I checked the marks three times to Sunday.They were all lined up along with the distributor being on #1 did it atleast 4 times to make sure not 180 out.Asked around and then checked the valves and they are all open and too tight I can not even get a 0.005 guage under either the exhaust or intake.I agree that head shop is in business to sell heads but spoke with 3 different certified toyota mechanics and they all said the samething the heads are screwed.They told me if the shop I went to did not have lifters and cams then valve hieght would be too much due to excessive valve grinding and seat grinding therefore it would be a long prcess to get shims right.Plus with the valves being open all the time there is no chance to get compression or cumbustion as neither can build up.Thanks for the 2 cents.

 

Doing the shims isn't really a big deal. There is a special tool that you can use to compress the valve spring and then another tool that you place between the lifter and cam to hold the spring down. This gives you enough room to remove the shim from the lifter. This process works OK for adjusting one or two valves but is a pain in the neck if you have to do them all. I would just measure the installed valve clearance between the shim and the cam (with the lobe pointed away) for each valve and then pull the cams back off. With the cams off, all the lifters and shims are accessible at one time.

The shims are interchangeable and can be moved from one valve to another with no problem (this is how they do it at the head shop).

You need to know the current clearance, the thickness of the shim (measure with a micrometer), and then use the FSM chart to determine the new shim you need. Any shim you have that meets the needs of another valve can be used there, saving you some money. Once you know what you need, go over to the dealer and order the new shims and you will have them in a couple of days. The dealer doesn't stock them because they save and reuse shims every time they do the job and normally have what they need on hand.

 

I have worked lots of them. I put the head together with out springs and adjust them by grinding the valve tip.

 

Thinks for all the input and help but I am going to go with the new heads and cams.I don't have the time or patience to do the shims.Doing the new heads that are already set up plus have a guarantee gives me a better out put and that much more assurance and I should get another 250k out of the motor.Which will be great because I have four girls and the plan is too make 4runner the two oldest's first vehicle.

 

I decided to go and try the shims as local dealer got them overnight for $9.Installed all new shims and she purrs like a kitten.I definitely know now that the 3.0 is a pain to time.But back together and hope to get another 250k out of it.

 

Congrats, that took some serious perseverance.