Automotive content, from simple tips and tricks to more elaborate DIY how-to guides. Basic repairs to engine and transmission swaps. Focus on Toyota/Lexus, from MR2 to Camry - but with popular videos for Nissan, Ford, and others.
Thank you! Our son's car just experienced total coolant loss, and this was the exact problem. Note that the replacement part costs around $118 US. Seems like a lot for a bit of cheap plastic.
So the exhaust actuator is not prone to any rattle at all? My dealer replaced the timing chain, the tensioners, the chain guides and both the intake VVTi actuators. I have a loud rattle not directly after start but after maybe one second after start. I uploaded a video of the sound on my RU-vid channel. Any ideas with this?
the exhaust gear on one early series of motors is the one that is prone to catastrophic failure i.e. breaking up into pieces. I thought I explained this in this video and showed examples of what happens to the exhaust gear. The issue with the intake gear is comparitively mild, it just rattles on startup. Clear? There are many other things inside your engine that can make noise. Don't get too fixated on any one thing. It's a noisy hot mess.
@@Merryfrankster_ Fully understand. The garage has the same understanding of the exhaust actuator and did not change it, because it’s not known to make these noises at startup. I am also aware that these engine are not the quietest on the market, but the noise that I have is different from the RU-vid videos you see related to rattle on start. It’s not normal. I think they need to investigate this further.
@@FlorusW Take off the belt. Run the engine. Is there noise? No? Problem with drive belt and pulleys. Yes? Internal problem. Use stethoscope. Where is the origin of the noise? Timing cover? Valve cover? Exhaust flange? Good luck.
This is the manufacturer's software on that Dyno Dynamics dyno. Dynos made outside the US tend to have different calibration standards than dynos made in the US. This can be interpreted to mean, for example, that a meter from outside the US is longer than a meter in the US. Make of that whatever you want. It is an old, tired, boring story.
DO YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE 14 MM TRANSSIMISION MOUNTS OUT I SAW A OTHER VIDEO WHERE THE JACK IT UP HIGH ENOUGH TO CLEAR THE FRONT TRANSSMISION MOUNT TO PULL IT OUT FROM THE BOTTOM
You are the first to report this issue, buddy, in five years and 62,000 views. Maybe turn on the close captions, and check your sound settings/mute buttons for youtube and your system.
Great advice. I have a 2007 Sienna with about 250,000 miles. Runs great. The 3.5L V6 started to rattle upon startup about a year ago. I'll give this a try. Thanks!
hello i have some issues with my toyota urban cruiser. TRAC, VSC, ABS, 4DW lights blink together i looked too much forum sites but i cant find the problem. what do u think? thanks...
I have a 2011 avalon, 3.5. It has a rattle on cold start for 5 seconds, and also rattles under heavy acceleration. It sounds like the same type of rattle..... should I assume that the acceleration rattle is the vvt as well?
It's not dangerous but we've sometimes seen the ABS system locking up with this issue which means that the vehicle will come to a stop just as if you had your foot on the brake.
Super interesting videos I have been looking to see if he has made one about the 2gr's Bastard lust child the 4gr-gse engine found in a 2008 Lexus is250 both engines look identical to me I know there not but I hear bad reviews but mine has 250,000 on the odometer and still in service anyways interesting content!
The 4gr-fse is nearly identical to the 2gr-fse - and both do have some similarities to the 2gr-fe. Valvetrain and oil circulation system are nearly identical on all three engines. But the big difference is the direct injection and the high pressure fueling system.
Frank, Thanks for sharing your knowledge on this and other 2zz swap matters. A quick question. Any reason why the ecu won't enter into closed loop mode. Mine gets stuck in OL-DRIVE mode after warming up and just stays there. My O2 sensors are fluctuating in voltage as expected and I don't seem to have any vacuum leaks (although idle is a bit high at 1100rpm). I'm working with a freshly cleared ecu as you are in this video. The thing (a Celica GT with recent 2zz swap) just won't go into closed loop. Appreciate all you do for the zz community.
I would expect a CEL and DTC to pop up if it is not going to closed loop. Maybe check the TPS on your scanner, it it's reading an incorrect elevated value, that could cause open loop - in fact that's the basis for a (ill-advised) hack for forcing open loop.
Hi Frank. Thanks for your prompt reply. You are literally the GOAT on all things ending with ZZ. Props. Anyway, I figured out my issue. I'm using the old 1ZZ/Celica GT harness on the newly swapped 2ZZ and neglected to switch the red and brown wire on the TPS plug. (You explain this in a post for Spyderchat, the wire colors being different for the MR2-S.) I realized my error after repeatedly getting a P0121 Throttle Position Sensor error. I originally addressed this by changing out the whole throttle body assembly. Then I noticed my scanner showed a TPS reading of 90% rather then the 10% you show in this video. I realized something was reversed and subsequently discovered the variation in TPS wiring between the 1ZZ harness and 2ZZ harness. It's a shame MRW doesn't make this more clear in their swap guide/shopping list. Anyway, now I'm onto another issue--P0171, Too Lean. I've seen your vid on the vacuum hose routing already ( thanks for that, btw). An exhaust leak maybe, or faulty old injectors? Who knows. Anyway, I'll post what I find out here for posterity's sake. Cheers.
