Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2010 22:10:10 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Oil filter question
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="UTF-8"; reply-type=original
Well that is strange.
tell me...
if the valve clearances are on the tight side..
they'll be pretty quiet , right ? what then ?
I have called Toyota dealership service departments a few time to ask about
such service issues.
One time I asked about timing belt interval on a Corolla S car ..
1600 DOHC engine ..
they said they never change them ..
not until they're doing a whole head job.
I researched doing valve clearances on a fairly late model toyota engine, a
four cylinder..
one a guy wanted me to possibly put in a vanagon.
I was quite shocked it was a very old system..
you measure the clearances, and write 'em down.
then you undo the timing belt, remove the cams..
pull out the cam followers and measure the thickness of the shims underneath
the cam followers..
then calculate the new shims needed, and put the whole thing back together.
And that could take say ..
a good four hours.
perhaps the Prius uses something similar.
but $ 800 to $ 1,100..
rather silly.
Hardly anyone will be having that done.
Most likely they hold an adjustment very well.
It's been my experience that shim type valve clearance set ups hold the
adjustment very well, generally.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Mcneely" <mcneely4@COX.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, November 05, 2010 3:05 PM
Subject: Re: Oil filter question
> ---- David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET> wrote:
>
>>
>> For this sort of thing a long screwdriver or (much better) a
>> mechanic's stethoscope can be your good friend.
>
> I have used (and have seen a professional use) a long piece of round steel
> 9/16 inch stock. Just put one end on the place suspected of producing the
> noise, and the other end against the mastoid bone (the convex mass behind
> the ear). Move the sensor end about a bit, and pinpointing the noise is
> pretty easy. Actually, anything that will transmit sound readily and that
> can fit between your ear and the suspect part will work.
>
> When I took my Prius in for scheduled maintenance last, one of the items
> on Toyota's list was "adjust valves." The quoted price -- an
> unconscionable amount -- over $800. I wasn't at the dealership, but at an
> independent shop. I raised my eyebrows considerably, took a deep breath,
> and said, "you're %$#&*!!ing joking." "Nope." The fellow then called the
> local Toyota dealership. Their price was over $1100 (difference in hourly
> rate, I'm sure). But, the person at the dealership told my guy that they
> don't do that valve adjustment. Toyota had approved not doing it if a
> stethoscopic listen showed all quiet on the valve front. I then
> personally called to get confirmation that my warranty would not be
> compromised, and went about my business. A few days later I got a nice
> letter from the dealer, with a copy of the service bulletin that stated no
> warranty compromise if unneeded valve adjustments were skipped if
> listening by a qualified technician confirmed that the valves were quiet.
>
> The valve adjustment calls for so many hours because of all the stuff
> bolted above and around the valve cover. Sort of like changing out a
> water pump on the waterboxer I guess, or changing the oil pressure sender.
>
> David McNeely
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