Priming the 2TRFE Oil Pump?

Hey guys,

I have an 09 2TRFE that had a balance chain tensioner fail. I bought a timing replacement kit and have the new parts already installed with all marks/links lined up. I'm ready to RVT the timing cover back on but wasn't sure the oil will prime in pump if I don't pack it in Vaseline. I didn't take the oil pump apart, but was wondering when I get timing cover back on and crank the engine by hand, how to verify oil is pumping. Could I verify by removing the upper timing chain guide since that o-ring seals the route for oil to the cam gears?

 

Remove the c/opn relay for the fuel pump, remove the spark plugs, spray some wd-40 down each hole, and crank the engine with the starter until you see the oil pressure light on the dash go away, then you’ll have it primed before you start it up

 

This worked like a charm! Removed relay and held the starter turned over for about 10 seconds and oil pressure light went out just like you described...got it all back together and running and now I see that farken' OEM coolant bypass is leaking right at T-Stat housing...I deserve this...should have done the coolant bypass line upgrade already but that is now happening today...

 

I am doing what looks like the same project that kergilman is doing for 07 2TRFE and more or less I am at the same point he was at; I am now ready to put the timing cover back on....all marks lined up. I am just waiting on Toyota to get my o'rings and steel coolant tube gasket ( I upgraded the plastic tube several years back). My timing tensioner was also very poor condition it was stuck and not moving in and out smoothly and pretty much at the end of its length range. The VVT cam gear had been rattling on cold starts for about 7 years and started whining brrrrrrr in Nov 2023. I parked it as soon as the whining sound started until I had time to do this. So I have replaced almost everything upper and lower under the timing cover including both balance shaft gears. Replaced everything except the oil pump. I took the oil pump apart and checked the pump for tolerance and it was still in the range of a brand new pump. No reason to replace that pump or the relief valve. I did pack some vaseline into the voids between the inner rotors of the oil pump but I am doing that mostly to keep those rotors somewhat stable to help align the crank sprocket with the timing cover....so that when I move the oil pump rotors they stay where I put them.

Good to hear that the oil light turning off worked for oil pressure indicator for the kergilman's 09 2TRFE so I will prime my oil pump the same way.

I have a couple of questions if anyone knows.

1) What is the oil port under the upper timing chain guide for? I am speaking to the port that is under upper chain shoe/guide where the o' ring is at that kergilman asked about. I looks like this port goes down into the block below the cam journals and then looks like it routes over near the VVT solenoid filter area.

2) Can I put engine oil into this port and just see where it runs out? Or will I be sorry I did that and have to clean my block back off again before putting on the RTV? I am just wondering if using that port for an oil pre-lube application point has any merit.

3) Is it a waste of time and lube to put liquid moly chain lube on the chains and sprockets? That stuff is really messy but some folks say it helps.

 

Typically priming is for new engines that havent seen any oil. On an older engine theres always going to be a film and the engine is already well run and used to varying conditions.

I prime jobs like this, but nothing crazy. I'd say filling the oil filter and cranking the engine for a few minutes is enough.

Pro tip, if you want to prime hard and fast, remove the spark plugs, zero compression means faster starter spin, also its easier on the starter.

Don't pour oil in the vvti ports, it wont change anything and there's no need.

 

@Curtis Lowe
How would you describe that whine you had before you replaced your chains? Like a power steering pump or supercharger whine? I recently did this job, and replaced all the gears related to the balance shaft chain/timing chain, and now my truck makes a whining sound (and it didn't before).

 

The sound I was hearing after my balance tensioner started to fail on the balance chain was more of a clackity-clack sound instead of a whine...

 

I had that noise before I replaced the chain and tensioner as well. Thankfully with the new chain, that noise has stopped, but now it whines. There have been a few people that have done this job, and a couple of them (from what they said on forum posts) had the same issue as me, but never posted a response on if they fixed the noise.

 

Yes I actually do have a little whine or werrrr sound now on the new chains and sprockets but it isn't very loud and assumed it was part of the break-in period...I'm at about 400 miles now after the swap and didn't use OEM parts. Should I be worried...? Bitch runs like it did when I rolled it off the lot in 2008!

