appealing

Checking valve clearances is easy enough, same principal as most over head cam engines. However there are no shims, they are bucket style lifters and you have to change the whole lifter if it’s out of spec.

Valve clearances are:

Intake 0.15 to 0.25mm (cold)
Exhaust 0.29 to 0.39mm (cold)


Mick

[Billy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Billy]

Re: 160K Valve clearances

I finally got around to checking the tappet clearances.

This is pretty typical of what it looks like under the valve covers after 200,000kms


For anyone considering DIY, checking the clearances isnt hard. Most of the work is just getting to them.

You need to be clean! Cover the inlet holes and cleaning around the covers before removing them (Co2 cleaner is great for this). You don't want any crap entering and doing damage.


While I was at it I also changed the plugs and did a full cooling system service including replacing the thermostat.

[gxl_d4d Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close gxl_d4d]

Re: 160K Valve clearances

There's quite a bit of sludge in there. I didn't think you'd have that much with regular oil changes. I guess the V6 must run quite hot.

[Offroader Member Find all posts View Profile Close Offroader]

Re: 160K Valve clearances

These bucket style lifters or "pushers" seem to be very hard and are unlikely to wear out of spec themselves. The main wear I would think would be at the camshaft itself, particularly with these crumby new low emissions oils which have lost many of the good anti-wear additives. I'd be interested to know if any one there has had out of spec. clearances. It doesn't appear to be a common problem even on high kay mills. Nice picture... were your clearances in spec at 200k?

[Billy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Billy]

Re: 160K Valve clearances

These bucket style lifters or "pushers" seem to be very hard and are unlikely to wear out of spec themselves. The main wear I would think would be at the camshaft itself, particularly with these crumby new low emissions oils which have lost many of the good anti-wear additives. I'd be interested to know if any one there has had out of spec. clearances. It doesn't appear to be a common problem even on high kay mills. Nice picture... were your clearances in spec at 200k?

Yep.All the clearances where in the middle of the tolerance givin.

[chesty Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close chesty]

Re: 160K Valve clearances

I checked my clearances last night and mine were pretty much all in the dead centre of the spec. I'm glad about that since thats the easy part. If I had to change some buckets out then it would be a completely different story.
My engine has done 169,000 and under the rocker covers looks almost brand new, nothing lat all ike the pictures above. No sludge or brown, just looked like shiney silver covered in a smear of clean oil. I should have taken some photos.

[clifton Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close clifton]

Re: 160K Valve clearances

I'm just a 2K short of doing the 160K service and thought I would get an idea of how difficult it is do do the valve clearances. I have been digging through the other posts on valve clearances only to find that most dealers only listen to the engine to see if they need adjusting. I'm not paying Toyota not to do it, infact I'll be surprized if they checked them at 80K (before I owned the car).
I can't see the job being that difficult, well at least the checking part - having to remove the camshafts to replace any shims doesn't sound that appealing. Has anyone actually done this job themself on the 1GR-FE engine and have any advice or pointers ? I've done other cars and motorbikes but not this particular engine.
Also, I've checked the prop shaft bolts every service as indicated in the service list but not once have I actually need to tighten them. Is it common that they come loose and has anyone ever had to tighten them?

Cheers,
Chesty

Hi Chesty,
Sorry am a bit late with my info, I also have checked my propellershaft bolts on numerous occasions with my duual signal tension wrench, got a click out of one bolt and none since, cannot comment on the 1GR-FE valve buckets as have not done any.

[hisham saeed Member Find all posts View Profile Close hisham saeed]

well , after long thinking, and ignoring the ticking sound when the car is on idle mainly in the garage and also when accelarating , i checked my valve cleareance
and here is what i've found :
driver side :
intake 5 valves were 0.20 , 1 valve 0.25
exhaust 5 valves were 0.35 , 1 valve 0.39 (almost 40)
passenger side :
intake 4 valves were 0.25, 1 valve 0.20
exhaust 4 valves were 0.40 , 1 valve 0.35

valve cleareance range:
intake 0.15 to 0.20 mm
exhaust 0.29 to 0.39 mm

so i was thinking as most of valves in the passenger side are in the far end , i was thinking of changing all of them since the camshaft will be removed any way , my only concern is Toyota have the new liffters in 35 sizes increments of 0.02 mm from 5.06 to 5.74 mm, and not all the sizes available here in Egypt.

is it worth changing now , or shall i just try to ignore that annoying noise.

forgot to mention my 2006 prado has done 206,000 Km now

hisham

[Jezz Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Jezz]

Hi Billy,
I see your rig is on LPG. Good to hear your valves are all fine at 200,000. How many Kms have you done on LPG? Do you use a Flash Lube kit with it?
Valve seat recession is the other main cause of valve clearances going out of tolerance. LPG cars are supposed to suffer from valve seat recession more than non-LPG. I've done 45,000 km since fitting LPG (120,000 km total) and had my valves checked recently, all mid tolerance. I'm hoping it keeps going this way well past 250,000kms.

Anyone else on LPG had to adjust valve clearances, and if so after how many kms?

Jezz

[Billy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Billy]

Hi Billy,
I see your rig is on LPG. Good to hear your valves are all fine at 200,000. How many Kms have you done on LPG? Do you use a Flash Lube kit with it?

Jezz

My Prado has now clicked over to 250000.Its been on Gas for about 150000 of those Kms with flash lube running from the start.
I checked the valve clearances at about 200000km and they where spot on but just resently i have been hearing a ticking sound coming for the driver side of the engine towards the front.

[Jezz Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Jezz]

Sounds like time to check the clearances again. My gas fitter recommended checking them every 40,000km. Let us know how you go.

Jezz

[Billy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Billy]

Sounds like time to check the clearances again.

Jezz

I will check the tappet clearances soon but im not convinced its the tappet clearances making the ticking sound.
Usally with gas engines the first things that starts to wear are the valve,valve guide and the valve seat, especially on the exhaust side.When this starts to happen the tappet clearances tends to close up and holds the valve open and eventally the valve burns out.Toyota valves and valve seats are quiet tuff compared to other engines and this only starts to happen after many kms.
Im thinking the ticking sound could be from worn out valve guides and or stems or maybe even timing chain related?!?

[Jezz Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Jezz]

Last year I had my clearances checked again at the 160,000km mark. They were all out of tolerance, and surprisingly the inlet valves were the furthest out of tolerance. Expensive to get them adjusted as the lifters are quite pricey and the labour takes a fair bit of time. Starts to eat into the savings from the gas conversion.

[Wal01 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Wal01]

Mine had done 200,000km, 150 of that on gas and needed 9 out of the twelve on the inlet replaced. $1800 to get them done