Removal & Installation: Camshaft: Removal
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Lexus LS 430. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Refer to these figures throughout procedure. See Figure-Figure .
- Disconnect negative battery cable. Drain cooling system. Remove engine "V" bank and side covers. Remove intake air duct and air cleaner assembly. Remove radiator and cooling fans assembly. Remove timing belt. See TIMING BELT REPLACEMENT - 4.3L article. Remove camshaft position sensor.
- Remove left hand and right hand timing belt rear plates. Remove valve covers. If necessary, remove camshaft semi-circular plugs. Remove camshaft timing oil control valve from front camshaft bearing cap.
- To avoid valve/piston interference, ensure timing mark on crankshaft pulley is aligned with center of crankshaft pulley bolt and center of No. 2 timing belt idler pulley bolt. See Figure.
- Using Variable Pin Wrench Set (09960-10010), and a shop rag to absorb oil, turn camshaft 25 degrees from left to right, 2 to 3 times, to release oil from front bearing cap timing oil control valve installation hole. Approximately 1.2 cu. in. (20 cc) of oil will be ejected.
- Using a wrench on cast camshaft hex, turn left hand exhaust camshaft to bring service bolt hole of sub-gear up. Secure sub-gear on left hand exhaust camshaft to main gear with a service bolt (6 x 1 x 20 mm). See Fig 1. Rotate camshafts so dot marks on left hand camshaft gears align with each other. See Figure.
- Using a wrench on cast camshaft hex, turn right hand exhaust camshaft to bring service bolt hole of sub-gear up. Secure sub-gear on right hand exhaust camshaft to main gear with a service bolt (6 x 1 x 20 mm). See Fig 1. Rotate right hand exhaust camshaft to position timing mark (one dot) at a 10 degree angle above timing mark mating level on intake gear.
- Evenly loosen camshaft bearing cap bolts in sequence, using several steps. See Fig 2. Remove 4 seal washers, oil feed pipe, 9 bearing caps, oil control valve filter, and 2 camshafts, from each cylinder head. Arrange bearing caps in order of removal.
- To disassemble exhaust camshaft, mount cast hexagonal area of camshaft in soft-jaw vise. Using Variable Pin Wrench Set (09960-10010), rotate sub-gear clockwise and remove service bolt. Remove snap ring, wave washer, sub-gear and gear spring. To disassemble intake camshaft, mount cast hexagonal area of camshaft in soft-jaw vise. Remove center plug and seal washer. Using a 10-mm hex wrench, remove bolt from timing tube assembly. Remove timing tube and drive gear assembly. Using Variable Pin Wrench Set (09960-10010) and 5 mm hexagon (Allen) wrench, remove 4 Allen bolts, drive gear and oil seal from timing tube.
CAUTION:
Since camshaft thrust clearance is so small, camshafts must be kept level during removal to prevent damage to camshaft due to binding at cylinder head thrust surface.
CAUTION:
DO NOT remove timing tube assembly bolts. See Fig 3. The 4 bolts determine the backlash of gear inside timing tube. If any one of the 4 blots are removed, a NEW timing tube must be used.