Thanks Frank. I've already found your laundry list of possible causes in the forums. I've had the exhaust flange apart 3 times trying to fix a small leak in the donut gasket between the header and mid pipe, but I'm not sure that is really the problem. My pre cat O2 readings essentially flat lined at 0 on the last drive and that was with a new Denso O2 sensor. Could running it rich the way I did with the reversed TPS wiring (for 10 miles or so) have ruined a new O2 sensor?
We've owned a 99 Lexus RX300 since 2008 with the 1MZFE V6. It just turned 403k and we were looking for a newer used replacement like the 2013 - 2015 RX350 however after evaluating, are getting tired of getting 22mpg tops with all the Toyota/Lexus V6 products and that's babying the pedal and on the highway. Most are around 18 mpg combined which doesn't cut it any more so we then began looking at the NX200t or NX300 with the four cylinder but I'm not a fan of turbos and being stuck with the required premium fuel. For the first time we looked at the Mazda CX-5 this year and it won us over. The 186hp naturally aspirated four feels plenty powerful enough and we get 33 mpg on the highway with a light foot and city no worse than 25 mpg. I'm done with all Toyota/Lexus V6 offerings due to fuel economy. The CX-5 is every bit as nice as the Lexus NX and imo better looking with a major plus of being all Japanese made.
Did you consider a Highlander with the 1AR-FE 4-cylinder 2.7? Or a hybrid? You load one of these up with options and it's not that different from the Lexus - same drivetrain, just fewer bells and whistles.
@@Merryfrankster_Yes, I did however I do all the maintenance and repairs myself and we keep our cars over twelve years and non ev, turbo is a preference. In other the simpler the better. Also note Toyota has a 20% holding in Mazda and there are parts sharing and from all my research, Mazda's philosophy are the same as Toyota these day in building reliable well designed vehicles. More and more I'm seeing many long time Toyota and Honda buyer's switching to Mazda post pandemic. It probably helped when Mazda wasn't gouging customers like Toyota and Honda dealerships were in the past few years as well.
@@24hourgmtchannel64 I know what you're saying about prices for Mazda being lower than comparable vehicle from Toyota, Honda, or Lexus. They are A LOT lower. But keep this in mind: your resale value will also be lower. In some situations, this can make a difference. Most of the time, it is not a crucial factor. Nothing against Mazda. Aside from some stupid stuff like plastic thermostat housing bolted to the block, which is a catastrophic coolant leak just waiting to happen, most of their stuff is pretty solid.
@@Merryfrankster_ Yes, I agree. We always buy used, and I specifically looked for a 2017 CX-5. There is no plastic housing like the 2018 and up and no cylinder deactivation. As of late, Toyota has been falling a bit in reliability between oil consumption, latest failing six's, and a host of other issues. They seem to not be building cars to the same iconic level as 90's - early 2000's. Ever since the split from Ford, Mazda has been back on a better track than before. Like our 99 RX300 we owned since 2008, we put so many miles on it, now at 403k, regardless of what others believe in that it will probably do another 200k, no one is even interested in it, even for a thousand. Don't get me wrong, I'll always be a Toyota/Lexus loyalist. The CX-5 just checked to many boxes to ignore.
I noticed your plastic cap that goes on the end out the pump outlet (hat looking thing) is cracked. Mine is cracked too. I currently have low fuel pressure and wasn’t sure it that was a factor? I can’t find the part number for that. Do you have it?
I have no idea what part you are talking about. Can you please refer to it using a specific functional name, more specific than "cap" or "thing" - is it a electrical connector? Is it a fuel fitting? What in the heck are you talking about.
I recently bought a 2009 sienna xle 3.5 from original owner 165,000 miles. I asked if the engine, transmission, suspension had any issues they said no issues regular maintenance. I asked if he ever had any problems in past He did say the rubber oil line broke but he caught it right away and had it replaced with a steel line and no damage to engine. The car was quiete when running when i bought it. Keep in mind he drove an hour to meet me. The guy and his wife drove an hour and I drove 2 hours to meet when I bought it. I drove home no worries. Next day I 🎉start the van and it sounds like a diesel engine its loud ticking rattling and even what sounds like a low end knock when cold. When it warms up it gets quieter. I called the guy sent him a video. I took tention off belt and some of the noise went away. So i knew there was an isse with alt or waterpump. I took it to toyota they diagnosed bad waterpump and alt. I had them do the waterpump I did the alt. Still got cold start noise that only goes away when driven a while. In doing research i found out about the oil line and if it breaks how it damages the vvt gears. I have 100 vidioes of the noise and done enough research to know the noise I got doesnt happen overnight it starts as a rattle for a few seconds and over time it gets worse turning into constant tic and eventually vvt gears chain fail and engine is toast. I believe the guy knew about the noise and lied about no damage when oil line broke. Im taking him to sall claims court because to fix the timing chain vvt gear rattle tick noise problem it is going to cost $6,000+ at toyota . I know its a lot to read. But could you tell me in your honest opinion just from what I wrote do you think the guy knew of the cold start noise. Its obvious to me because if I drive on the freway for an hour it gets quiet. But cold start and short distences it is noticeably loud. In doing research I also found very little maintenance done on this vehicle. What do you think? I appreciate any input. Thanks..
