OEM 2002 Toyota Highlander Camshaft

2002 Toyota Highlander Parts Questions & Experts Answers

• Q: How to replace the camshaft on 2002 Toyota Highlander?

  A: Begin camshaft replacement by taking out the front wheel RH followed by the front fender splash shield front RH then the front fender apron seal RH subsequently the engine cover sub-assy No. 1 and ignition coil assy and lastly separate ventilation hose. First disconnect the engine wire harness clamp then take off the bolts and 2 nuts before removing the cylinder head cover sub-assy along with its gasket. First align the timing mark "0" on the crankshaft pulley with TDC compression of No. 1 cylinder. Next confirm that the camshaft timing sprocket matchmarks line up with bearing cap timing symbols. The camshaft timing sprocket requires match marks which need to be placed before chain tensioner assy (chain tensioner assy No. 1) removal by unscrewing 2 nuts and timing chain tensioner along with gasket removal while maintaining the crankshaft from spinning without the chain tensioner. No. 2 camshaft removal requires fixing the camshaft with a wrench before loosening the camshaft timing gear set bolt and removing the specified sequence of camshaft bearing cap bolts. To dismount both components from the camshaft use the wrench to lift it up until the set bolt and timing gear of the camshaft can be extracted. Loosen the specified bearing cap bolts to remove the camshaft before tying the timing chain with string to avoid interior drops in the timing chain cover area. The procedure to remove the camshaft timing gear assembly requires fixing No. 1 camshaft in a vise and covering paths with vinyl tape before applying air pressure into the oil path at 150 kPa (1.5 kgf/cm2, 21 psi) while turning the camshaft timing gear assembly counterclockwise. Remove the fringe bolt of the camshaft timing gear assembly while keeping intact the other 4 bolts before installation and release the straight pin lock only when using the same part. Before tightening the fringe bolt to 54 Nm (551 kgf-cm, 40 ft. lbs.) torque value, ensure that the camshaft timing gear fits properly with the camshaft without any clearance between its fringe and the camshaft surface. The correct procedure for installing the camshaft involves placing timing chain onto the camshaft timing gear and aligning painted links with timing marks before securely torquing installation bolts in their specified installation order. To install the No. 2 camshaft, first position the painted links with timing marks before tightening the set bolt temporarily and progressing to the specified bolt sequence tightening process. Secure the camshaft by torquing the camshaft timing gear set bolt to 54 Nm (551 kgf-cm, 40 ft. lbs.) while taking care to avoid damaging the valve lifter. Verify the matching pattern between timing chain marks and camshaft timing sprocket marks while confirming that the pulley gear groove faces the timing mark on the chain cover. Use Chain Tensioner Assy No. 1 by freeing the ratchet pawl and pushing the plunger while attaching the hook to the pin after installing a new gasket and 2 nuts which should be tightened to 9.0 Nm (92 kgf-cm, 80 inch lbs.). Rotate the crankshaft in a counterclockwise direction to unhook the plunger knock pin yet proceed with a clockwise rotation to push the slipper into position by the plunger. Use Part No. 08826-00080 or equivalent seal packing to coat specified parts before installing the cylinder head cover sub-assy and its 8 bolts and 2 nuts with the required tightness values. The final task includes ignition coil installation and right-hand front wheel assembly followed by leak inspection.