west_89_

Hey, I have a 88 pickup, 4x4, 3VZ-E and my camshaft housing plugs are leaking. I am wondering if the camshaft housing plugs can be replaced with out taking apart the head. I currently have my engine pulled and would like to replace them if possible.

Thanks.

bugs1961

The terminology you are using is confusing. The crankshaft is in the lower part of the block and not the heads. The camshafts are in the heads and they have a black, rubber-coated, plug at the rear end of each head. If that's what's leaking, you can replace them by removing the rear cam bearing cap on each head. Be sure to clean the cap and head with acetone and use RTV where the manual calls for it. Place the plugs in position and bolt the bearing caps on over them. Follow the FSM procedure in the Cylinder Head section.

If the leak is somewhere else post a pic. Good luck.

west_89_

woops soory i ment to type camshaft.... in order to get at the cam bearing cap i have take off the cylinder head cover?

thanks for the info.

chrisorbics

I guess you mean valve cover? On this engine I believe the passenger side is covered by the intake manifold. This might have to be removed to get to that side. I am just going from memory of a friends truck years ago.

west_89_

no there is the intake chambre that sits over top of one RH cylinder head cover. and under that between the RH and LH cylinder head cover is the intake manifold. all this i am getting from the FSM.

scope103

The manual shows that the CAMSHAFT housing plugs are installed with the cam bearing caps off. I can't tell from the manual (and I don't have a clear enough recall) whether it might be possible to replace the housing plugs with the bearing caps on, but I doubt it. Of course, you could try, and if it doesn't work, you can proceed to step two. There is very little room back there, so you would only be asking this question if, as west_89 says, the engine is already out.

To remove the cam bearing caps you need to remove the valve covers. To remove the valve covers you need to remove the plenum (upper intake manifold), but not the lower intake manifold (or the fuel rail) (technically, you CAN get the left side valve cover off without removing the plenum, but it's a tricky, fiddly, process.)

Personally, I've never seen the housing plug leak (no reason it can't of course). But I have seen the valve cover gasket leak back there more often than I'd like to admit. And the way oil moves around, it looks like its coming from everywhere. So why is the engine out? What else do you plan to do with it? You're at least going to replace the PCV valve, and you probably need to remove the plenum to do that anyway.

west_89_

after further inspection i think scope103 is right. it looks as though it is the valve cover gasket leaking. Also I have pulled the PCV valve and inspected it seems ok, it still rattles when i shake it. should I just replace the PCV valve anyways? The reason the engine is out is becasue i got an inspection notice on my 88 p/u and is not worth fixing but has a great 3VZ-E with good compretion. I found a 94 p/u, 3VZ-E, 4x4, single cab, short box, with a perfect frame (still has pefrect factory coating) but never had the timming belt replace and screwed the engine. so now im swaping engines.

Thanks for the info especially scope103! very helpfull. ( sorry about bad spelling dislecsic).

scope103

What! Are you made of money? Don't those things cost, oh, $3? Yes, go ahead and replace it. Is the grommet it came out of okay? (They are usually rock-hard, and should be replaced.)

Now comes the hard part: what else should you do? Plenty of us would see the engine conveniently on the stand, and couldn't wait to tear it completely down to "blueprint" it. Others would just want to slap it in and be done with it. If it were my engine, I would definitely adjust the valves (you're going to have the valve covers off to fix the leak -- check the manual for the right procedure.) And I would probably put on a new timing belt. (You already know the need for that.)

Have fun!