1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

vvt cam gear question

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by timnden, Sep 30, 2015.

  1. timnden

    timnden Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2015
    3
    0
    0
    Location:
    denver,co
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    ----USA----

    Wondering if anyone know whether an 07 model is supposed to have a locking vvt intake cam?
    I just bought a poorly running prius. Took off the valve cover and took the face plate off
    of the intake cam. Its got the spring loaded lock pin shown in the shop manual however, the gear plate
    has no 'hole' for it to lock into. Is this right? I wondered if a PO swapped out a different cam.
    Thanks for any insights.
     
  2. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,795
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    What points you to the vvt system? Been on this site for 8 years and have never seen a post about the vvt system malfunctioning.
    It seems to work quite well. It even has its own little oil filter in a galley under intake runner #1 behind a hex key bolt. The only thing that may make it malfunction is having really bad/old oil that has clogged the oil galley to the cam sprocket.

    There are numerous other things that make a Prius run poorly specifically a bad hybrid battery and other notables are a very dirty throttle body and or ignition issues with bad cops or water has gotten into the spark plug holes. Seeing alot of high mileage blown motors that keep running....motors with spun mains that the car trying to protect itself pulls timing and then the car runs like a dog with what people report is valve noise or slight ticking sound. None seem to listen to the car from the bottom.

    How does the engine sound when it idles and you stick your head under the front of the car and listen to it? You can put the car in inspection mode and make the engine run continuously. Go to Youtube and search Prius Inspection Mode.

    Give us some info like mileage and is it throwing any codes on the dash or mfd.
     
    valde3 likes this.
  3. Jmack111

    Jmack111 Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2009
    370
    78
    0
    Location:
    Tacoma wa
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I just clean my car vvt and then Lubed it with a light oil and just below it it the wire filter there a no head hex hole plug like Transmission plug looks like
    Remove air cleaner left side first sensor with a wire ub plug, remove side bolt on sensor mount then turn to the left to loosen then out pull clean with brass brush and Carburetor cleaner then lube. Before you install it you can see the plug right below it with the hex top unscrew pull out clean lightly with brass brush and carburetor cleaner Then reassemble I was having engine pinging only when cold or going up hills This doubled my power and fix the noise I had no code I had the ping

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    strawbrad likes this.
  4. prius-07

    prius-07 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2022
    6
    1
    0
    Location:
    california
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    It seems like the pin is not used in this gear.
    I have a question: When installing the gear back should I turn it all the way clockwise and install the chain or it does not matter?