From what you say, it's likely that the seller did not disclose to you everything he knew about the car. If this were a licensed dealer, you would have a basis for a complaint. Even so, if the car was sold "as is" with no warranty, or if there were no written sales contract at all, whether it is from a private party or a dealer, you would have a tough time recovering any losses or damages. I am not a lawyer and I do not give legal advice. This is purely my personal perspective, that may be completely incorrect. I would say that you would have stood a better chance had you sought to return the car and get your money back immediately after discovering the issues.
I see buyers being cheated by unscrupulous sellers in situations like yours all the time. Personally, even being experienced with buying and selling cars, and being an experienced mechanic, I also get stung sometimes with surprises that do not show up until after a sale. One thing that can help is a CARFAX that shows a dealer or repair/service center history. If the CARFAX shows that car had a "Performance and drivability check" just before being sold, for example, that can be an indication that the seller decided to try to leave someone else holding the bag.
Now looking at alternative explanations for the noise, you could be experiencing worn out hydraulic lash adjusters or worn out cam lobes or worn out rocker arms. If you do decide to proceed with repairs, I would suggest replacing all these components. In practice, it might be more economical for you to just source a low miles engine and swap it in.
Off the top of my head you need a compatible ECU - i.e. from a 1zz Celica - a motor mount adapter, the 1zz throttle body and intake plenum, the1zz injectors, the 1zz coils (because they are different), a 1zz exhaust, and make it fit with your downpipe, and that should be it I think.
@@robertomartinez8071 sorry I don't know any details about the A/T. I didn't even know that there was a different A/T transmission for the 2zz. To be honest I don't know anything about it.
It's super easy to access this seal so I don't see any reason to replace it unless it is leaking. Just take a quick look at its area at every oil change interval.
You may have missed one of the bell housing bolts. If not, find a gap where you can pry the bellhousing from the block. But make sure you have unfastened every bell housing bolt first. There is nothing else to hold the transmission to the block except possibly corrosion in the registration dowels.
@@Merryfrankster_ Thanks for your reply, it ended up being it needed a lot of prying and pulling to come off. I had it in my head that it would easily slide off haha, getting it back on will be fun!
@@clarkdef No. The steel dowels are the most important part of holding the block and the transmission together, the bolts are there only for clamping force. TBH I am not even sure what you are talking about. I think I said sand the dowels a little bit to get any corrosion off them so they slot back in easier.
In that case, just rebuild the one you have in the car already - why pay for a core when you have one, right there, free. Am I missing something? Thanks for your comment.
So I jump starter the starter relay like you did on the video and the car turned on and the starter also turned on! So does that means the starter relay is bad? Thank you for your time
@@brayanramos644 The relay has four terminals. Two of the terminals should show very low ohms - these are the terminals for the inductive trigger circuit. When you put 12v across these two terminals, it triggers the relay, i.e. closes the circuit on the power circuit. The two terminals for the power circuit should read either open circuit (high ohm) or closed (low ohm) when you power the trigger circuit. You are not telling me which of the two terminals you have tested, and in what state, so I have no idea. I would not expect to see 57 ohm on either circuit - this is close to an open circuit reading, but not quite.
It works! @Merryfrankster_ A good friend of mine is a master Toyota mechanic at a local dealership. We performed the repair you detailed here on my 2007 Sienna Limited AWD (2gr Fe) 11 months ago with about 240,000 miles. It completely fixed the death rattle. Now at 250,000 miles and my Sienna is smooth as butter. I am so thankful.
I'm very surprised that you were able to get a toyota master mechanic to do something sensible. They are trained to be opposed to anything that makes sense.
IIt should stand to reason that if you swap the cover from the estima engine to the camry engine then the engine with the estima cover it will fit in the Estima chassis.
No crank could be a number of things. Wiring/loose wires (battery and starter), ground (battery and transmission), connecting wire from starter solenoid to starter relay, starter relay, ignition switch, connection from ignition switch to starter relay, clutch switch. So yes it could be the starter relay, or any of the above.
Great video with detail explanation, One question thou, could you just remove the crank shaft bolt with a impact & bolt it back on like any other idlers.? After some reading i realize it should be torqd to 184 ft lb, during the process of removal if crank is turned anticlockwise does it affect the engine or valve train timing.?
