Didn't know that i needed to replace the camshaft plugs so I ended up having to purchase them through Oreilly's: https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b...aft+seal&pos=2

Noticed they had a made in japan sticker on them and low and behold their OEM NOK seals.

First, thank you for this thread OP and thank you timmy the toolman for your VCG video.

Here are some tips and tricks I learned that are not posted.

1. The coolant lines on throttle body can be very hard to take off. I used a small pick to pry the hose ends to break up whatever was making it stuck. I then used a trim removal tool (while simultaneously clamping the hose clamps with vice grips) to slide the hoses off.
2. The bracket behind the cam plugs did not have to come off. The wiring harness that’s attached to the bracket on passenger side near the firewall can just be unclipped.I left mine on and was still able to clean the groove with a rag and screwdriver.
3. The valve covers have notches where you can use a pry bar to pop them up after you’ve obviously removed all the bolts and are ready to take the covers off.
4. Just take lots of pics as you go so you know where things go.
The job took me 1 day (literally 22-24hrs lol)

Again thank you for the post and I hope this helps someone out.

Hi guys, do you know what kind of valve cover bolts do we have? I've managed to lose one.

Take another one out, go to the hardware store with the bolt, match up the size and thread pitch and buy yourself one. Or, go to your local Toyota dealer and I'm sure they'll sell you one. If you're missing the washer, which you most likely are, you won't be able to find that at the hardware store. It's a special type of washer with one side rubberized. You'll have to get that online or at the dealership.

The Toyota PN is 90105-06127, reaplced by 90080-10168 9008010168 - Bolt, washer based h. Engine - Genuine Toyota Part

If you want the bolt and washer combo, it's PN 90109-06275.

So the valve cover bolts are 6mm x 1. Which is the regular m6.

And thanks to this writeup and mtbtim's video the whole gasket change went surprisingly easy. Thank you guys.

Going to bookmark this and start ordering parts for my 00 limited!

I’m going to remove the plenums in 2 pieces to replace the gasket but I’m curious, has anyone been able to remove them as one piece? Guy a few pages back was the only person I’ve seen that said it can be done. I don’t know if there’s enough clearance for the hidden bold to be removed

That guy did say he did it but I really don't see the big deal of separating the two halves. It's beyond easy and not that much more time.

Yep, it'll come off in one piece if it matters.

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Isn't there one long, black bolt you can't get to(or at least is hard to get to) with the top plenum on?

It doesn't really matter in my opinion. If you plan on putting it back on like that and you're going to torque the fasteners, how are you going to torque the long center bolt of the lower plenum? Even with a crows foot hooked up to a torque wrench you won't be able to get in there. I still don't understand what this gains, maybe 5 minutes of wrenching time? As part of this job, it's smart to replace both plenum gaskets anyway, so again, I don't see the benefit to removing it as one piece. But hey, to each his own.

There is John. He had to obviously get in their with a open end wrench or better yet a ratcheting box end wrench to get at that center bolt. I don't get it like I said in my above response. Remove the upper plenum first. It takes like 5 minutes tops.

This write was great! However, when I went to start it up after finishing(made sure plugs and tubes had homes) I’m getting this gnarly squeaking/shearing sound from the front of my passenger-side valve cover.

Video: 97 4runner Noise - YouTube

Thanks

Did you figure it out? Sound like an air suction sound, maybe you didnt tighten something down all the way?