Celica Forums Install Guides and Technical Articles Engine and Transmission Guides Lift Bolt 411, Including Install Pictures

Well So many people seem to have questions about this.
I'm not gonna explain "Lift" just going to talk about the repair side of the bolts. Also what to look out for and things like that.

1) Yes they can and will break on an automatic. Did one this weekend and he got lucky the bolt cracked but hadn't fully broken.

2) Even if you don't race they will wear out.

3) They are not expensive. I bought mine for $0.54 each

4) They are not hard to check and/or replace. This last one took 30 minutes cause we had to let the engine cool for 10 minutes.

5) If the bolts ARE broken then Don't DIY unless you are mechanically skilled.

6) If you race check them every time it's due for a service is what I recommend.

7) If you don't race but have a 2000-2002 replace the bolts anyways cause the new ones last longer. then check every 20 - 30,000 miles.

How to know if they are broken...

1) No Lift, big duh there.

2) Intermintent lift

3) weakend lift

If you notice any of those things it's already too late and they are most likely broken.

If you have a 2000 - 2002 then replace them asap anyways just as a precaution. Ask anyone with a broken lift bolt and they'll tell you how much it sux. I know Mine were broken too.

Now for teh pics...

The site code doesnt uderstand FTP so you'll have to copy/paste the link.

ftp.hosttheweb.com/ksbservices.com/brokenlift

that will give you the full res pics. For 56K people I'm editing them so I can post them in this thread!!

Any questions you have post them here or pm me thats fine too.

Here is the Valve cover removed...

Here is the engine with valve cover off and the bolt that breaks is pointed out.

Is it a super messy job or do you just pull the cover off and swap out the bolts? Do you have to unhook a lot of hoses, ect... Do you have to torque the bolts to a specific lbs/inch2?

Here's a zoomed in view of the lift bolts

man i think mine are broken, but i need more info on how to replace them. is there more than one or only one lift bolts?
more feedback would certainly help me and maybe others?? thanks

It's not a very messy job. You only have to unhook 2 little hoses and remove like 14 bolts ish. I hadnt planned this to well ut I'm gonna look for someone in the area who needs it done so I can do some video clips and a full proper DIY. I would refer to the TSB On torque specs. cause off hand I dont remember since I did mine the good ol backyard way of whatever I felt like. lol

out of the 2 bolts only 1 usually breaks. the one I highlighted. you should replace them both though. I asked the dealer and they said they tighten it down til it stops and then give it 1/2 turn more and thats fine. No exact torque is needed.

The bolt is called a flange bolt. part # 90105 - 06293

Here's the new bolts next to the Old bolts and the broken one. These were all from my car.

Vey good info Lucky... I will most likely be replacing mine sometime this week since theres a car meet in Phoenix this weekend, and i don't need the luck of the draw lift issue. Anyways, If I can, I'll look around the dorms here for someone with a videocamera and try to tape it, if not, I'll snap some photos and jot down notes and do an actual HTML based DIY guide to help out all of ya'll.

Cheers,
-Anthony

*Update*
Just called a Toyota dealership down here in Tucson... anyways, they didn't have any on stock, and it will take about 2 days to get them. And they're going to run me about 84 cents a piece.

so i'm guessing just remove the valve cover, take out the old bolts and replace the new ones and then put back your old one and you should be set? correct me if i'm wrong anyone, because i seriously want to fix my lift problem but don't want to spend hundreds of dallors if i could fix it on my own. thanks

are the bolts still on national backorder?

Like this:
1) Remove valve cover and appropiate hoses, bolts, etc.
2) Remove old lift bolts
3) Install new "flange bolts"
4) Tighten down flange bolts
5) Replace valve cover, bolts, and hoses.

Pretty easy, can't be more then a 20-30 minute fix it yourself thing. BTW lucky, did you find them at a Toyota dealership, or did you just go out to say a Mac's or Hardware Hank's? Reason being I really don't want to have to wait the 2 days to fix this problem

from the picture of that broken lift bolt, it looks like it is broken half ways down. is it possible to have it broken half way down and have the (intake side) bottom half stuck inside those walls. Because someone post a reply to me and that sounded really scary to mess with. here is the reply:
Sorry to say this to you but I know for sure your lift bolt(s) are broken. I had the exact same problem. My car would bogg at about 6k rpm and an obvious absence of the high rpm lift power after the bogg. I recomend no matter how much it costs to have the toyota dealer make this repair. I repaired my own and I ran into other complications. The oil guide shaft rotated 90 degrees with the broken bolt(intake side) still inside creating a groove inside the bore making it almost impossible to remove the shaft. Anyways, It took me almost 10 hrs. to fix my vvtl. It works just like it used to but I would highly recomend you have the dealer fix it!!!!

yeah its a very easy job unless the bolt is broken like in that picture. I won't go over that cause it should be done by the dealer.

