I'll be preparing to do my valve cover gaskets and I figure I should check my valve clearances while I'm in there. I want to be prepared incase I need to change out the shims, but I noticed the official tool is quite expensive ~$60-80.

The purpose of the tool is pretty simple...it only needs to press and hold the valve bucket down while you pop off the old shim with a dental pick + magnet. So I am wondering if anyone has experience with some cheaper alternatives and could comment on which tools work? Maybe something like this:

https://www.amazon.ca/Motion-Pro-08-...alve+shim+tool

I've never done a valve adjustment before, so I don't know if Toyota valve shims are different than other engines, or if a generic tool can be used instead? It's hard to justify $60 for a tool I'll probably never use again.

Thanks!

You can find the tool on Amazon for under $30. http://www.amazon.com/Valve-Adjustin...=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm in Canada where everything is more expensive. That style of tool on Amazon is close to $100

I used a bent screwdriver/pry bar to depress the valves. I didn't really care for the pliers in those kits.

Also tried making the keeper tool out of some sheet metal. The metal I used was too thin. Then when I bought he kit I had to tig weld on additional material on the long end of the tool to keep the buckets deep enough. You can probably make the tool with 12ga-14ga, but look at it this way. You'll need to be inspecting clearances ever 25k or so, so the investment will eventually pay itself off. Plus having the too makes things easier with all the other things you need to focus on.


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You can also buy the tool on ebay. Maybe you can find a Canadian seller.

You might get lucky and find that only the exhaust valves need adjusting. This is often the case.

If so, consider removing the cam to replace the shims. The only special tool needed for exhaust camshaft removal is a torque wrench.

This may be overkill if only one shim needs replacing; if 3 or more shims it's likely easier. On both the 5VZ and the 3RZ removing the exhaust cam does not require touching the cam chain or its adjustment mechanism. Be sure to follow the directions in the FSM with respect to inserting a bolt into the exhaust cam's sprocket before removal.

Just 2 weeks ago I worked on a friend's 3RZ and seven of its exhaust valves needed re-shimming; none of its intakes. On that engine the rearmost valve is, in my experience, impossible to do using the special tool.

Measure first... You might be surprised and not need to do anything. At 140k miles on my 5VZ I only adjusted 1 exhaust valve, and I probably could've left it alone (it measured .016" and the spec limit is .014" Everything else was well within spec).

I have that tool and tried using it, but found the shims are held too tightly on the buckets so that it was impossible to dislodge the shim. Had to remove cams to swap shims. Also, if I remember correctly, the tool doesn't work on valves at the extreme rear of block.

Don't you just jam a small screwdriver in there to pry the shims off? It sounds like it wouldnt be a fault of the tool.

Would a smaller tool be needed for the end block valves?

The smaller tool is used to depress the bucket and that prevents you from inserting a small flat screwdriver into that notch to pry out shim. You can see plenty of videos on Youtube on how its done. I'm sure Toyota mechanics have enough experience doing this procedure to know all the tricks into removing the shims. Even after removing cams and buckets, the shims on most of the buckets are a ***** to get out.

The "wrench" has a lobe to depress the cam follower. The small sheetmetal tool is then placed on the thin edge/ridge outside of the OD of the shim (not on the shim), which then holds it away from the cam lobe like a spacer. From there, you can use a magnet to pull the shim free and swap. Setting up that tool on the edge/ridge "just right" so that the shim can be removed takes patience. It is frustrating and time consuming, and before you are done you will want to throw that damn thing across the garage in a fit of rage. I recommend alcohol to ease the pain. There are several locations (mostly aft) that are next to impossible to use that tool (in my opinion), but it does work...

None of my shims were ever "loose" enough for a magnet to extract them, thus cam removal was necessary. In fact, with bucket out the shims had to be pried out with a small screwdriver, most being difficult to pry out.

I have had this same tool for about 10 years. I never tried it on a 5vzfe but I used it countless times on 4age based engines. Worked like a charm!

Bumping an older thread, but I never got around to my valve cover gaskets yet, probably wait until the upcoming summer when it warms up a bit first.

Anyways, I found this site and noticed an interesting (simple) alternative to using the special valve shim tool. What do you guys think?

MR2 Adjusting Valve Clearance

"The shims can be removed without using Toyota's SST (special service tool). I used an Allen wrench and a screwdriver. It is a good idea to put tape around the screwdriver tip so as to avoid scratches. The Allen wrench can be used to push the valve down - then the screw driver is placed between the camshaft and the lip on the bucket to keep the valve spring compressed. The shim can then be removed using a magnet finger and where necessary pushing it a little with another smaller screwdriver."

You know, I half remembered this quote when I was doing my valve clearance check the other day. But got the jobs of the Allen wrench and screwdriver mixed up. I did try making my own valve holder out of a ground down Allen wrench. But decided to just pull the exhaust cams after 3 tries at making something.

Either way only 3 exhaust valves were out of spec. 1 at .020 and two at .016. I also figured out what the 1 and 2 dots on the cams mean. Lining the two dots on the passenger side allows the exhaust cam to be installed and removed without compressing any valves. And lining up the 1 dots on drivers side does the same thing. So tomorrow my shims will be in. But it may be next week till I get around to installing the shims and cams.


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