I have a 2005 Toyota Tacoma with the 1GR-FE VVT-i engine (4.0 V6, Four Cam). It has almost 150k miles on it and lately, I've been hearing what I suspect is cam chain noise. It has three cam chains.
The long primary chain goes crank->intake cam->idler->other intake cam->back to crank.
The other two are short chains that go from the VVT-i sprocket on each intake cam to their corresponding exhaust cams.
I had suspected that the noise was the result of a bad tensioner on the primary (long) chain, and I replaced that one through a small access plate on the timing cover. The old tensioner did not seem to be too bad.
I removed the Bank 1 valve cover and there is a surprising amount of slack in the short chain that goes between the two cams. The tensioner for that chain is right between the two sprockets and presses on the chain both top and bottom. It's an L-shaped item that is held in place with the single gold bolt between the two front cam bearings in the center of this photo:
Even with the slack in the chain, I seriously doubt that I can swap the tensioner with the chain in place.
Removing the timing cover, the sprockets and all three chains to change the two upper tensioners appears to be a living Hell:
So here's my question:
If I set cylinder 1 to TDC and lock off the intake and exhaust cam Miata style...
...can I remove and replace the sprocket on the exhaust cam, giving myself enough room to swap the tensioner?
