2GR-FE VVT-i Oil Line Replacement

[DJKOR]

Basic steps to get you going should you choose to DIY.

Difficulty: Frustrating

Swear Factor: Extremely high

Notes: I would advise to NOT do this yourself unless you have small hands and A LOT of patience. Working with the 2GR in the Aurion engine bay is not the most pleasant experience.

Okay, so if you're not aware, the 2GR-FE in the Aurion (and other cars for that matter) had previously had a design fault which can lead to oil loss. The Aurion's affected are generally those that were built prior to 2009. There is quite a lot of discussion over on the Toyota Nation thread "ATTN: All 2GR-FE V6 OWNERS!!! BEWARE!!!", as well as over here in "Alert to V-6 owners - possible oil leak!".

I'll let you do the reading further into those topics as this thread is here just for reference. It has been said that the leak mainly occurs anywhere between 45k to 65k miles (72k to 104k kms). Now this part replacement would be covered under warranty, but I believe that they will only change it once the leak occurs. This in my opinion is too risky as even with a small leak, you can lose quite a bit of your oil really fast. You can see just how fast the oil comes out of a pinhole leak from this video:

Please wait a few seconds for Video to Load!

If you wanted to be safe like I am, you can purchase the replacement pipe plus gaskets for around $45 and either change this yourself, or get Toyota or another mechanic to change it for you at cost.

The part numbers are:

Pipe Oil No. 2 - 15772-31030

Gasket - 90430-16012

Gasket - 90430-16016

Gasket - 90430-16017

So with all that said, yesterday I purchased these parts, and today I fitted them.

The general instruction to replace the pipe itself can be seen in this PDF:

http://members.cox.net/n0v8or/engine_oil_drip.pdf

However, getting to it all in the first place is not the easiest thing to do while the engine is still in the car. The following is just a helper guide to give you the idea. It requires that you know how to fill in the gaps in terms of basic automotive work. If you can't figure this out, don't attempt this procedure. It's not for beginners.

So basically, you jack your car up and remove the drivers side wheel:

Then you need to remove/put aside the power steering pump. To do this you remove the trim at the front of the wheel arch:

Then you locate the automatic belt tensioner. Keeping a 5mm Allen key handy (or any other rod of solid metal that is 5mm), you place a 14mm spanner on the belt tensioner and apply pressure in the anti-clockwise direction. This is spring loaded and you will need a bit of pressure on the spanner. Once you have turned it, you will see that the hole at the bottom will line up with a gap in the engine block. You insert the Allen key here to lock it in place:

You then proceed to take the belt off the power steering pump and then unbolting it, putting it to the side to give you some room:

[DJKOR]

You should then remove the timing gear cover as shown in the PDF above. Removing this is easiest from the top of the engine using an offset ring spanner and small hands. If you don't have small hands, this step will be REALLY difficult.

The timing cover was another little obstacle along the way. Everything about this whole procedure had to be difficult. Some genius thought it would be a good idea to clip one part of the wiring loom to the top of the timing cover. The issue presented here is that it is near impossible to unclip the cable loom, let alone fit a pair of cutters into the engine bay up to that point to be able to cut the cable tie. On top of that, the loom is so restrictive that you can't pull the timing cover up far enough to give you easier access to the clip. After about 5-10 minutes of frustration, I finally managed to cut the cable tie.

Then it's out with the old, in with the new:

Afterwards, you just reverse the procedure. Changing the pipe over is pretty straight forward. It doesn't really take a genius, but it requires a lot of thought on how you will get the tools in there to remove the nuts and bolts. Everything is really cramped inside the engine bay and this is what makes it really difficult.

Would I ever try this again?

... Not for a long time.

[1stKill]

Great post mate,well done...i'm thinking i will get Toyota to do it even though i have access to hoists & tools,just seems like something that should be taken care of under warranty as it is a serious part fault,so why should i have to go thru what you did today.

btw,i'm only just over 13000km's so i've got time to work on the Toyota service manager about a warranty fit included with one of the next couple of services. :)

[Supercharged TRD]

Daryl, I'm beginning to suspect you are moonlighting for Toyota.

I am sure tons of people will benefit from this.

[DJKOR]

Daryl, I'm beginning to suspect you are moonlighting for Toyota.

I am sure tons of people will benefit from this.

LOL. I was close to giving up, but I had a look at my car up on the jack stands and thought... "I've gone this far already".

I don't really expect others to actually consider doing this after seeing the process, but I do reckon there are those out there who are as crazy as me and would think about giving it a shot. At least they have a heads up now.

[AUR30N]

Good Work Mate.

AUR30N

[corhijas]

congrats matee,

with the 2 pipes side by side,the old 1 is obviously on the left,what is the major diff between the 2 if i may ask,

eg-is it 2 pipes joined or am i off the track here.

thanks corey

[jaderd]

great write up mate...good work

[Guni]

No warranty i presume?

Or pre-emptive?

No recalls?

[DJKOR]

with the 2 pipes side by side,the old 1 is obviously on the left,what is the major diff between the 2 if i may ask,

eg-is it 2 pipes joined or am i off the track here.

