Tool To Replace Valve Shims

[jumbojake]

I've just got a 2004 D-4D .. 1CD-FTV (I think) and it's seems to be quite noisy when driving around town (30ish) .. sounds like the valve clearances are loose.

I've understand these engines have shims to set the clearance, and there is a special tool which will compress the spring to allow the shims to be replaced without removing the camshaft.

Does anyone know what this tool is.. or even better, where I can buy one from.... doing it the old fashioned way (camshaft removal), there is a lot of costs, new cambelt (false economy not to), pulleys, tensioner, water pump etc... I imagine the tool is the cheapest (and fastest) option.

I've seen told advertised for such a task, but for Ford engines.. does anyone know which tool is suitable for this engine?

(or, does the D-4D normally sound like a cross between sewing machine and tractor around town?)

[Beagh1958]

To jumbojake,

Your diesel knock & poor fuel consumption could well be down to other factors.

But to adjust shim settings you just need to remove cam-cover & other components to access cam cover. You do not need to remove camshafts, might be a good idea to change cambelt at this time if not sure of car service history.

If your in the trade, Snap-On sell the two tools required. One for pressing cam bucket down and the other for hooking out the shim. I think Sykes & pickavant may also sell the tool's. Sorry, you will need micrometer & feeler blades.

Regards, Beagh.

[jumbojake]

Thanks for your reply, my fuel consumption seems ok ... I get almost 60mpg on motorway runs and about 45 around town...

I assume these could be various reasons to the noise... but checking the clearances is probably a good one to check first.

Any suggestions for other causes to the noise? (and quick ways to check them??)

I'm not in the trade, but used to doing my own work... the cambelt was changed very recently (toyota dealer), so I don't really want to change it again (as a result of removing camshaft..) ...

[Jamesbelfast]

Has the noise only arose since the cambelt has been changed?:)

[cmia]

I've just got a 2004 D-4D .. 1CD-FTV (I think) and it's seems to be quite noisy when driving around town (30ish) .. sounds like the valve clearances are loose.

I've understand these engines have shims to set the clearance, and there is a special tool which will compress the spring to allow the shims to be replaced without removing the camshaft.

Does anyone know what this tool is.. or even better, where I can buy one from.... doing it the old fashioned way (camshaft removal), there is a lot of costs, new cambelt (false economy not to), pulleys, tensioner, water pump etc... I imagine the tool is the cheapest (and fastest) option.

I've seen told advertised for such a task, but for Ford engines.. does anyone know which tool is suitable for this engine?

(or, does the D-4D normally sound like a cross between sewing machine and tractor around town?)

what type of oil you using ?

[jumbojake]

what type of oil you using ?

Last service was by dealer... (according to log book) ... I trust they used the right stuff.

I did think there might be a oil flow problem to the top... not sure what I can do to prove that

[Beagh1958]

To jumbojake,

I would be very shocked it you found too many 1CD-FTV engined Avensis around that have ever had clearances checked unless specifically requested by owner. Check your invoices, that's old style servicing, the way it used to be done years ago. The way Toyota are going at the moment, they will be confused with what used to be called British Leyland. Still great car's, but very hard to get a good name back.

Regards, Beagh.

[SF695]

To jumbojake,

I would be very shocked it you found too many 1CD-FTV engined Avensis around that have ever had clearances checked unless specifically requested by owner. Check your invoices, that's old style servicing, the way it used to be done years ago. The way Toyota are going at the moment, they will be confused with what used to be called British Leyland. Still great car's, but very hard to get a good name back.

Regards, Beagh.

Decates ago even. Even my old Camry 1986 had self adjusting valve clearance.

[jumbojake]

Decates ago even. Even my old Camry 1986 had self adjusting valve clearance.

My previous car, 1991 Renault 19 had the old fashioned adjustment, with screwdriver and spanner. These shims seem a backward step to me... either automatically adjustable or if adjustable, they need to be simple...

Anyway ... looking through the corrola haynes manual (I believe it has the same diesel engine) ... this looks straight forward... but at one step it talks about using a sealant (to secure a semi-circular bung) ... does anyone know what kind of sealant? Is this the liquid gasket stuff you can get from Halfords... or something special??

[igormus]

I've just got a 2004 D-4D .. 1CD-FTV (I think) and it's seems to be quite noisy when driving around town (30ish) .. sounds like the valve clearances are loose.

I've understand these engines have shims to set the clearance, and there is a special tool which will compress the spring to allow the shims to be replaced without removing the camshaft.

Does anyone know what this tool is.. or even better, where I can buy one from.... doing it the old fashioned way (camshaft removal), there is a lot of costs, new cambelt (false economy not to), pulleys, tensioner, water pump etc... I imagine the tool is the cheapest (and fastest) option.

I've seen told advertised for such a task, but for Ford engines.. does anyone know which tool is suitable for this engine?

