murarie

Bump again...............

tl.nguyen

iTrader: (5)

When replacing the Tbelt and seals. You should replace the VVTI pulley also. They tend to go bad at 100k plus miles.

FrankT

murarie...

Did you ever get to resolve the oil leak issue?

I have the same oil leak with 120k on my wife's GS300.
I'm looking at replacing the whole VVT-i pulley at about $160.

TRD911

I have never heard of doing this. Is this really common? I have a GS4 and I am preparing to change my T-belt should I plan on new VVTI pulleies?

BP

pimplux808

what does the vvti pulley look like ? shiet i thought i ordered everything i needed. . .. guess not ?

TRD911

I love old threads....

FrankT

I would say only replace the VVT-i cam gear if it starts to leak like mine.
Very few would replace it as preventive maintenance.
But it might not be a bad idea to replace it sooner than later as our GS's get on in miles, things like this happen.

It will be at least a week or two before I get to replace the VVT-i cam gear, I'll also do the valve cover gaskets. I may also have to replace the timing belt as it may have been soaked in oil.

Someone more knowledgeable about the VVT-i cam gear please chime in. Is this part serviceable? Is the washer behind the 14mm hex bolt double as an oil seal?

FrankT

ok, after looking at the FSM looks like I might just need a $0.75 seal washer, worth a try anyway...

comments...?

FrankT

Well today I went out to pin point the leak to try to verify where the leak was coming from.

After removing the two top timing covers I had good access to the cam gears. Oil residue was apparent but not the origin.

So with the covers off I ran the motor, after a few seconds the origin of the leak was obvious, shown in the pic, at the tip of the screwdriver

Oil started to mist along the outer edge of the VVT-i pulley, shown in the pic, as a red line.

Now I know a new VVT-i pulley / intake cam gear. The timing belt appears to be oil free.

veljko98

Frenk,
What happend when you changed vvti pulley?
Is everything ok now?

I have the same problem and here in Serbia (Europe) I have to order that part in Lexus, pay it in advance for about 150 eur and wait for it, for about 7 days....

FrankT

Yes, everything is good, oil stays inside the motor.
Here's a link to the write up I did on the job.

New valve cover gasket, cam seals and VVT-i pulley

m0nk3y85

youtube-jeff's garage:diy rebuilding a 2jz/1jz vvti cam gear when it starts leaking. it just an o-ring and the pulley/gear goes back together like an easy puzzle, it's a (must watch)

FrankT

It is the Oring and It can also be fixed with RTV.

5 year old thread revival award

ttaylor993

I'm not so sure about the RTV in the VVT-i pulley. I have heard others say that it works fine. My personal experience wasn't so good. It still leaked. I ended up getting the Viton O-ring from Jeff and it worked just fine.

I agree - 5 years!!!!! lol.

GSGenesis

HAHAHAHA!!!!! I was hoping no one had said that yet! 5 YEARS!!!! That's just to funny. But FYI, something I did that worked perfectly. When I Purchased the o ring from Jeff, prior to putting the cap back on with the new O'ring in place, (the tricky part btw) I put a bead of FIPG OUTSIDE of the new O'ring, but far away enough from it so when toruqed down, it wouldn't touch the ring. I also smeared the smallest amount like a wipe, where the O'ring would sit so it would kind of hold it in place like a glue because your window of opportunity to get that dam O'ring to sit in it's spot and THEN cap it, is very quick before the O'ring shrinks out of place... (Watch his video you'll know what I'm talking about) just incase. Then got the cap back on with the O'ring where it should be seated, I tightened it just enough to hold the O'ring in place. Let the FIPG harden for like 15 min, then I torqed it down to what I felt was good. Which was pretty tight to be honest. Now cam seals! Again! I did the same thing believe it or not. While holding the cam seal with my fingers through it, I took FIPG on the tip of my finger, and applied it to the outside of the seal. Best way to describe how much I used, was like putting on Chapstick, but a tad bit more lol. Then I took a Q tip with motor oil, seal laying on my palm, Quickly lined the inside of the seal, not a ton, just pretty much glossed it up. Put the FIPG on the caps and what not, (not to much because if you put to much and squash the cap on, it can fill the little channels you see on the inside of the cap that's made for oil in order for the VVTI pulley to
Function. First time I did this I realized I had to have filled the channels. Took it off, sure enough, was totally filled in, lol glad I said screw it man better check now, not after.. I would have been trying to figure that out for god knows how long. Anyhow, did that to both cam seals and crank seal. Sat the seals in with a PVC pipe to push seal into place after tightening em up and all. Then again smeared some to the outside of the seals to prevent leak. Worked like a god dam charm that's all I gotta say. Just remember, you don't have to apply it at all, I just chose to, so I also was VERY reserved on how much I used. I've got a video actually showing me do it for anyone who wanted to see back when... Thanks again to Jeff for that oring! Either that or the FIPG did it! Lol I'll never know! (Good thing)