I bought a wrecked 4 runner with a 3.0 to chunk in my pickup. Got the runner back to my house and listened to the motor and it sounds like the cam bearing is making some noise. I plan on using this motor while I build the one from my pick up like I want it. A couple questions:

1. Should I worry about the cam bearing noise or just roll with it?

2. Could I do a direct swap with the cam bearing from one motor to another without machining it?

3. Any suggestions?

 

The cam bearings in a 3.0 are not removable/servicable. The cam rides right in the aluminum of the casting. The bearing caps are just aluminum also, but can be replaced.

How long are you going to run it? If it really is a cam bearing, and not some accessory, and you are only going to be running it a short time, roll with it.

 

I dont plan on running it long while I rebuild the other motor but if your like me you know how that goes, a couple months could turn into an eternity.

Thanks for the input. So could I replace the cap from one motor to another? Could the cap be causing the noise?

Preciate it.

 

Probly just a worn lifter shim.If so run it.
Bigblock

 

Haven't worked too much on the 3vze so far.. but as far as I understand the cam caps/ bearings are line bored with the head. I'm not sure swapping caps from another head would be possible since they don't sell oversized cam's ( as far as I know) to allow you to do another oversized line bore with the new caps on the old head.

 

Not to hijack your thread but I have the same problem. I've been lurking here for quite a while and am currently on a road trip from Canada to Belize and beyond and stopped here in Havasu Lake City to check this thing out.
I can hear mine rattling on the highway @60MPH and a guy here suggested going to 20-50W oil which he says will center the cams in their bearing bores.
Apparently the orfice in the head gasket supplying oil to the cams is too small and they starve for oil and the bores wear from front to back. He says the heads can be line bored and cams with over sized journals put in.
What I don't understand is, as the valves and seats wear, clearance should be reduced not increased. I'm also planning to replace this engine but not this soon so
any ideas are sure welcome at this point.
thanks!

 

I guess I'm caught between letting it ride or swapping the head from my old motor if'n its anygood. I sure dont want to tear this new motor down for something that may not need to be messed with. I'd love to just pluck and put but hate to put something in to just have to pull it again soon.