2UZ VVTI Ticking/ Clacking/ Tapping Noise after Cam Seal & Single Cam swap

[Calvinswartz]

hello everyone. i am having a very similar issue. i recently finished replacing valve stem seals as i presumed they were the culprit for blue smoke on startup but no real consumption. as we all know here the cams came out and i disassembled the vvti actuators to replace the cam seal. i followed the procedure and used the sub-gear locking screw. i know i put the timing belt on correctly and im 99% sure the dots on the cam gears line up. when moving the cams during installation of the timing belt i felt the cam shaft move relative to the actuator, could my issue be due to play or lack of oil in the actuator?
New video · Monday, Jan 5 - https://photos.app.goo.gl/RKGnRaJgPKn8PunZ9

 

[xcmountain]

Mine was throwing misfire codes, primarily P0305, but others too (which I chased with plug swaps and injector swaps, etc.). Started blowing clouds of white smoke and running very rough, so concluded it was a head gasket. Pulled the heads and saw Gatorade in cylinder 5 and cracks in the head between the valves at cylinder 5.

View attachment 3854651
Noise after I installed the new head.



Ordered a refurb off ebay (TOYOTA/Lexus LANDCRUISER TUNDRA 4.7 DOHC CYLINDER HEAD 2UZ NON-VVTi driver 98-04 | eBay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/176559616231) and then experienced the clackety clack from the exhaust cam gear.
View attachment 3854652


Pulled it apart again and clocked it. The clackety clack is gone.



Sorry to the OP for crowding your thread here, but @2001LC always has such detailed and great questions helping us get to the answers that I wanted to follow up. I've lurking on here for years, probly time to come out of the dark with my 2002 beater rig.

No worries, and glad you solved it. I just checked my Road Trip app, and I have 29,000 miles on this valve tick, and it has remained the same. I keep looking for a low-mile VVTI motor just in case, but until this one dies, I will keep running it.