Valve adjustment?

Runnin in MT

Runnin in MT

New member
Hi all, just took my runner in for an oil change and the dealership recommended a valve adjustment (for $549). I am taking it in later this week to do the TB/WP, should the valve adjustment be done at the same time? I don't have any leaks or knocking which I assume I would see/hear if I had a problem....Is this good preventative maintenance or are they trying to make a buck?
 
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How many miles are on it? How's your mpgs?

I never, ever mess with valves unless there's a problem. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Some will say it's good preventative maintenance, but messing with valves on an engine that runs good is opening Pandora's box IMO.
 
The service manual recommends a 60k mile interval for valve adjustment, but pretty much everyone agrees that is a bit overkill. A 100k mile interval for the valve adjustment is more reasonable, but even at that, if they're not making any noise you might as well just leave them alone.

To have a dealership do it, it'll be in the $400 - $500 range pretty much no matter where you go. It's actually not to difficult to do yourself (even without the special tool), just time consuming.

But again, if all the valves are quiet throughout the rpm range you don't need to worry about it.
 
I don't understand why everyone says the valves get noisy when they need adjustment. It's my understanding that the valve wears into the head at the valve seats reducing clearance at the cam. This should make the valves more quiet not noisy. Eventually if you let it go far enuff, cam clearance goes to 0 and the valves don't fully close resulting in burned valves. Then you've got an expensive repair.

Does anyone know if you can get the valve shims anywhere other than from toyota?
 
Havn't had any valve issues with mine so far but being a former owner of several over head cam engines I can say that if you can NOT hear the valves ticking then they are good. Mine has 337,000+mi and is still the quietest vehicle I've ever owned. I have not looked but I am guessin these valves are adjustable and not just torque determined. If there's not a loud ticking (don't let the injectors fool you, they click as well an it's perfectly normal) then do not bother with it. The cost is not worth it to me personally.

Basically if it's not ticking there's no maintenance needed. I used to adjust my valves for fun to get the motor as quiet as possible as a 16yr old kid, that's how easy it is. Feeler gauges and the correct setting and you're in.
 
triangles said:
I don't understand why everyone says the valves get noisy when they need adjustment. It's my understanding that the valve wears into the head at the valve seats reducing clearance at the cam. This should make the valves more quiet not noisy. Eventually if you let it go far enuff, cam clearance goes to 0 and the valves don't fully close resulting in burned valves. Then you've got an expensive repair.

Does anyone know if you can get the valve shims anywhere other than from toyota?
Click to expand...

Forgot to mention this, but noisy valves are out of adjustment. At least that's what Iv'e been taught. The ticking is the valve itself hitting the head just a little more than neccessary and in need of tightening due to wear. Same goes for a torque down valve as in a center cam engine. I'll adjust those valves by ear with the motor running for best results.
 
Jon what you're saying is exactly the opposite of everything I've learned unless you are talking about an engine with hydraulic self adjusting tappets. I forgot to mention I was referring to the 2.7L 4 banger. Every modern engine except motorcycle, I've dealt with uses hydraulic self adjusting tappets. By their design there should be 0 clearance and therefore silent. They only need attention if they get noisy, since if they are noisy they are not keeping 0 clearance as they are designed.

I get nervous on my motorcycles if I can't hear the valves clacking away like an angry sewing machine. They need the small clearance to assure the valve fully closes and to accommodate thermal expansion of the engine parts.

I'm not sure what crack pipe Toyota was smoking when the decided to use old fashioned shim on buckets. I have the same engine as this guy He followed your school of thought that they weren't making any noise so they must be ok and his engine was basically ruined at 85K.
 
triangles said:
I don't understand why everyone says the valves get noisy when they need adjustment. It's my understanding that the valve wears into the head at the valve seats reducing clearance at the cam. This should make the valves more quiet not noisy. Eventually if you let it go far enuff, cam clearance goes to 0 and the valves don't fully close resulting in burned valves. Then you've got an expensive repair.

