[johnnymumbles]

I'll be doing a valve check/adjustment and going to the dealership for parts.
Anything else I need or convenient to do while I'm at it? I'm not due for timing belt quite yet.
Valve cover gaskets (2)
Valve cover grommets
Intake manifold gaskets (2)
Camshaft plug seals (8)
PCV valve seal (1)

 

[ShowStop]

That should cover the needs. Some of the camshaft seals come with the valve cover gasket kits, but you would have to confirm depending on what get you buy.

Do you have the tool for compressing the shim cup to remove the shim? Obviously need feeler gauges. Are you going to open it up, check clearances, close it up, order shims, then do it all again when you have the new shims? I had my truck down for a week while I waited on the new shims. I was able to swap around 50% of the shims, but needed the rest new to get the right clearances.

 

[johnnymumbles]

That should cover the needs. Some of the camshaft seals come with the valve cover gasket kits, but you would have to confirm depending on what get you buy.

Do you have the tool for compressing the shim cup to remove the shim? Obviously need feeler gauges. Are you going to open it up, check clearances, close it up, order shims, then do it all again when you have the new shims? I had my truck down for a week while I waited on the new shims. I was able to swap around 50% of the shims, but needed the rest new to get the right clearances.

Got everything from Toyota today, the parts dept guy recommended spark plug grommets as well. He probably sold me on those, but worth replacing anything rubber while we're in there. A brittle grommet falling apart during plug change later would suck enormously.
$250 for a handful of gaskets and grommets. I have a neighbor who's a certified mechanic and knows the 5vz well. He's going to do it and I get to learn. Plan is to pull the exhaust cams. I'm sure there'll be a few that need adjusting.
I'm betting he has a small assortment of shims he's collected over the years, otherwise I've gotta pay someone to drive me to town.

 

[johnnymumbles]

Got it done, three exhaust valves had too much clearance (which is weird). Luckily the neighbor who did the work had a blown 5vz and it had the exact shims I needed.
Any ideas on why the exhaust valves were too loose? It's been 150k miles since last adjusted by Toyota, when one valve needed minor adjustment.
FWIW the three that needed adjustment were the two left and rearmost cylinders (the most tricky to access due to charcoal canister etc.

 

[ShowStop]

Yeah, that's kinda weird. Worn cam or worn spring? Typically exhaust valves get tighter until they get burnt completely then obviously compression is lost.