 

Interesting, what kit did you use? Did you replace the intake gear (VVTi cam phaser) with your kit? I used all OEM parts. That is what sucks, I have around 600 miles since I did the chains, and it still whines, but just like you, the truck runs great!

 

I used this kit off of Amazon:

$209 DNJ TK954 Timing Chain Kit for 2005-2015 Toyota 4Runner Tacoma 2.7L L4 16V DOHC 2694cc

Timing Chain Kit

I did not replace the VVT on intake side. I skipped the oil pump and water pump replacement too. Removing the intake and using a whole can of carb cleaner to clean the nasties inside of that intake out is prob why it feels more responsive... I have an OBDII device that can graph sensors while driving and the timing adv looks about right under demand. I should be more worried then I am about that werrrrr sound...better to hear OEM parts can produce the same sound after installation...

 

I did the same regarding the oil pump and water pump, since to replace the oil pump, you would need a new timing cover, and my water pump does not make any noise or leak, so I had no reason to replace it either.

My truck ran fine before I did the chains, and the original timing chain/guide/tensioner were in perfect shape (no wear on the guides). I really hope the timing chain is not the one whining! It sucks there is no way to verify which chain is making noise, since we need the have the timing cover on for the oil pump.

 

Yeah I tried to inspect and compare the new chains, guides and tensioners with the old and couldn't see a difference and also noticed almost no wear. I paid less then $150 for that kit so I wanted to gain some kind of confidence before install...

 

@nickonfire700
Any chance you have the Toyota part numbers for any/all of the OEM stuff you used?

 

@MarquisDuSod
Here you go Dave, I just had to dig through my online order page:
11214-75012 Cylinder Head Cover Gasket #2
11213-75041 Cylinder Head Cover Gasket #1
11201-75055 Cylinder Head Cover Sub-Assembly
12263-75070 Ventilation Hose #3
17177-75040 Intake Manifold To Head Gasket
22271-75070 Throttle Body Gasket

$13 12204-0C010 Genuine Genuine Toyota Tacoma 2.7L PCV Valve 12204-0C010

12204-0C010 Ventilation Valve Sub-Assembly
17801-0C040 Engine Air Filter
90301-25014 O Ring
90301-25020 O Ring
96723-35028 O Ring
90301-19021 O Ring
96723-19014 O Ring
96723-19011 O Ring
90311-48020 Type T Oil Seal
13566-75020 Chain Damper Guide
13552-75030 Chain Tensioner Gasket
13506-75070 Chain Sub-Assembly #1
13559-75060 Chain Tensioner Slipper
13561-75060 Chain Vibration Damper #1
13562-75010 Chain Vibration Damper #2
13563-75021 Chain Vibration Damper #3
13554-75021 Chain Vibration Damper #4
13550-75010 Chain Tensioner Assembly #2
13507-75030 Chain Sub-Assembly #2
13540-75041 Chain Tensioner Assembly
13523-75030 Camshaft Timing Gear
13521-75021 Crankshaft Timing Gear
13597-75020 Crankshaft Timing Sprocket #2
13633-75010 Balanceshaft Timing Sprocket
90105-16041 Washer Based Head Hexagon Bolt
13635-75010 Balanceshaft Thrust Spacer
13063-75011 Balanceshaft Drive Gear Sub-Assembly
13050-75010 Camshaft Timing Gear Assembly

$21 00295-00103 Formed-in-Place Oil Pan Gasket - 3 oz. Tube

00295-00103 FIPG Oil seal
00272-SLLC2 SLLC Coolant x2

I am not sure how much of these parts will work on a 2016+ 2TR (I also had some parts in there that I know won't fit your truck, like the valve cover). I would have to do more research to remember what o-ring goes where.

I think I missed a gear when I ordered the parts (one of the helical cut gears for the right side balance shaft), and that was causing the whining sound. Since I didn't want to live with the sound, I opted to open the cover again and remove the balance shafts using LCE's delete kit (which was kinda tricky to install because of the balance shaft front bearing removal but I wish I did the delete kit the first time around!).