coffee4000

Great job. Quick question about the Permatex Gasket that you applied to the engine side. Do you goop it all around the parameter of the mating surface ? Does the blue gasket on the value cover come in contact with the Permatex Gasket on the engine ?

Hayk

iTrader: (1)

It's only meant to go into the areas where the gasket will have a hard time sealing the two surfaces. Stuff like the sharp corners and breaks in the mating surfaces - mostly around the camshaft seals. And yes the gasket will come in contact with the permatex.

bluemach1

This is a very good thread. The video and feedback from the postings is a real help. I will be doing this project very soon.

I have a 1999 ES300 with just about 170k. Although I haven't had any issues with the fuel injectors, I figured that I'd replace them while I have everything out of the way. Also, I did the IACV clean up and that worked ok for about a year. It acting up again so I'll just replace that as well. I like the idea of replacing the PCV too.

What else would be good to replace while in there since this will probably be the last time I take the top end of the engine apart.

Hayk

iTrader: (1)

Definitely do the central coolant hose.

mitmaks

Can I use a piece or rubber hose from parts store or it has to be "special" hose

tman1352

Thank you so much. So thorough, informative and useful. I just need to find a good, honest tech. near Tamarac Fla. to deal with this at an early date. Any suggestion, recommendations, out there?

artbuc

Save yourself a lot of aggravation and get an OEM hose. It is a very tight fit with a slight bend. Aftermarket cut-to-fit hoses are a royal PITA based on what I have read. I used OEM and had no problem.

tman1352

I enjoyed reading your thread and learned a lot from it. I am in the process of gathering the parts to do a valve cover job on my 2003 ES300 and have taken careful note. One thing, a supplier on Ebay has a Denso plug wire set and the picture shows only 3 wires. I contacted him and he responded that this is a full set. I have never heard of a 6 cylinder car with 3 plug wires. What is the truth on this? I was once sold a single valve cover gasket for a V6 on Ebay, by a Toyota dealer and had to send it back. Sometimes bad things happen on Ebay which is such a pity as Ebay is mostly a good outfit.

speedkar9

Thanks for the feedback.

The Toyota Solara and 4th Gen V6 Camry's use waste spark ignition, where one coil fires two cylinders. The coils are located on top of the front plugs, with wires running around the plenum to the rear three plugs.

The Lexus ES300 uses 6 coil packs on top of the 6 spark plugs. There are no wires to change.

Since you've got a newer generation ES, follow this thread / video on removing the intake plenum:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es3...placement.html

Hayk

iTrader: (1)

This is only partially true.

Lexus ES300 used spark ignition from 97-98. I can attest to that as I have three wires going to the rear plugs.

speedkar9

True, the VVT-i engines that were added to the ES300 in 1999 and the V6 Camry in 2003.5 would have 6 coil packs, in addition to the 1994 model year 1MZ-FE Camry.

tman1352

Your response has been a real help. I am preparing to change my valve cover gaskets as the dealer tech wrote them up as leaking. I cannot see any oil in my parking area or smell any burning on the engine, I have had no oil usage in a month and 500 miles driven, but as it has 112,000 miles and the plugs have never been changed I am planning to get it all done at one time. Is it possible the dealership tech could have been exaggerating?

ebnub

Great write up.

I just want to add that I was able to maneuver the wiring harness in front of then above the EGR pipe which made it possible to get the rear valve cover off without removing that pipe. Once I freed the wiring harness from a couple more mounting points located above the starter the harness moved a lot more freely.

TxKevin

Amazing detail. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I just finished replacing the VVti gear in an Avalon which required removal of valve covers. I of course cleaned surfaces thoroughly replaced gaskets carefully and applied goop where indicated at joints and followed torque specs as indicated in my manual. Cranked it up and it purred like a kitten.......and is leaking oil at about 1 drip per second from the rear Valve cover at the 2nd rear valve cover bolt on the left hand side.. So I get to start over it seems.
The only think I did differently from your write up was used 1 washer instead of 2. It seemed to torque fine though. Obviously all was not fine.....
Is there any way to test for leaks BEFORE reassembling the intake and throttle....again? Any suggestions as to what I may have gone wrong would be GREATLY appreciated.

speedkar9

Did you reuse the old bolts along with 1 washer? I used 2 washers on brand new bolts on the back (reused the old ones on the front).

What torque did you tighten them down to, 59 in-lb?