VVT Oil Filter? Poor MPG'S?

Hi Patrick & Andy,
Andy: Its exactly where Patrick said it was....but maybe its not on all models??? My Haynes/Chilton's says its on all models but who knows. Look for this valve in this picture:

http://priuschat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=23837&stc=1&d=1275947525


Whats odd is thats the valve for sure with the electrical connector on it but the engine area in that picture does not resemble at all whats on my 07. Mine looks like the diagram that Patrick posted. It does not have all those plugs under it just a very obvious female hex headed bolt so there may be engine revisions here. Its super obvious on my car but not in the picture I just posted so there must be year changed revisions on this. So go with caution there Andy.

Andy look at the picture posted. Is that what yours looks like? Or there is a different and third type? Not mine,not the picture but yours?

BTW, If your car looks like the picture I have no idea which one is the filter hole. Maybe the angled down big bolt?

Good Luck!!

 

None of us are confusing the valve with the filter. I did early on in the thread as that was what my manual inferred but Patrick had excellent docs that set me straight at the beginning.

We are just trying to use the valve location to locate the filter on Andy's model.
Patrick and I have located it on our 07's. Andy cannot find his as there might not even be one.
Apparently there are differences throughout the years. All the posters here would like to know that.

Yes you are correct the VVT is used to advance or retard the intake valve system. Has nothing to do with the ignition. My manual has a very long description of the VVT system I should have read more precisely. Apologies to all as I thought they were working together but the VVT system is separate to control mechanical intake valve timing
only.

And I am not inferring there's an issue. I simply hypothesised if someone had a strange mpg loss issue on an older gen this might be worth a look.

Not sure why your dismissing a maintianable filter on our engines. You don't think this filter will ever get clogged? Partially clogged? Most people have there oil changed at the dealer with dino Vat oil cause its free.

I've never even seen this filter mentioned here and I've been here almost 4 years and read posts almost everyday.
It would be nice to tell a poster to check something other than there battery when there complaining of mysterious mpg loss. See alot of those here.

My manual says any problem with the VVT system a check of this filter should be performed.

My manual lists all the sensors the PCM samples to adjust oil flow via the adjustable VVT oil control valve (OCV) to the cam actuator vanes to either advance or retard the cam. These are:

* Vehicle speed sensor
* Throttle position sensor
* Maf
* Engine coolant temp

And it says a Diag Code will be thrown and Check Engine Light Set if any problem in the VVT system detected. It does not say what code will be set.

I would imagine if the oil control valve (OCV) failed and since the engine spark would probably still advance as it would assume proper intake valve advance but if none because of the OCV failure it might spark knock setting knock sensor DTC?

Of course the engine would sense knock and pull timing and run poorly also.
But what would happen if the filter is partially clogged allowing oil flow but not 100%. That probably would not throw a code but would impact fuel economy as the cam would not achieve proper advancement. Only way to tell is for us to start checking our filters. Looks pretty easy on my 07.

What other maladies or codes do you think would set if the OCV failed?

Thank you.

BTW, very nice post on the battery smell post there Hobbit. Although I did wince a little when I saw the picture of your fingers across the terminals.

 

Great! Good job! Thats good news in that they didn't change it for different years. How fine was the filter medium and did you notice the filter o-ring seal they talked alot about?
Thanks!!!

 

Yes not much to that filter. I went to the dealer today to buy some other stuff and a new o-ring for this filter as I intend to check mine. The filter itself is $11.00 and the o-ring is $2.00 each so not much there. Both not is stock and had to be ordered. Soon as I get them I'll check mine and post pictures.

 

I wanted to check the VVT filter on mine so I ordered the parts and went at it.
It requires an 8 MM Hex socket and a 3 inch extension. A hex key would be really difficult to use right there. Had to break mine loose with a breaker bar as was socked down good.

Fist take off the air cleaner assy. That requires a 10 MM socket on a 1/4 inch short extension. The 2 top bolts, the throttle bore clamp bolt found right behind the maf plug, and the intake tube clamp. A 10 MM will work on all 4 of these.
Disconnect the MAF electrical plug by sqeezing the tab on the connector and gently pull. Pull the air clean/maf assy off the throtlle and set aside.
Unscew the VVT filter hex bolt head and the filter comes out attached to it at least on mine. I found my filter to be pristeenly clean.
But I am meticulous about oil & filter changes. I think that filter could be sludge up if your car lives on dealer vat oil and its poorly maintained. Its a very fine filter. Just my opinion. I think Toyota engineering was a little worried about getting debris in the advance and retard oil ports to the cam actuator as I bet those passages are rather small.
I bought a new filter and metal washer as they were very cheap and I was not sure if I would mess it up taking it out.. The filter plugs into the hex bolt head. Then you can screw it in by hand and torque it down.
Pretty easy. I don't think on my car its warranted to look at this filter every oil change but at 100K would not hurt.
While I had it all apart I noticed my throttle body was getting sooty. And I also spotted quite a bit of oil at the bottom of the intake manifold by cracking open the throttle body and peering down the throat. Real nice big puddle there. Seen it before on my car. It has been discussed before here but still not 100% sure why that oil's there. Because of the nature of the intake system of the Atkisson cyle there is some blow back I have heard here.
Never oil over the mark on the dipstick. Some people have it some don't.

To clean the throttle body I usually cut up an old t shirt in a strip and stuff it down the throat.
Crack the bore open and stuff it in with a screwdriver. Deep. Spray soak it good down there with carb cleaner and use it to scrub the throat and the butterfly. When removed everything is clean as a whistle including the oil puddle. I spray clean the butterfly spring and then lubricate it. Re-installed everything and good to go. Whole job was like 30 minutes.

Since I had the camera out I took some pictures. Shots of my 3 year old Wheel Skinz, Wet Okoles, and my eBay $20 dash mat which I really like. Its missing the eBay Plastic hood that goes over the MFD housing. I Love the Okoles. I need to take them off and hand wash them. But been on for 3 years and still look great. No smoking. Worth every penny.

Also I picked up a new terrycloth Toyota seat cover at the dealer. $27.95
Fits real nice and has a hole in it that hangs over the head rest so it doesn't fall down. Just pull it off and machine it. To protect the Okole seat cover. Beats the old bath towel I usually use. Sometimes I get dirty at work.

Thats right. You have to use covers to cover the cover.......never
ends. Just like the floor mats. You use crappy floor covers to cover the nice dealer mats.

Filter: 15678-21010 $11.00
metal Washer: 90430-14008 $2.00

 

Yes I posted the part numbers in post #35.

 

Its very hard to see especially on an older car where it may be very dirty. Its a female hex key socket bolt. Have to take the air cleaner assy off.
Its right below cylinder #1. Be aware that bolt is really hard to get out. I had to use a breaker bar
and a quality hex socket.

Please see Patricks directions on his post #21.