Does anyone know if you can get the valve shims anywhere other than from toyota?
Click to expand...

Sometimes they do get noisy due to clearances increasing, and need adjustment. Other times they can tighten up as you mentioned, and also need adjustment. The only way to know for sure is to check the clearances.

A couple years ago I was bored, and decided to check the valve lash on my 5vzfe. All were within spec, but a couple were towards the tight end of the clearance, so I got some shims that brought it back towards the middle of the acceptable range.

It wasn't absolutely necessary to do, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist. Besides it was the racing off-season, and I needed to work on something. :D
 
02SE said:
A couple years ago I was bored, and decided to check the valve lash on my 5vzfe. All were within spec, but a couple were towards the tight end of the clearance, so I got some shims that brought it back towards the middle of the acceptable range.
Click to expand...

Where'd you get the shims? Toyota?

Weird. I've never heard of the clearance increasing. I guess you learn something new every day. Besides this truck the only engines I've had to even think about valves are the three motorcycles I have/had and an old "68 Beetle I used to have.
 
Yes, I got the shims from a Toyota dealer. I called to make sure they had a selection of shims before I started, though.
 
02SE said:
I called to make sure they had a selection of shims before I started, though.
Click to expand...

I hadn't thought that far ahead. That would really suk to tear things apart only to find out you gotta wait a couple weeks for shims to come in! For someone who's never messed with shim on buckets, Am I correct in assuming they are labeled some how and I don't have to measure their thickness to figure out what replacement I need?
 
triangles said:
I don't understand why everyone says the valves get noisy when they need adjustment. It's my understanding that the valve wears into the head at the valve seats reducing clearance at the cam. This should make the valves more quiet not noisy. Eventually if you let it go far enuff, cam clearance goes to 0 and the valves don't fully close resulting in burned valves. Then you've got an expensive repair.
Click to expand...
After years of owning Hondas with adjustable valvetrains I can say you are correct. Valve clearance does close up as the valve seats wear.

I don't think I want to mess with shims though. Did that on a Fiat years ago. There are too many reports of 4runners running fine with over 300k on them. I have not heard of one instance of burned valves. I'm leaving ours alone. I got enough to keep me busy and have bigger fish to fry.
 
273,000 miles, I do hear a slight tap, not always just intermittant, reckon its time for a check anyway .....that is the 5VZ...
 
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triangles said:
I don't understand why everyone says the valves get noisy when they need adjustment. It's my understanding that the valve wears into the head at the valve seats reducing clearance at the cam. This should make the valves more quiet not noisy. Eventually if you let it go far enuff, cam clearance goes to 0 and the valves don't fully close resulting in burned valves. Then you've got an expensive repair.
Click to expand...

This!^

I adjusted my 4Runner and my Tacoma at about 140,000 miles and both motors had a few tight valves. The best time to check valves are when the valve cover gaskets are being replaced. It is inevitable they will leak after time. I scored all of my various shim sizes from a junk yard motor. I have done three motors total and have always had the right sizes.
 
xcmtb83 said:
This!^

I adjusted my 4Runner and my Tacoma at about 140,000 miles and both motors had a few tight valves. The best time to check valves are when the valve cover gaskets are being replaced. It is inevitable they will leak after time. I scored all of my various shim sizes from a junk yard motor. I have done three motors total and have always had the right sizes.
Click to expand...

I did the same thing. Had leaky valve covers so figured might as well check the clearances.

At 192k miles the valve clearances were PERFECT. Gosh I love this engine.
 
triangles said:
I don't understand why everyone says the valves get noisy when they need adjustment. It's my understanding that the valve wears into the head at the valve seats reducing clearance at the cam. This should make the valves more quiet not noisy. Eventually if you let it go far enuff, cam clearance goes to 0 and the valves don't fully close resulting in burned valves. Then you've got an expensive repair.

Does anyone know if you can get the valve shims anywhere other than from toyota?
Click to expand...

indeed. as the valve beats the seat into the head, the clearance gets tighter.
 
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