What's really going on with Toyota's faulty valve springs [w/ video]
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/sedans/" rel="tag">Sedan</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/etc/" rel="tag">Etc.</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/recalls-tsbs/" rel="tag">Recalls</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/safety/" rel="tag">Safety</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/videos/" rel="tag">Videos</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/lexus/" rel="tag">Lexus</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/luxury/" rel="tag">Luxury</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-valve-spring-failure/"><img vspace="4" hspace="0" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/03-lexus-spring-630-1278094804.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><sma ll>Failed Lexus IS350 valve spring - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
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<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/toyota/">Toyota's</a> announcement of <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/01/breaking-toyota-admits-270-000-cars-have-faulty-engines-worldwi/">plans to recall 270,000 of its V8 and V6 models</a>, including a number of <a href="http://The news that Toyota is planning recalling a total of 270,000 of its V8 and V6 models, including a number of Lexus sedans, was a little light on information. The company didn't say much about the issue other than the fact that faulty valve springs could cause a vehicle's engine to stall while driving. Fortunately, an anonymous source has stepped in to fill in the blanks for us.">Lexus</a> sedans, was a little light on information. The company didn't say much about the issue other than faulty valve springs could cause a vehicle's engine to stall while driving. Fortunately, the same anonymous source that came through with some information during <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/toyota_recall/guide">Toyota's recent pedal recall crisis</a> has stepped up to fill-in some of the blanks.<br />
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Apparently, Lexus dealers have been encountering <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/01/breaking-toyota-admits-270-000-cars-have-faulty-engines-worldwi/">the defect</a> for a few years. The fault typically manifests itself as a zig-zag break about three-quarters up the valve spring. This means that typically, the spring still has enough tension to keep the valve retainers in place, preventing the valve itself from going all hari-kari on the cylinder, cylinder wall and head. <br />
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That's not always the case, though. If the failure happens at high RPM, the valve can come loose, causing significant damage to the engine. According to our source, one <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/gs">Lexus GS350</a> incurred $12,000 worth of damage (in parts alone) during such an incident. And there's no word on who footed the bill. <br />
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Toyota hasn't said exactly what's caused the issue, though our source indicates that a Field Technical Specialist within the automaker believe the bad springs either have a casting issue or a deep scratch - weak points that allow the part to fail prematurely. As for why the issue effects both the company's 3.5-liter V6 and 4.6-liter V8, we're assuming that both engines use the same valve springs. <br />
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Click through <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/02/whats-really-going-on-with-toyotas-faulty-valve-springs-w-vi/#continued">to the jump</a> for more details and a video.<br />
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<div class="postgallery"><p><s trong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-valve-spring-failure/">Lexus Valve Spring Failure</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-valve-spring-failure/#3140395"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/03-lexus-spring_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-valve-spring-failure/#3140393"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/01-lexus-spring_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-valve-spring-failure/#3140394"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/02-lexus-spring_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GblgUbA4ikA">YouT ube</a>]<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/02/whats-really-going-on-with-toyotas-faulty-valve-springs-w-vi/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>What's really going on with Toyota's faulty valve springs [w/ video]</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;backgr ound:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/02/whats-really-going-on-with-toyotas-faulty-valve-springs-w-vi/">What's really going on with Toyota's faulty valve springs [w/ video]</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblo g</a> on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/02/whats-really-going-on-with-toyotas-faulty-valve-springs-w-vi/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19539886/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/02/whats-really-going-on-with-toyotas-faulty-valve-springs-w-vi/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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