(or, does the D-4D normally sound like a cross between sewing machine and tractor around town?)

are you sure it is due to extensive gaps???

i would disagree that you could hear gaps knocks in the closed cabin + diesel running. does engine criates valves knocking at iddle? have you opened bonet?

how many miles on the clock -- as vissible the car is young yet. cheers/Igor

[jumbojake]

are you sure it is due to extensive gaps???

i would disagree that you could hear gaps knocks in the closed cabin + diesel running. does engine criates valves knocking at iddle? have you opened bonet?

how many miles on the clock -- as vissible the car is young yet. cheers/Igor

I'm not certain the 'problem' is due to loose cam/valve stem gaps... but it is a possible cause that I can measure (and fix).

As I said in the beginning, this might be normal... the car is new to me and I have no reference. The car is 2004, with 86k on the clock. It was a fleet car, with dealer stamps (although they are missing for a 6 month period, where over 30k was covered !!).

The noise at idle is what I'd expect from a diesel, but when I'm driving around town (30ish), the cam noise is quite evident. At motorway speed it is not noticeable.

[igormus]

are you sure it is due to extensive gaps???

i would disagree that you could hear gaps knocks in the closed cabin + diesel running. does engine criates valves knocking at iddle? have you opened bonet?

how many miles on the clock -- as vissible the car is young yet. cheers/Igor

I'm not certain the 'problem' is due to loose cam/valve stem gaps... but it is a possible cause that I can measure (and fix).

As I said in the beginning, this might be normal... the car is new to me and I have no reference. The car is 2004, with 86k on the clock. It was a fleet car, with dealer stamps (although they are missing for a 6 month period, where over 30k was covered !!).

The noise at idle is what I'd expect from a diesel, but when I'm driving around town (30ish), the cam noise is quite evident. At motorway speed it is not noticeable.

hello again

the valves knock is CONSTANT and must be heard either at iddle or not - but you are not sure yet -- so what is behavior of engine when you sharply press gas pedal???? any blacky smoke???? Cheers/Igor

[SF695]

I don't know these diesel engines. Just having a hard time believe that an engine made in 2004 has to have valves adjusted manually, when engines from decates ago did not. Diesels are noisy. Not as noisy as the used to, but they will always be noisier than petrol engines

[Jamesbelfast]

The shimmed bucket method of valve train systems is used in many engines as it has proved to be extremely reliable - very rarely does it give trouble unless it has suffered valve damage, over-reving or oil starvation - even then it can survive remarkably well. Many high perforance engines use such a system as it reduces the number of moving parts. Its big advantage is that it has been around a long time and once set up correctly will not require any adjustment or maintenance for a very long time - better still it is much quieter.

If the noise has appeared after a timing belt change I would suspect the timing belt is incorrectly tensioned.:)

[jumbojake]

If the noise has appeared after a timing belt change I would suspect the timing belt is incorrectly tensioned.:)

now I am scared!

To answer a few questions...

I can hear the 'cammy' noise when idle, but along with the background rumble sounds like any diesel... it is more prominent under load at about 30ish .. above that it isn't noticeable.

I do not notice any black smoke at all

It has had a timing belt done (by Dealer) in the recent past...according to log book ... but as I said car is new to me, so I don't know if this is normal or not.

I'm a little paranoid about the timing belt tension now.... is this an 'interference' engine? ... what side effects would I expect from a loose belt (apart from the catastrophic!!)

[cmia]

i think they will be the injectors

they make a ticking noise which is progressive and then go away beyond 30mph

[SF695]

If the noise has appeared after a timing belt change I would suspect the timing belt is incorrectly tensioned.:)

I'm a little paranoid about the timing belt tension now.... is this an 'interference' engine? ... what side effects would I expect from a loose belt (apart from the catastrophic!!)

All the diesels are interference engines. So, timing being off may cause valves to bend

[jumbojake]

i think they will be the injectors

they make a ticking noise which is progressive and then go away beyond 30mph

Interesting thought ... but it's definitely a mechanical knocking noise, at the week-end I'll get the wife to rev it, and put a screwdriver to my ear... see if I can locate it... (a treat for valentines day!).

Until then I'll do what I used to in my old Renault... turn the Radio up!

[cmia]

i think they will be the injectors

they make a ticking noise which is progressive and then go away beyond 30mph

Interesting thought ... but it's definitely a mechanical knocking noise, at the week-end I'll get the wife to rev it, and put a screwdriver to my ear... see if I can locate it... (a treat for valentines day!).

Until then I'll do what I used to in my old Renault... turn the Radio up!

It wont be cams, or valve clearnaces we have cars that have done 400k on that engine and never had an issue.

THe injectors are selonid type, much noiser.

take the top cover off the noise will be more audiable.

[jumbojake]

After a painfully long drive home ... driving around the estate near home ... I noticed the noisy cams changed quite a bit... after a long drive they are not so prominent .. and have a sweet sound I'd expect from a diesel engine.

so .. it's not the injectors (that'd be the same) .. it's not the cam gap's .. they'd be the same ... lubrication of camshaft??

Oil level is OK... actually they over filled it :(

So ... now I'm thinking perhaps a oil flow problem ... presumably the oil pump is OK.. I don't see any oil pressure warnings.. so perhaps a partially blocked channel?

I'm not a great lover of engine flush ... hear so many horror stories... or is it no so bad on diesels?

[SF695]

Try tapping oil of if it's overfilled

[cmia]

if you take the engine cover off you can actually hear the injectors.

some people use Diesel as an lubricant and clean the engine.