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Valve Lash Adjustment




Written by: t_cel_t


     Tools you need:
     The Toyota manual states that setting the lash must be done on a HOT motor. So, you have to drive the car until normal operating temp and then start this. You want to do this within like 20-30 min.
     Ok, start by taking off the intake pipe that connects onto the throttle body. Then, undo the throttle cable. Remove the 2 nuts that hold the valve cover on. Use the flat head screwdriver and pry up on the edges of the cover until it comes off. Then, take out the 2 10mm bolts that hold the upper timing cover on. You should now see this.





     Now, turn the cam so that the lobes are pointing up on the 2 valves for cylinder 1. Use a flat head screwdriver to hold the adjustment screw and use a 12mm wrench to loosen the nut.







     Now that the adjuster is loose, keep the wrench on the nut and turn the screwdriver clockwise to screw the adjustment screw all the way down. Now the lifter is totally tight against the cam. It isn't necessary to tighten the screw down. Now, push the .008'' blade in the space between the lifter and cam. It should NOT slide in between. Keep pushing on the blade lightly while slowly turning the adjustment screw counter-clockwise (Loosen) until the blade slips inbetween the lifter and cam. STOP turning immediatly and tighten the locking nut down while holding the screw in the same spot with the screwdriver.





     Now, remove the blade and get out the next biggest size and try to slide it in. It should not go in (if you push really hard it will). If it doesn't go in, or goes in with some force the lash has been set perfectly. Recheck again with the .008" just to make sure.
     For each valve you may have to turn the cam a little so the lope is pointing almost strait up. Don't worry, it doesn't have to be perfect.
     When tightening down the locking nut try to make sure you keep the screw in the exact same spot as when the blade slipped under. If you accidentally move it just reset it.
     Now do the other 11 valves. Then, recheck that all the rockers are tightened down, return springs are fully set on the rocker, and that you didn't leave anything in the head.
     Put the valve cover back on and hook everything on and start her up. Now she'll be running like a sewing machine. If you still got some valvetrain tapping then you may have messed up and you should stop and rip it back down and recheck. The Toyota manual says to check and adjust if necessary every 30,000 miles.





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