That is correct in that the old one is on the left and the new is on the right. The most obvious difference is that the old pipe has a length of rubber hose on it held together with pinch clamps, whereas the new one is a full length of pipe. Now I don't know why there is rubber hose there in the first place. Quite pointless if you ask me.

If you watch the video in the first post, you will see how one little pinhole leak in the rubber hose can force out a lot of oil. This is just the least serious of the cases. In the worst case, the hose can get a larger hole in in or even tear, resulting in the oil coming out even faster. Either way, they will both drain your engine from oil, so it's not good whichever way you see it.

The new pipe is one solid length from end to end. This eliminates the possibility of that leak occurring.

No warranty i presume?

Or pre-emptive?

No recalls?

My car still has warranty, but it's limited. In other words, because it is a flood damaged car, if any warranty related issues arise, the service department need to consult with Toyota head office to make a judgement. Something like this though would not be restricted by this since it could not have been affected by the flood damage (water did not rise up high enough to get to the engine).

This was mainly done for my own peace of mind considering that my car is up to 70,000kms and this issue is known to occur not far down the track. Also as well, in about 2,000km, I plan to take this to QR for some track times and this would not be a risk I want to take.

It's a known fault with Toyota but it's not a recall worthy item to them as it's not something that happens to all of the 2GR-FE's. They are only replacing them on a case by case basis, and this means that you need to prove that it is faulty and leaking oil. By the time that occurs, you may be too late. For example, if the leak occurs while you are on the highway, you're oil light isn't going to come on till the thing is nearly dry. The damage that can occur from that is not something I want to think about.

I just figured for $45, I would feel safer having this changed over. I didn't expect the DIY process to be a epic b*** to do though. Either way... it's all done now.

[lang_tu_syd]

One bright idea! If your car is still under warranty, just pin a small hole to the damn thing and go cry at Toyota Service Department. Problem solved!

Dislaimer: I'm not liable to any of the damage that you've done to your car. Do it at your own risk .

[corhijas]

thanks djkor for explaining it to me-greatly appreciated

i checked mine out last night and can say that my aurion has the new pipe installed luckily-lol

mine was built in may 09 so hopefully they have been like this for most of this yrs models

thanks again corey

[dave262]

I'd love to know why they would create such a pointless pipe that has a rubber hose in the middle - given the pipe doesn't flex as it's all attached to the engine!

I just found my Aurion has this same part, and there are already signs of the rubber pipe starting to become damaged. I might just get the part separately and have them install it at next service, or see if I can get it replaced under warranty as I have contacts in this particular dealer who might be able to help. I think it's simply too risky to just wait for it to occur... I don't want to be seen like a typical Holden or Ford that is seen constantly broken down on the side of the road with the bonnet up! Not to mention the mess leaking oil would create through the still-shiny engine bay :P

I don't think going by what DJKOR has said that it is worth the pain of trying to DIY... I got the Aurion with the hopes that I would no longer have to do what I despise doing so much on the ancient old Mitsubishi Magna!

[DJKOR]

Yeah, this thread is more of a warning than anything. I don't think anyone has done the change themselves on the Aurion or Gen 6 Camry in the States, so I wanted to be the first to try it. I must say though, as frustrating as it was, I wouldn't mind doing such a thing again (as in work on my own car) if the need ever arose.

I like to get up close and personal with my car. I guess I'm just like that.

[David the Viking]

I'd love to know why they would create such a pointless pipe that has a rubber hose in the middle - given the pipe doesn't flex as it's all attached to the engine!

I just found my Aurion has this same part, and there are already signs of the rubber pipe starting to become damaged. I might just get the part separately and have them install it at next service, or see if I can get it replaced under warranty as I have contacts in this particular dealer who might be able to help. I think it's simply too risky to just wait for it to occur... I don't want to be seen like a typical Holden or Ford that is seen constantly broken down on the side of the road with the bonnet up! Not to mention the mess leaking oil would create through the still-shiny engine bay :P

I don't think going by what DJKOR has said that it is worth the pain of trying to DIY... I got the Aurion with the hopes that I would no longer have to do what I despise doing so much on the ancient old Mitsubishi Magna!

Just make sure they fit the updated part as there have been cases in the US where they pipe has been replaced under warranty but it was done with the old type.

Note: This part will not fit a TRD as the supercharger belt is in the way. The pipe is a different shape as it goes backwards and down the front of the head. It does still have a rubber hose in the middle so the same issue will more then likely be present over time.

Edited July 19, 2009 by SupaTouring

[Zandri]

It looks like Toyota may have started addressing this issue prior to the 2009 model. I recently purchased a used SX6, first delivered to the original owner in mid-August 2008. Popped the bonnet to inspect the oil-line and its the all metal part (no clamps can be seen and the metal pipe begins the bend into the plastic cover). It's extremely unikely it would have been replaced by the previous owner given it was a Company/Lease car.

I had resigned to the fact that I'd just buy the spare parts and get them replaced at my first service.