I got my lift bolts at the dealer. DO NOT go buy just any bolt that will fit.

I have extras if anyone cant find them. I have 7.

heres the steps:

1)remove valve cover
2)remove lift bolts
3)put new ones back in
4)replace valve cover

Also remember it'll take awhile for lift to feel normal cause the new bolts need to wear in a lil bit. I didnt get full lift back for 3 track days.

for mine it took 6 hours for me to drill out the remaining piece of the bolt but again I DONT recommend trying that cause I seen 1 GTS drilled improperly and they hit the threads so the block will need to be rethreaded before you can put new ones in.

Hypothetically, if a person drives a GTS but NEVER actually uses their Lift, is this problem still applicable?

Also is this an issue or wear and tear? Like can this lift bolt just snap on first use of Lift or is this a gradual wear down issue?

it's a wear down issue. what happens is the bolt gets an unsual strain on it because the taper wasnt quite right so it snaps at the point of the strain. Thats why the newer bolts have a better taper. It's so they handle the pressure better.

I would imagine that it would happen only when lift is used but to be safe I'd change to the new style anyways even in automatic.

does anyone know how much it'll cost to get them replaced at the dealer?

ALOT lol more than $100 I heard. It's a 30 min job if you do it yourself. the long way they'll charge a few hundred $$.

Also I got a volunteer now so expect to see a full install video coming soon!

Go to teamcelica.com, click on technical info, click on performance, and then click on lift bolt install. In this area there is a Toyota Service Bulletin (TSB) click in the attached file, so you can be able to read the bulletin. This (TSB) will explain how to replace the lift bolts if broken or not. It also has a parts list and torqe specs. I hope this helps.

great pics dude, I can't believe those are the bolts that always break on people.

^^^ Thanx !

http://www.teamcelica.com/tech/installs/liftbolts/

there's the link. very good pics of the install!

we're still gonna make a video version this weekend if the person is gonna make it over.

Hey Lucky_317 thanks for posting the web site. Also can you post the (TSB)Bulletin?

Theres the actual TSB

https://celicahobby.com/tech/tsb2/TSB_liftbolts.pdf

same question and also will this void the warranty if I do the work myself thanks

Dealers all tend to charge their own prices sometimes so I'd say call your local dealer and ask! Also Each dealership handles warranty stuff it's own way so you'll wanna consult your own dealer.


I wont asnwer those questions cause I don't wanna get blamed for someone screwing something up or voidin their warranty. If you are unsure ask the dealer!!

There is no torque setting on bolts for the Cylider Head Cover( aka valve cover)...
I'm looking at the manual right now...

Ok, I hd an idea, why the heck don't they make these bolts in a stronger metal? Gee what a novel idea.

so i was wondering what if the bolt was already broken, then what do you do?

if its already broke youre screwed. lol take it to the dealer and hope you still have some warranty left. lol I'm not gonna explain that cause theres a million things you could do wrong.

Hey wondering if the lift bolts are damage or broken, does it cause the check engine light to come one. thanks

what if you remove the lift bolt and see that it's broken and don't even want to bother fixing it do you just put back that lift bolt then take it to the dealer?

or are you going to have to continue the process of removing the broken lift bolt yourself since you already unscrewed the bolt

broken or worn lift bolts do not give a cel.

Yes you can put the old piece back in and take it to the dealer.

thanks

do the 2003 gts models have a tendancy to have broken lift bolts as well?

I'm pretty sure they come with the new style bolt in which case theyd be ok but I'd still make it a regular service item just to be safe

I just had mine replaced at a Toyota Dealership under my 100,000 mile powertrain warrenty. (at 62k miles) They charged me a 50 deductable and total cost was $575. I had already made sure they were broke before bringin in but still played off as I didn't know. Careful for anyone who gets done not to get swayed into buying a new head as they tried to tell me was neccessary. always lying bastards.

How come in the TSB, it tells you to take off a lot more shit than just the valve cover?

cause they are fools. lol ...j/p this is a post how to change unbroken lift bolts

if they are broke you can drill em out OR do the tsb

just changed my lift bolts this weekend. to anyone who hasn't get them replaced. if they are unbroken the whole procedure takes only 30min...tops! it looks intimidating at first but if you know how to turn a wrench you can do it!

yup start to finish I've done several in 15 mins or less. it's only hard the first time cause it can be intimidating.

Ok, I'm kind of a newb here.
With a 2004 GTS, are the lift bolts a problem?
What mileage should you replace them under normal driving conditions? Racing conditions?

Thanks!

every 3rd oil change check them

holy crap really? i was thinking more like once a year if you don't race...

Will the dealer charge me to replace the lift bolts even if their not broken and i just want them replaced with the newer stronger bolts? My car only has 40.000 miles on it! It's a 00 GTS.