A little more FYI, I just did this on a friend's tC last weekend.

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=182719

Quick question, any codes? What we think happened with his tC is that the VVTi messed up, either the cam itself or the OCV, and it got stuck running lean, overheating the pistons. When the head was pulled, the cylinder walls were scored, and there was a pop at the top of each stroke. I think this was causing the tapping noise with the engine running. I didn't bother pulling the bottom end, but think the heat messed up the wrist pins, either that or the rod bearing got damaged. All four cylinders had the same scoring.

We thought it was a bad valve and tried to replace just the head with the motor still in the vehicle. To do this, you need to remove the timing chain cover, and to do that you need to remove the power steering pump, impossible to do without pulling the motor mounts and shoving the engine / trans assembly far enough over to get a tool between the pulley and frame rail. In the end, it was just easier to pull the motor / trans.

Removing it is pretty simple though, all you need to do is separate the hub assembly from the tie rod, strut and lower brace, and use a slide hammer to take off the driver axle. The passenger one just unbolts from a ring mounted on the engine, there's a DIY on mysciontc on it. Unplug the harness from the ECU and pull it through the firewall, leave all the wiring bolted to the motor, undo the motor mounts, and the whole thing comes out with an engine lift ($200, Autozone).

 

^^ no idea how to do that :/ i guess ill just have to get a used engine

 

Need an engine? Lol.

 

yea lol