Out of interest I questioned a mechanical engineer at work (aero-mech so doesn't have a lot to do with combustion engines :) , but still has far more experience than I do in such things as fluid dynamics, why they would split the pipe and use a rubber joiner. His thoughts were, they usually do this for a couple of reasons;

1. If there is the possibility of the two end points moving in isolation, but in this case he agreed thats extremely unlikely given the whle block/engine would move in unison.

2. Ease of installation/production. So they can install the first half, then the later half in two steps.

3. (Which is the most likely I feel) This arrangement is commonly used to stop high frequency pulsing of fluids by effectively implementing a low-pass filter. As pulses surge up the pipe the rubber expands (ever so slightly), reducing the pulsing effect or raming effect, resulting in a more even flow. So if the oil within the pipe is pumped or driven by some periodic motion (i.e. crank rotation) you are going to get pulses of oil being pushed into the pipe at a pretty quick rate. The rubber pipe will even out these pulses.

I'll reiterate, his speciality is not engine design and these were his thoughts only.. but I found them interesting so thought I'd share a few more possible reasons it could be used.

[junebug1701]

Toyota has finally acknowledged this problem! The have started a "Limited Service Campaign" in the US to fix this VVT-i hose problem. The bad news is the LSC only covers 2005-2006 Avalons and 2006 RAV4's. This could change--according to the LSC: "Toyota is currently investigating how this condition may affect other Toyota and Lexus vehicles."

This LSC document is available for downloading here:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/0p4z5a

The other bad news is that Toyota went cheap with this fix--only the rubber line and 2 clamps are replaced!

[DJKOR]

The other bad news is that Toyota went cheap with this fix--only the rubber line and 2 clamps are replaced!

Yeah, I head that they are replacing it with a 'revised' oil line that has a 'better reinforced rubber hose' and 'improved clamps'. Only time will tell though if it will really last. Apparently they are saying that the metal line will void warranty due to the fact that it can be damaged by vibration etc on the previous years' engines.

We'll see about that.

[dave262]

If the metal line will void the warranty, why would Toyota even make or sell the part?? Not to mention that both ends of the pipe are attached to the same physical object... so where is the issue again?

Gotta question which desk-jockey came up with that theory at Toyota!...

[Mr De Angelo]

The other bad news is that Toyota went cheap with this fix--only the rubber line and 2 clamps are replaced!

Yeah, I head that they are replacing it with a 'revised' oil line that has a 'better reinforced rubber hose' and 'improved clamps'. Only time will tell though if it will really last. Apparently they are saying that the metal line will void warranty due to the fact that it can be damaged by vibration etc on the previous years' engines.

We'll see about that.

What changes did they make to the 2009 engine? If the new models come with the metal line I don't see why the older models aren't compatible.. They know the problem, yet they don't let us consumers do anything to fix it before it could seriously screw up our cars..

[junebug1701]

The other bad news is that Toyota went cheap with this fix--only the rubber line and 2 clamps are replaced!

Yeah, I head that they are replacing it with a 'revised' oil line that has a 'better reinforced rubber hose' and 'improved clamps'. Only time will tell though if it will really last. Apparently they are saying that the metal line will void warranty due to the fact that it can be damaged by vibration etc on the previous years' engines.

We'll see about that.

What changes did they make to the 2009 engine? If the new models come with the metal line I don't see why the older models aren't compatible.. They know the problem, yet they don't let us consumers do anything to fix it before it could seriously screw up our cars..

If you car was built after April 2008, it SHOULD have the all-metal line. My RAV4 has a build date of July 2008 and DOES have this new part. So any V6 built after that should be OK. I don't think any changes were made to the engine in 2009.

[PC XT]

The other bad news is that Toyota went cheap with this fix--only the rubber line and 2 clamps are replaced!

Yeah, I head that they are replacing it with a 'revised' oil line that has a 'better reinforced rubber hose' and 'improved clamps'. Only time will tell though if it will really last. Apparently they are saying that the metal line will void warranty due to the fact that it can be damaged by vibration etc on the previous years' engines.

We'll see about that.

What changes did they make to the 2009 engine? If the new models come with the metal line I don't see why the older models aren't compatible.. They know the problem, yet they don't let us consumers do anything to fix it before it could seriously screw up our cars..

If you car was built after April 2008, it SHOULD have the all-metal line. My RAV4 has a build date of July 2008 and DOES have this new part. So any V6 built after that should be OK. I don't think any changes were made to the engine in 2009.

Sounds like mines got the rubber job on it aswell as it's a mid 2007 Build , its at Toyota tomorrow I will find out

Edited November 15, 2009 by PC XT

[450HP/tonne]

To anyone who is planning on doing this, I would recommend waiting a few weeks ... thats all I'm going to say ;)

[httttt]

To anyone who is planning on doing this, I would recommend waiting a few weeks ... thats all I'm going to say ;)

If I was in need of getting a service soonish how long should I wait? lol

[450HP/tonne]

If I was in need of getting a service soonish how long should I wait? lol

I wouldn't put off your service.

If you were planning on buying the parts and doing the repair for yourself, you should wait.

I'll take a photo of my car at home tonight to help explain ...