Tightening leaky VC head bolts. Do you Remove intake? - Toyota 4Runner Forum

Hollywood1 · 01-10-2021, 03:01 PM

I’m gonna retorque my 02 3.4 leaky valve covers bolts today. 175k miles.
When doing so, do you remove the complete Intake manifold to get to all the valve cover gaskets?

I figured I’d remove the intake and clean it out while it’s off. Along with getting to all the Vakve Cover Bolts.
Gonna degrease the engine beforehand, then once again afterwards.

I’ll replace the valve covers when I do a full timing belt change end of next year.

Any insight appreciated.

spartacus · 01-10-2021, 05:30 PM

To get to all the bolts you'll have to remove the upper and lower plenums. Caution: when tightening VC bolts use the pattern specified in the fsm' making several passes also make sure the torque wrench is calibrated so as to not over tighten the bolts.VC bolt torque 53 inch pounds.

Malcolm99 · 01-10-2021, 06:05 PM

If your going through all the trouble to remove the intake plenum and do intake gaskets, you might aswell do the VC gaskets, half moons and cam plugs, I guess you could reuse the intake gaskets but then you'll have to use a sealant which makes the job harder to clean up next round. You can do the timing without removing the VC's, unless you have a leaking cam seal, then ideally you would want the VC's off so you can pull the bearing cap for the cam seal, not completely needed but the ideal way to do cam seals.

96RedRunner · 01-11-2021, 10:34 AM

Was a time I had a VC leak ha who hasn't, wanted to do as little as possible.
I tightened what I could get at using crows foot wrenches, regular, sockets, swivels, stopped leak till ready for Full Monty. Did remove intake.

mtbtim · 01-11-2021, 12:03 PM

I agree with @Malcolm99 . Just do the job and be done with it. It's not just the valve cover gaskets that can cause a leak. It's also the cam plugs and half moons that can leak. While you're doing the job, you could clean the throttle body, clean the IAC, and clean the MAF. You could also at this time renew your spark plugs and wires. Give your rig a little love. It's money well spent.

96RedRunner · 01-11-2021, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 96RedRunner

Was a time I had a VC leak ha who hasn't, wanted to do as little as possible.
I tightened what I could get at using crows foot wrenches, regular, sockets, swivels, stopped leak till ready for Full Monty. Did remove intake.

Did remove intake Tube between filter n TB, fixed it.

spartacus · 01-11-2021, 12:56 PM

Taking the plenum off is a ten minute job I think there are 6 bolts on top 3 at the bottom and few hoses and the air intake disconnect. I've reused the metal intake plenum gaskets several times while trouble shooting the injectors and have had no issues also never use a sealant on em. I took the plenum off and reinstalled it like 5 times and never had any issues.

96RedRunner · 01-11-2021, 04:01 PM

Ten minutes be stretching it, ha. Nah it a easy job, time I mentioned was a fly by fix during oil change. Lotta things to like with 3rd Gen's V/C gaskets not one of them.

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