Valve adjustment cost

has anyone had their valves adjusted at a shop? how much did it cost? just trying to get an idea if I should plan on doing this my self or not. I live in Southern California. thanks in advance!

 

The part of the job that I'm struggling with as a DIY job is the shim kit. It's impossible to plan ahead for because you don't know what size shims are needed until the top of the motor is off. Maybe order a dozen of the common sizes ahead of time from Toyota then return the ones you don't use?

I haven't priced out the job from professionals because the shops around here will quote double or triple over the phone on jobs like this they don't want to do.

 

12.50$ per shim can add up. Plan on truck being down and checking when it's cold. Just recently did mine

 

If you've got the time and have a pick and pull yard close by, I'd suggest going and pulling off valve covers and cams on a few toyota's and just collect a bunch of shims. I found the 4 cylinder and v6 trucks/4runners used the same shims and probably other toyota's

 

Me personally having had my valve cover off several times and measured my clearances, I'd say if a shop quotes you more than 4 hrs labor, they are gouging you.

 

When I did mine, I pulled the shim after checking clearance, measured shim thickness and recorded it. If it called for a different shim, lets say, as I went through the process I could see where existing shim would fit and work for the fix on a different valve. Other words swapping them around to use all existing shims if possible, then what was left over to be changed I new what size shim to order.. some of the older shims wouldn't work at all so I have them sitting in a jar of oil for future use,,,, if I live that long.

 

Its your exhaust valves(smaller clearance) that are gonna wear down overtime....
when they wear down (seat).... there is less and less clearance.....
that gap determines how long valve is left open....
if open too long....valve get damaged (burnt)....

So your always gonna need smaller and smaller shims......
The exhaust ones are already pretty small.....so there is only one or two steps left....

most of the 4 bangers (2rz/3rz) heads come with #3 in exhaust from factory from my limited experiences...
I have aftermarket heads.....so........any bodies guess........................
Careful ......reman engines with reman heads may already be on smallest shim....which you'd run to failure.....

 

Valve Shim - Toyota 28mm (1990-2011) OEM Valve Shim (yotashop.com)

 

i live in socal and took it to a shop called TOYOPROS they just work on yotas all day and the tech ther probbly knows the 3rz engine blindfolded. I think you adjust every 100k and I got it done for 250$ i dont quite remember, and they printed out a sheet if where it aas iff and how much it was adjusted. Things to do while youre in ther is also a good thing to do. I can work on my own truck, I just didnt have the time.

 

Another benefit from running a dirty engine.....advance wear on shims and lobes......
helps keeps up with valve wear.....

 

thanks for all the input everyone ! I think what I'm going to do is take the valve covers off some week in august and then see what shims I need and then order them. initially when I asked this question it was because I had a new ticking sound that I thought was valve train related. The ticking was actually just a loose spark plug. But I know now that ticking wouldn't be caused by valves not being adjusted because the nature of the wear would cause the clearance to get smaller not larger. If the ticking was indeed caused by the valve train I would have needed to get my heads machined. anyway I've never adjusted the valves on my tacoma and I've put 110K miles on it so im still planning on doing it. thanks again, everyone.