Which cylinder bank is bank 2? My neighbor just got the code p0022 on his highlander. Also is it possible he has sludge? I havent checked to see when his car was manufactured. I know it could be a dirty or defective VVTI sensor, Any helped appreciated.

 

Cylinder 2 is on the front bank (just under the engine cover) on the far left side. There is an outside possibility of an oil problem here, but your neighbor would have to open up the valve cover to be sure about this. Generally this is an issue with a timing sensor

 

Hey lex mex, so bank 2 is the front of the engine next to the radiator? I think he should pull that sensor out and clean it. maybe it was a piece of debris. The car only has 56k on it. He did put a fram oil filter in for the first time. The rest of the oil changes were done at the dealer. I gave him a wix filter to put in... will give feed back. By the way the vvti sensor is on the battery end of the cylinder head, low I think is that correct.

 

I was confused with you saying which cylinder is bank 2.

Anyway, bank 2 is the front (closest to the radiator). You might recall when we talk about A/F sensors, Bank 2 Sensor 1, and that is related to the bank closest to the radiator.

The sensor in question is located here, in the blue square. The yellow square is the bank 2, sensor 1 A/F sensor located closest to the radiator.

 

thanks LexMex, I gave info to my neighbor, he is going to look at it in the morning...

 

Hey LexMex, my neighbor pulled valve cover and yep completely full of sludge. The car was manufactured in Jan 2003. However I dont know about the engine. He had all service done by Toyota on their schedule. Any ideas, other than start the process with His dealership? I dont believe that year was in the lawsuit. The car only has 57k miles . How sad....

 

Wow,57,000 miles? what`s up with these motors anyway.

 

My bad, 51k miles, My neighbor is going to try the Seafoam and oil changes for the next few k miles. He did Seafoam and a new filter and dino oil. Going to run it tonight and change it in the morning. Then repeat for the oil changes for the next 500 miles then switch to synthetic and see if it goes away. really sucks when you get your oil change at toyota religously and then find max sludge under the valve cover. Toyota appears to not have fixed the problem in the 2003 engine....

 

The heck with all of that!!,I would be sitting right in the service managers office having a nice little discussion,on how they plan to resolve this.

 

My thoughts also, but my neighbor doesnt want the hassle. I am glad I took pictures, at least there is proof.

 

Update, neighbor showed me the oil from one hour of running engine with Seafoam. Was real dirty, but probably useable, I will keep everyone posted on how his de sludging project works out. He is going to dump sea foam in just before the next planned oil change in less than 500 miles.

 

Neighbor has become a little impatient, car smokes on startup, suspect the cleaner is still working or the rings or valve stem seals are shot. He took it in to an independent for a professional engine clean.....story to continue.....

 

I threw some carb cleaner up my throttle body a few times and even after I stopped shooting the cleaner, it smoked for about 15+ minutes straight.