OCV/VVT and filter removal need oil drained?

[seatech30]

Is it necessary to do an oil drain to remove the OCV/VVT and the filter?

Also, would it be possible to clean it out with say brake cleaner if it looks too dirty/varnished? I want to see if this is my problem before I drop $55 on a new one.

I've been searching, but can only find posts of it being easy to remove, it breaking off, etc. Just want to make sure before I go make a mess.

Thanks!

Edit: just noticed my post count, giggity.

[tmontague]

You dont need to drain the oil as it is located in tje head and tje head doesn't hold any oil when the car is sitting there with the engine off.

As long as you use a pry bar or punch from tje correct spot it won't fall apart. It is hard to explain bit the actual external portion of the actuator or held on to a metal ring with 4 claws that are bent around it. As long as you push/pry on the metal part and not the plastic that tje claws attach to then it should wiggle out - don't just grab it and pull

[seatech30]

You dont need to drain the oil as it is located in tje head and tje head doesn't hold any oil when the car is sitting there with the engine off.

As long as you use a pry bar or punch from tje correct spot it won't fall apart. It is hard to explain bit the actual external portion of the actuator or held on to a metal ring with 4 claws that are bent around it. As long as you push/pry on the metal part and not the plastic that tje claws attach to then it should wiggle out - don't just grab it and pull

Sweet, thanks! I think I understand what you're describing.

[zoidberg444]

I cleaned mine when i did my last oil change. I doubt there would be any oil in it if the engine had been off for a few minutes.

It was a very tricky job to get the plug undone and fish it out with pliers. One of the little plastic tabs on the end of mine was missing but i couldn't see any debris in it. That said 10,000 miles before that i ran engine flush through for 40 minutes because of a timing chain rattle which the flush cured.

So evidently the tensioner or VVT cam was losing oil pressure. The flush fixed it.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[tmontague]

I cleaned mine when i did my last oil change. I doubt there would be any oil in it if the engine had been off for a few minutes.

It was a very tricky job to get the plug undone and fish it out with pliers. One of the little plastic tabs on the end of mine was missing but i couldn't see any debris in it. That said 10,000 miles before that i ran engine flush through for 40 minutes because of a timing chain rattle which the flush cured.

So evidently the tensioner or VVT cam was losing oil pressure. The flush fixed it.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

The tensioner is definitely fluid sprung but iirc indent believe it runs off of oil pressure from the engine. At least the tensioner in my 2zr and 1zz engine are not unless I'm missing something

[dogsridewith]

I cleaned mine when i did my last oil change. I doubt there would be any oil in it if the engine had been off for a few minutes.

It was a very tricky job to get the plug undone and fish it out with pliers. One of the little plastic tabs on the end of mine was missing but i couldn't see any debris in it. That said 10,000 miles before that i ran engine flush through for 40 minutes because of a timing chain rattle which the flush cured.

So evidently the tensioner or VVT cam was losing oil pressure. The flush fixed it.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Wow. This cure is important to know, and first I've seen here where a number of engine rattle at start-ups have been posted. What did you use for the flush? Would it also tend to remove the carbon causing stuck piston rings?

[tmontague]

Wow. This cure is important to know, and first I've seen here where a number of engine rattle at start-ups have been posted. What did you use for the flush? Would it also tend to remove the carbon causing stuck piston rings?

It could also be something as simple as a different brand of oil at the oil change performed after the flush. This is well known to quiet down an engine and vise versa. If there was a true blocked oil passage to the vvt solenoid then a corresponding code would likely be thrown. I wouldn't necessarily be going crazy with flushes due to one experience

[zoidberg444]

It could also be something as simple as a different brand of oil at the oil change performed after the flush. This is well known to quiet down an engine and vise versa. If there was a true blocked oil passage to the vvt solenoid then a corresponding code would likely be thrown. I wouldn't necessarily be going crazy with flushes due to one experienceI second this. As a rule i stay away from them. I did it as a kill or cure. I would advise anyone to stay away from flushes unless you have a problem.

In my case though i have used the same oil for years - Castrol Magnatec 5W30 A5 fully synthetic. After 160,000 miles/12 years i guess some crud built up somewhere.

Oh and the flush i used was a "Forte" brand and didn't cure my oil burning issues but i never expected it to.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[seatech30]

I cleaned mine when i did my last oil change. I doubt there would be any oil in it if the engine had been off for a few minutes.

It was a very tricky job to get the plug undone and fish it out with pliers. One of the little plastic tabs on the end of mine was missing but i couldn't see any debris in it. That said 10,000 miles before that i ran engine flush through for 40 minutes because of a timing chain rattle which the flush cured.

So evidently the tensioner or VVT cam was losing oil pressure. The flush fixed it.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Sorry, I might be mixing it up, how did you clean the VVT? By removing it then flushing it somehow? I was thinking I could probably pull it out, and soak it in brake cleaner or maybe give it 12V and give it a good spray.

The reason I'm suspecting the VVT is part of my ongoing quest to find out the cause of my engine vibration. After lots of research, it seems this could be a possibility, and it's not so cheap to replace. I used techstream to play around the other day, turning on the OCV solenoid during idle D/R actually made the rpms rise and the engine vibration settled out as if it was in N. Not sure if this is evidence, but it's drive behind my reasoning.