Hey guys,
Picked an LS430 for peanuts but its definitely a fixer upper.

One of the issues is the engine ticking from the top end. It sounds like a tappet/lifter but using a stethoscope we narrowed the noise down to the vvti pulley area.

The noise disappears with some revs (1500rpm onwards it's gone).

I pulled the vvti actuators out and ran 12v over them and they move and retract just fine. They didn't seem to be covered in oil, they were fairly dry.

Someone on Facebook suggested inspecting the filter baskets for the actuators, I'm kinda half way through doing this as I thought they'd be under the cam covers but it seems they're under the front cover (that holds the actuator one top)....aaannnddd to get that off the pulley has to come off. So I ran out of time and haven't removed the front panel, cambelt and pulleys.

Do people think the filters could be clogged?

What about the pretension on the pullies? Could they have somehow untensioned themselves?

Any help would be great

 

How long have you owned the car?
Have you changed the oil? Removing cam pulleys is quite an ordeal. I think I would change the oil, let the new fresh detergents to their job, before doing anything extreme.

 

yeah done a total of 3 flushes on the oil and its a lovely golden colour now.

However its true the oil was utter garbage before and I've only put about 5 miles on it so far

 

First I heard of any LS430 with any kind of ticking noise. Let us know what you find. Good luck.

 

Its your injectors that is what you are hearing nothing to worry about.

 

no its not, I know the injector noise and can hear that too

 

post a video

if the vvti was off the car would be throwing codes and running like rubbish there is no cel right?

 

cant right now as the engine is in bits

But it runs spot on, nice and powerful.

Is the CEL light the red warning triangle? If so yes its on but the error on the text display says 'check VSC' which I'm guessing was a duff wheel sensor or something

 

If (front) camshaft seals were replaced requires removal of the camshafts...

The intake camshaft drives the exhaust camshaft via a gear which integrates a scissor gear.

The scissor gear resembles a thinner gear sandwiched on the intake cam gear..and is preloaded via a spring washer to maintain tension between gears to take up backlash...thereby reducing noise...

What you describe is what can occur when the service bolt is not used before removing or reinstalling camshafts.(or tension washer is defective)

 

The filters you are looking for are underneath the large front cam bearing cap. They are small steel mesh screens. You are not supposed to just remove the one cap though.

 

Update:
VVTi solenoids all clean inside and function normally when tested (12v on terminals)
I pulled apart front of engine, cambelt off, cam covers off to inspect cams. Tried to install 10mm locking bolt into exhaust cam but holes didn't line up on either banks! Yep some monkey mechanic had (for some odd reason) removed the cams in the past and let the spring tension free itself as Yodaone suspected. In addition had resealed the large end cap and cam covers with way too much sealant.

I retensioned the exhaust cams, cleaned up all the surfaces and reinstalled everything correctly. Now runs smooth and quiet!

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just wondering do you think the car would have been fine if you didn't fix it? I payed 800 for my 03 ls430 and got it from a Russian drift mechanic so my car has seen better days lol

 

anychance we can get some part numbers or help on this? Procedurally speaking? I have the same issue.

 

anychance we can get some part numbers or help on this? Procedurally speaking? I have the same issue.