Under Valve Cover Pictures 1994 Toyota Camry 5S-FE 4 Cylinder

[AutoMechanic]

Here are some pictures of the underneath of my valve cover on my new to me 1994 Toyota Camry with the 2.2 4 cylinder 5S-FE in it. 204,408 on the odometer. Not the best but not the worst I’ve seen either. Definitely wasn’t expecting it to be this dirty underneath. The camshafts don’t look too good either. Looks like the original owner probably slacked on maintenance. I am the third owner. I have service records from the previous owner who owned it for 6 years. He used exclusively Valvoline 10W-30 High Mileage Full Synthetic oil in it paired with Wix or Mobil 1 filters every 3,000 miles. I plan on running some engine cleaner through the engine probably HPL. I purchased Castrol 10W-30 High Mileage Full Synthetic to go in it before taking it apart. However in the future I may use some HPL or Mobil 1 in it to try and clean it out just will keep the interval at 3-5k as I don’t want to do anymore than that. Plan to keep the 10W-30 too as it specs 10W-30. Let me know what you guys think. This is my first time ever dealing with one of these engines. We just don’t see stuff this old come into the dealership. This car was gifted to me for my birthday so I’m happy to have it where it will be better maintained than it originally was. I do plan to clean the cover more just that was as far as I got tonight as it got dark.

I will also be replacing the PCV valve and hose and another hose too as they were all brittle and snapped when I tried to get them off. I had to take the old brittle valve cover gasket out with a pick as it kept breaking off. Car runs excellent and very quiet and shifts well going fowards but has no reverse and the linkage is all in tact so after I fix this issue I will be digging further into that. Hoping to learn more about transmissions that way.

This is the first time I’ve ever had to use a 30mm socket to take off a valve cover. There is a nut on the top of each cylinder tube that is a 30mm that must come off to remove the cover. The spec on those nuts is 17ft lbs from what I was able to find. I was easily able to loosen them with a short 1/2 ratchet.

 

[Zee09]

I know what's coming next...

 

[atikovi]

Take it to a soda blaster.

 

[GSCJR]

I know what's coming next...

Me too, Chinese food.

 

[GSCJR]

Why did you take the valve cover off in the first place? Don't go looking for problems where they don't exist, spend your time and money on where it counts.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Why did you take the valve cover off in the first place? Don't go looking for problems where they don't exist, spend your time and money on where it counts.

The cover was leaking. The picture showing where it looks like it’s cut out is where it was leaking from.

 

[Kurtatron]

Add it to your list of cars in the sig! 204k miles is nothing on those, even with that sort of neglect.

 

[atikovi]

Add it to your list of cars in the sig!

How many are you allowed? My list would be longer than my posts.

 

[supton]

It's a 5S-FE, this is just the first time AutoMechanic is going to replace the VC gasket, if he owns it more than a couple years he'll be doing it again...

Looks more dirty than mine, but yours is older and probably got more conventional. Personally I wouldn't go crazy, just change the oil and call it good.

Be prepared for doing the o-ring on the oil pump, these motors like to kick that out--at this age I'm going to assume it was done already, but it probably will need that at TB time. Then be prepared for oil leaks anyhow, I swear, mine just wants to spite me.

I do my oil changes stone cold. Not messing with that oil filter on a hot engine!

 

[GSCJR]

Personally I wouldn't go crazy, just change the oil and call it good.

+1

 

[labfan]

I think i'd just use m1 0w-40 as it does clean pretty well and 10k miles on that oil with this non harsh on oil engine would be easy. I'd probably change the filter half way.

 

[mattd]

is that heavy varnish or is that pieces if the cam lobes flaking off? Both lobes right behind intake cam gear.

 

[AutoMechanic]

is that heavy varnish or is that pieces if the cam lobes flaking off? Both lobes right behind intake cam gear.

I honestly can’t tell. I believe it’s varnish. That’s the part that concerned me too.

 

[supton]

I just throw ST 5W30 at mine, although I do spring for OEM filter (well, as OEM as OEM knockoffs from Amazon/Ebay can be). 5k OCI's. No idea how long it'll last but I don't take any particular ease on the throttle (it's a 5S-FE, you kinda have to lean on it).

 

[walterjay]

A reliable engine that i wouldn't lose any sleep over.

 

[mattd]

I honestly can’t tell. I believe it’s varnish. That’s the part that concerned me too.

Run your finger nail over them and see. To me that looks like flaking lobes, put it’s difficult to tel through pictures

 

[Zee09]

What cleaning oils are you considering @AutoMechanic

 

[AutoMechanic]

What cleaning oils are you considering @AutoMechanic

I’ve been reading about the HPL engine cleaner probably will order some of that. That’s really the only one I have seen constantly good results with.

 

[Zee09]

I’ve been reading about the HPL engine cleaner probably will order some of that. That’s really the only one I have seen constantly good results with.

I'm sure Dave didn't forget your birthday

 

[CarbonSteel]

Get several cans of Berryman B-12 Chemtool and hose it down. It will remove all of that.