Replacing rear cam plugs the easy way 99 V6

I've been fighting a oil leak on my exhaust crossover pipe since I bought this taco. I replaced the valve cover gaskets twice with resealing the half moon plugs the second time. All this and still smell oil burning at a drive through window. Long story shorter, the cam plugs were leaking. Read on the net where a few folks had success getting the plugs out with a suction cup without removing the valve covers. I was able to get the right side out and replaced with this method but the left was stuck. It would move but not come all the way out. I had some of the Neodymium magnet that I was able to work it out with. Success, without lifting the cam housing or even removing the valve covers. I did put a light film of black RTV on the outer edges of the new plugs for good measure.
Just wanted to relay my success for anyone with the same problem. Manifold does have to be removed for working room on the left.

 

I can see mine starting to get a little wet around there, thanks for the post. Interesting technique certainly saves some time.

 

I’ve had my valve cover gaskets replaced but not the cam plugs and they are leaking. I’ll give this a go. Thank you 1988Mercedes.

 

There's a special tool that you can use also. Ill get the part # off of it in the morning if anyone is interested.

 

Please do

 

What I think the real lesson should be is not about how you can replace the cam plugs without removing the valve covers but it should be that when you do the valve cover gasket job, replacing the cam plugs should be part of it. This is one of the reasons why people get a valve cover gasket job done at a shop and find they still have a leak. Do the the job once and do it right. I know some guys put RTV on these cam plugs but it's not necessary unless you're trying to cheap out and reuse your old cam plugs. The outer surface of the cam plug is rubberized and makes a good seal with the cam collar and the head. The big issue I see with using RTV is if you ever have to perform the job again. getting at the back of the heads to clean out old RTV would be a major hassle.

The video below lists all the associated parts you should replace when doing this job properly. Some parts are optional like replacing the spark plugs and wires but it's the opportune time to replace them if they are old and due for renewal.

OP, I'm not really trying to bag on you here. I just want people to learn from your mistake. A little research on this job beforehand would have lead you to know that it's smart to replace the cam plugs while you have the valve covers off because they are a potential oil leak source from the heads. For every job I film, I do lots of research before going for it. It's doesn't guarantee I won't make mistakes, because I still do, but it reduces the amount of times I say, "Damn, I screwed up." We all make mistakes but this job is well-documented by many people and you could have saved yourself some aggravation by researching it better before going for it. My 2 and a half cents.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/N5fAXAuGozI

 

Timmah! I think you are getting your plugs mixed up. Cam plugs are between the block & head, NOT the plugs that are removed with the valve covers.

 

Well, there's cam plugs on the back of the heads which is what you show pictured in your 1st post. I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't know of a plug between the block and the head. The only thing between the block and the heads is the head gaskets. There's cam seals that seal the camshafts on the fronts of the heads. So, please enlighten me to what you're referring to because you lost me in a big way.

The cam plugs should be replaced when you have the valve covers off. You remove the collars, clean off any old RTV, put in the new cam plugs and reseal the collars with new RTV.

 

Hey Timmah,

Thank you for making that vid. The detail is awesome!
I can definitely get better at researching these types of jobs before I jump in and send it to a mechanic or do it myself. Seriously, I didn’t even know what a gasket was when I sent the truck into my mechanic last June so I need to pick my game up.

Fortunately, the owner of the shop where I got the gaskets done is surprised his mechanics didn’t change the plugs out when they had the valve covers off and is going to give me some type of refund.

I was hoping to pull the plugs out and put them back in without going all the way back into the valve covers etc. I have all the parts to redo the job, including new cam plugs but don’t want to if I don’t have to.

Is RTV really that hard to get off if I need to go back in down the track?!?

 

That area where the cam plugs live is between the back of the heads and the fire wall. Digging out any old RTV might be a major pain in the butt because it's tight access and hard to see on the back side of the head. Also, this is one of those things that somebody started a long time ago and others blindly followed without questioning it. The Toyota factory service manuals say nothing about smearing RTV on the cam plugs because it's not necessary. Once you have one of those new cam plugs in your hands, it will make sense to you. The outer surface of the cam plug is rubberized and that's what makes a good seal with the cam collar and the head.

 

Tim I agree 100%, both of my 5VZ's were leaking from these cam plugs but not the valve cover gasket itself. Unfortunately I cheaped out and reused my plugs but applied permatex "the right stuff" and it successfully stopped the leak, but until reading your post just now I didn't even realize how much of a PITA it will be to clean out later! The half moons that are way more accessible were bad enough. Excellent insight and my next valve cover gasket job I'll definitely be using new plugs.

 

I've done the valve cover gasket job 4 times on the 3.4 liter engine without using RTV on the cam plugs and no leaks. However, the half moons are a metal on metal mating that does need fresh RTV to reseal them to the heads. I stand behind my belief that putting RTV on these cam plugs was started by someone at some point as added insurance to prevent a leak and then this technique got spread over forums and then it became gospel. You put RTV on the cam collar where the FSM says to do so but you don't need it on the actual cam plugs. For anyone who's replaced a front camshaft seal or the crankshaft seal, the outer diameter of these seals are rubberized as well and make a seal with the head for the camshaft seals and a seal with the oil pump housing for the crankshaft seal. If we're to believe it's necessary to put RTV on the rear cam plugs, I guess we should be putting RTV on the outer diameter of every damn seal on the engine, transmission and transfer case. Again, the FSM says nothing about doing this with these types of seals because it's not necessary. Now, if there was some type of imperfection in the metal the seal is being installed into, then I could see adding a little RTV as extra insurance.

 

Heres the tool. there's some bids of it in use it works well I've used it a couple of times.

 

Ok, I got the cam plugs out from the back of the engine, wiped everything off, applied FIPG, then slotted them back in.

Big shout out to 1998Mercedes for suggestion of the Neodymium magnet. I put the magnet (actually three together) in a strong ziplock bag and laid it against the plug, then pulled away from the plug. After ripping the bag a few times I got both of the plugs out.



I’m pretty sure you can purchase Neodymium magnets with hooks on them for less than $10. I think that would be an even better option.

Anyhow, I’m letting things dry now and will go for a good spin in the morning. Fingers crossed it’s all tight back there.

Timmah! Thank you for your input. I’ll definitely be using your resources if I have to go back in there.

 

I don’t think this is for the same job?!?

 

A dermal with the flexibility wand and a wire wheel will clean the half moons and cam plug areas super fast.

 

Good information in this post.