Camshaft Removal

Remove the engine assembly with transaxle (RAV4_ACA30 RM000003PXM007X.html).

Disconnect the throttle body connector and 2 water hoses.

Remove the 2 bolts, 2 nuts and throttle body.

Remove the gasket.

Remove the bolt and wire harness clamp bracket.

Detach the 4 clamps and wire harness from the intake manifold.

Disconnect the fuel vapor feed hose and ventilation hose.

Remove the 5 bolts, 2 nuts, intake manifold stay and intake manifold.

Remove the gasket from the intake manifold.

Remove the bolt and wire harness clamp bracket from the intake manifold.

Using an E6 "TORX" socket wrench, remove the 2 stud bolts from the intake manifold.

Disconnect the fuel vapor feed hose from the purge VSV.

Disconnect the 2 union to connector tube hoses.

Disconnect the No. 2 air hose and No. 1 fuel vapor feed hose.

Remove the 2 bolts and air tube.

Remove the 2 nuts and wire harness clamp bracket.

Remove the No. 2 fuel pipe clamp.

Wipe off any dirt on the fuel tube connector.

Hold the fuel tube connector, and then install SST.

SST

09268-21010

Turn SST to align the retainer inside the fuel tube connector with the chamfered part of SST.

Insert SST into the fuel tube and hold it. Then push the fuel tube connector toward SST.

Mount the retainer of the fuel tube connector onto the chamfered part of SST.

Slide SST and the fuel tube connector together towards the fuel tube until they make a "click" sound, and then disconnect the fuel tube.

Drain the fuel remaining inside the fuel tube.

Cover the fuel tube and fuel pipe with a plastic bag to protect the disconnected part.

Remove the bolt and wire harness bracket.

Remove the 2 bolts.

Remove the bolt and fuel delivery pipe.

Remove the 2 No. 1 delivery pipe spacers.

Pull the 4 fuel injector assemblies out of the fuel delivery pipe sub-assembly.

For reinstallation, attach a tag or label to the injector shaft.

NOTICE:

Prevent entry of foreign objects by covering the fuel injector with plastic bags.

Remove the 4 injector vibration insulators.

Remove the engine oil level dipstick.

Remove the bolt and dipstick guide.

Remove the O-ring from the dipstick guide.

Disconnect the No. 3 water by-pass hose from the water inlet housing.

Disconnect the water inlet hose from the water inlet housing.

Remove the 2 nuts and disconnect the water inlet.

Remove the thermostat.

Remove the gasket from the thermostat.

Remove the 3 bolts and vacuum pump from the engine.

Remove the 2 O-rings from the vacuum pump.

Remove the 2 bolts, vacuum pump bracket and gasket.

Disconnect the 4 ignition coil connectors.

Remove the 4 bolts and 4 ignition coils.

NOTICE:

When removing the ignition coil, do not damage the plug cap with the cylinder head cover opening or the upper edge of the spark plug tube.

Remove the bolt and setting condenser.

Remove the 13 bolts, seal washer and cylinder head cover.

Remove the 3 gaskets from the camshaft bearing cap.

NOTICE:

As gaskets may stick to the cylinder head cover, be careful not to drop any of the gaskets into the engine when removing the cylinder head cover.

Remove the cylinder head cover gasket.

Pry up the 4 claws of the ventilation baffle plate.

NOTICE:

Do not deform the claws of the baffle plate more than necessary.

Remove the 4 gaskets from the cylinder head cover.

HINT:

Prevent the plug tube gaskets from being deformed as much as possible. The removed gaskets will be used when installing new gaskets.

NOTICE:

Be careful not to damage the cylinder head cover.

Turn the crankshaft pulley until its notch and timing mark "0" of the timing chain cover are aligned.

Check that timing marks on both the camshaft timing exhaust gear and camshaft timing gear are facing upward as shown in the illustration.

HINT:

If not, turn the crankshaft 1 complete revolution (360°) and align the marks as above.

Using SST, hold the crankshaft pulley and loosen the pulley bolt. Further loosen the bolt until 2 or 3 threads are screwed into the crankshaft.

SST

09213-58014(91551-80840)
09330-00021

Using SST and the pulley bolt, remove the crankshaft pulley and pulley bolt.

SST

09950-50013(09951-05010,09952-05010,09953-05020,09954-05021)

HINT:

Apply lubricant to the threads and end of SST.

Remove the 2 nuts, bracket, chain tensioner and gasket.

NOTICE:

Do not turn the crankshaft without the No. 1 chain tensioner installed.

Remove the 3 bolts and engine mounting bracket.

Remove the 4 bolts and oil filter bracket.

Remove the 2 O-rings.

Remove the 19 bolts.

Remove the timing chain cover by prying between the timing chain cover and cylinder head, camshaft housing, cylinder block and stiffening crankcase with a screwdriver as shown in the illustration.

HINT:

Tape the screwdriver tip before use.

NOTICE:

Be careful not to damage the contact surfaces of the cylinder head, camshaft housing, cylinder block, stiffening crankcase and timing chain cover.

Remove the 3 O-rings.

Remove the 3 bolts and water pump.

Remove the gasket.

Place the timing chain cover on wooden blocks.

Using a screwdriver, tap out the oil seal.

HINT:

Tape the screwdriver tip before use.

NOTICE:

Do not damage the surface of the oil seal press fit hole.

Remove the chain tensioner slipper from the cylinder block.

Remove the 2 bolts and chain vibration damper.

Hold the hexagonal portion of the camshaft with a wrench and turn the camshaft timing gear counterclockwise to loosen the chain between the camshaft timing gears.

