Builds Pappy's 3RZ Adventure (7 Viewers)

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They are shim style and use the same shims as many other Toyota motors. It's a good idea to go to the pick-n-pull and harvest a bunch of the shims so you will have what you need otherwise they are upwards of $20 a shim if I remember correctly. here's a list of same style shim motors

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Boneyard had a 25% off sale today for the holiday. Decided to go harvest a few shims. After taking my engine apart, and practicing the shim removal thing with the stupid tools … I decided it was way less frustrating to just remove the camshafts. I figured the boneyard wouldn't know what to charge for the shims, so I harvested the whole lifter (bucket). They had a price in the computer for those. How much? About 77 cents each after tax and discount. Plus, it was easier to pick out the shim from the bucket on the bench at home than in the field.
 
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Just curious... Did you have the SST for removing the shims? I never found that thing to work very well. But it's better than trying to use a pair of prybars.
 
Just curious... Did you have the SST for removing the shims? I never found that thing to work very well. But it's better than trying to use a pair of prybars.
Yep. Those are the "stupid tools" I was talking about. I think for replacing a few shims at a time the frustration could be managed. But for removing them the cams needed to come out. Plus, you can't turn the camshaft with empty buckets.
 
It's time. Cylinder head in the back of the car ready for delivery to the machine shop.

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Top deck.

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Sure. 2012 Venza. As I say in my sig … it's my "old-man" car. It was a pre-retirement gift to myself. I deserved something new-ish, and cushy, instead of driving 30+ year old junk.
 
Those are great cars. Very reliable, but lots of cargo room too. It's too bad they had to stop making them.
 
Sure. 2012 Venza. As I say in my sig … it's my "old-man" car. It was a pre-retirement gift to myself. I deserved something new-ish, and cushy, instead of driving 30+ year old junk.

I know what you mean. One of the secretaries at work drives a 2014(?) Avalon. Drives a lot of miles, but her cars are dealer maintained. Her last one, a c.2008 Avalon, she sold for a few grand when she got this last one. I'll be talking to her when she trades again. Avalons and Venzas are made over in the next county...
 
Where did I leave off? The head was taken to the machine shop for magic. It came back looking gorgeous.

Head intake side-sm.jpg


I also picked up the plenum and valve cover from the powder coater. I had them done in a gunmetal gray. I think they came out looking great. Both are sporting new badging.

plenum-sm.jpg


Now, this inquiring mind wants to know. Toyota gave the 20R, 22R, 22RE, and even the 1FZ-FE valve cover decals. How come the 3RZ-FE didn't get one? Well, I decided to fix that, and I think it looks damn sexy. Unfortunately, the printer messed up, so this isn't the final product. There should be a chrome border around the edge. At some point, when I receive the real deal, I will have them up in the MUD Small Business Storefront. In the mean time, I am giddy beyond belief.

3RZ valve cover badge-v.jpg
 
A little update on the valve adjustment. As luck would have it NONE of the shims I have will work. They are all too thick. I guess with the valve grind, and the valve seat grind, the valves stick up further. Like .30mm further. So, it looks like I will need to replace all of them. I only checked the shims on the exhaust cam side, but I suspect the intake will be the same. At $10 each this is going to get spendy.
 
A little update on the valve adjustment. As luck would have it NONE of the shims I have will work. They are all too thick. I guess with the valve grind, and the valve seat grind, the valves stick up further. Like .30mm further. So, it looks like I will need to replace all of them. I only checked the shims on the exhaust cam side, but I suspect the intake will be the same. At $10 each this is going to get spendy.

what about going back to the machine shop and having them grind the shims down, im guessing that they didn't do a valve adjustment after doing the valve job
 
I told the machine shop not to do the valve adjustment. It wasn't going to be free, and I would rather do it myself.
 
Dude for the record, you're probably better off $$$ letting the shop do it.
My guy has been able to do the ones i needed by trimming the valve and not swapping any more shims than necessary. It adds up fast, and if i was a betting man id say no way you hit it first try(no offense).

Just food for thought. ;)
 
A little update on the valve adjustment. As luck would have it NONE of the shims I have will work. They are all too thick. I guess with the valve grind, and the valve seat grind, the valves stick up further. Like .30mm further. So, it looks like I will need to replace all of them. I only checked the shims on the exhaust cam side, but I suspect the intake will be the same. At $10 each this is going to get spendy.

A new sheet of 600 grit wet/dry emory paper on a flat surface, spritzed water, you can safely grind those shims yourself. Seriously. Seen it done.
 
I've had them ground on a surface grinder when I just needed one done not worth placing an order. (Don't remember on what - I've got 5 shim/bucket motors I believe.). But I have wondered if these are case hardened or hard all the way thru? If case hardened I wonder if they will wear after grinding.

Seeing how they are high grade steel and bathed in oil probably not just something I think about.

I wouldn't trust myself to keep the surfaces parallel lapping by hand. Not saying others don't have the skill but I don't want to risk wearing a cam lobe wonky.
 
Since this project is stalled until I can pull the coins together to rebuild the bottom end, you will just have to suffer with glamour shots.

3RZ head shot-sm.jpg
 
Since this project is stalled until I can pull the coins together to rebuild the bottom end, you will just have to suffer with glamour shots.

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Don't worry, that top end looks too good to be installed anyway... you better buy a display case for it... ;)

It will be nice to hear that engine fire up after all of this work!

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