Main dealer unable to do valve clearances!!!

[Lorin]

I kid you not I drove into my local Toyota main dealer and asker to book the truck in to have the valve clearances done. The response I got was "sorry, we are unable to do it". Doubting I had heard them correctly I asked again and got the same response. Feeling somewhat annoyed I asked to speak to someone who might know what they are on about. In came the workshop manager who proceeded to explain that they "lack the required information" to do the job. No problem I answered, I'll bring you the FSM. Nope he replied, still can't do it.

The rest of the conversation got even more bizarre when in answer to question of where he would recommend I go, he suggested a "diesel specialist". Only diesels have valves I suppose....

I'm still struggling to make sense of what happened. Am I unreasonable to assume a Toyota main dealer should be able to service a bl**dy Toyota?

Anyway, any advice or recommendations on where I could try to get them done? The only reason I went to Toyota in the first place was because I thought I could trust in them having at least some relevant expertise. I need someone near me and I haven't had the best of luck in finding competent mechanics!

 

[froggy Steve]

good grief! I dont suppose they can plug a computer into a valve and adjust it with a mouse !
amazing
Steve

 

[Justin_Elliott]

Well at least they admitted to NOT being a 'Diesel Specialist!'

 

[Dave]

They don't have the special tool, or the box of shims for this job. At the time of the 12V 80 series, dealers were not required to buy all the special tools for every different job. As hardly any of them ever saw an 80, and they saw even less at the mileage for a valve clearance job, they won't have the equipment.

 

[Justin_Elliott]

Although checking or even replacing them yourself seems doable....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEfTV34Tceg

Obviously there is a little bit of kit required (SST 09248-64011) when you come to replace them - but to check whether they need doing or not seems straight forward...

I may have at mine myself

 

[Rob]

Lorin, I have discovered that Toyota main dealers are incapable of doing the simplest of tasks correctly like replacing a rear caliper correctly. Unless you know they are a competent main dealer then I certainly would not trust them to do the valve clearances.

 

[Gary820]

In all fairness at my work we have a lack of special tools for older models, either been lost, broken and not replaced, taken by someone. Some older stuff is in a box and our younger staff are lost with older models, tbh some struggle when it comes to seized/snapped bolts etc!
it's rare to see anything older Then '98 at my place and I imagine a lot of dealers are the same.

 

[Charlie]

Anyway, any advice or recommendations on where I could try to get them done? The only reason I went to Toyota in the first place was because I thought I could trust in them having at least some relevant expertise. I need someone near me and I haven't had the best of luck in finding competent mechanics!

Julian / Overland Cruisers

 

[Roger Fairclough]

As it's an 80 you automatically have the problem of age. Many main dealers, and not just Toyota, will not touch a vehicle that is more than 3 years old due to other problems that may show up during the work. To them, it's just not worth the hassle.

Roger

 

[Towpack]

Just read through the procedure in the FSM and it looks pretty simple. The SST doesn't look anything especially complicated , I'm sure you could improvise something. Not much more difficult than the screw and locknut adjustment on the 24V FT. Every motorcycle I've owned for the last 23 yrs has had under bucket shims which means adjustment requires camshaft removal. I guess the chances of a main dealer having the shimming tool for the 1HJD-T are low, given the age of the model and comparative rarity even when new and if they can't 'do it by the book' they'll probably not want to do it at all in case something goes wrong. Understandable to a degree I suppose. You may have more success at a good independent garage if you don't want to tackle the job yourself. JMO

 

[Sarmajornz]

The SST is just a set of pump pliers with serrations on the jaws. I did my own over a couple of nights. First night measured the clearances bad measured the shims. Put the details into whizzy spreadsheet to work out new shim sizes. Worked out which ones to swap to new spots and ordered others to fill the remaining spaces. Waited a day for delivery and finished the job the next night.
Truck had 275k Kim's on the clock and I believe that the shims / valves had never been touched.