With the chain loosened, release the chain from the camshaft timing gear and place it on the camshaft timing gear.

HINT:

Be sure to release the chain from the sprocket completely.

Turn the camshaft clockwise to return it to the original position and remove the chain.

Check the lock of the camshaft timing gear.

After cleaning and degreasing the VVT oil hole on the intake side of the No. 1 camshaft bearing cap, completely seal the oil hole with adhesive tape or equivalent as shown in the illustration to prevent air from leaking.

NOTICE:

Be sure to cover the oil hole completely because air leaks due to insufficient sealing will prevent the lock pin from being released.

Prick a hole in the tape covering the oil hole as shown in the illustration. (Procedure A)

Apply approximately 150 kPa (1.5 kgf/cm², 22 psi) of air pressure to the hole pricked in procedure A to release the lock pin.

NOTICE:

1. If air leaks out, reattach the adhesive tape.
   
2. Cover the oil hole with a piece of cloth when applying air pressure to prevent oil from spraying.
   

Forcibly turn the camshaft timing gear in the advance direction (counterclockwise).

HINT:

Depending on the air pressure applied, the camshaft timing gear may turn in the advance direction without assistance.

Turn the camshaft timing gear within its movable range (26.5 to 28.5°) 2 or 3 times without turning it to the most retarded position. Make sure that the camshaft timing gear turns smoothly.

Remove the adhesive tape from the No. 1 camshaft bearing cap.

Check the lock of the camshaft timing exhaust gear.

After cleaning and degreasing the VVT oil hole on the exhaust side of the No. 1 camshaft bearing cap, completely seal the oil hole with adhesive tape or equivalent as shown in the illustration to prevent air from leaking.

NOTICE:

Be sure to cover the oil hole completely because air leaks due to insufficient sealing will prevent the lock pin from being released.

Prick a hole in the tape covering the oil hole as shown in the illustration. (Procedure A)

Apply approximately 200 kPa (2.0 kgf/cm², 28 psi) of air pressure to the hole pricked in procedure A to release the lock pin.

NOTICE:

1. If air leaks out, reattach the adhesive tape.
   
2. Cover the oil hole with a piece of cloth when applying air pressure to prevent oil from spraying.
   

Using a screwdriver with its tip wrapped with tape, forcibly turn the camshaft timing exhaust gear in the retard direction (clockwise).

NOTICE:

1. Be sure to keep the camshaft timing exhaust gear in the retard direction using a screwdriver. If the gear is released, it will return to the most advanced position automatically due to the force from the spring.
   
2. Do not damage the camshaft timing exhaust gear.
   

Using a screwdriver with its tip wrapped with tape, turn the camshaft timing exhaust gear within its movable range (19 to 21°) 2 or 3 times without turning it to the most advanced position. Make sure that the camshaft timing exhaust gear turns smoothly.

Remove the adhesive tape from the No. 1 camshaft bearing cap.

Remove the flange bolt while holding the hexagonal portion of the camshaft, and then remove the camshaft timing gear.

NOTICE:

1. Before removing the camshaft timing gear, make sure that the lock pin has been released.
   


2. Be sure not to remove the other 4 bolts.
   
3. Keep the camshaft timing gear horizontal while removing it from the camshaft.
   

Remove the flange bolt while holding the hexagonal portion of the camshaft, and then remove the camshaft timing exhaust gear.

NOTICE:

1. Be sure not to remove the other 4 bolts.
   
2. Keep the camshaft timing exhaust gear horizontal while removing it from the camshaft.
   

Remove the 2 bolts and valve rocker arm lost motion damper.

NOTICE:

1. Make sure the camshaft housing is installed to the cylinder head when removing or installing a valve rocker arm lost motion damper.
   
2. If a valve rocker arm lost motion damper is removed, do not remove the camshaft housing.
   
3. Do not remove the shims. If a shim is removed, replace the camshaft housing as engine malfunctions may result from irregular valve timing.
   

Install the valve rocker arm lost motion damper with the 2 bolts. Uniformly tighten the bolts.

Torque:

10 N*m{102 kgf*cm, 7 ft.*lbf}

Add engine oil into the hole for engine oil.

Uniformly loosen and remove the 17 bearing cap bolts in the sequence shown in the illustration.

NOTICE:

Uniformly loosen the bearing cap bolts while keeping the camshaft housing level.

Remove the camshaft housing by prying between the cylinder head and camshaft housing with a screwdriver.

HINT:

Tape the screwdriver tip before use.

NOTICE:

Be careful not to damage the contact surfaces of the cylinder head and camshaft housing.

Remove the 16 valve rocker arms.

HINT:

Arrange the removed parts in the correct order.

Remove the 16 valve lash adjusters from the cylinder head.

HINT:

Arrange the removed parts in the correct order.

Turn the roller by hand to check that it turns smoothly.
If the roller does not turn smoothly, replace the No. 1 valve rocker arm sub-assembly.

Place the lash adjuster into a container full of new engine oil.

Insert the tip of SST into the lash adjuster plunger and use the tip to press down on the check ball inside the plunger.

SST

09276-75010

Squeeze SST and the valve lash adjuster together to move the plunger up and down 5 to 6 times.

Check the movement of the plunger and bleed the air.

OK:

Plunger moves up and down.

NOTICE:

When bleeding high-pressure air from the compression chamber, make sure that the tip of SST is actually pressing the check ball as shown in the illustration. If the check ball is not pressed, air bleeding is not possible.

After bleeding the air, remove SST. Then try to quickly and firmly press the plunger with your fingers.

OK:

Plunger can be pressed 3 times.