2.5 L Atkinson motor Hybrid has Solid Lifters.

[Darryl]

The 2.5 uses a "shim and bucket" valve train. Nothing to worry about in my opinion. Very reliable. I had a 650cc inline 4 Yamaha back in 1980 that had the same set up. Easy to adjust. I did it when I was 19. Pop the valve cover off, measure the clearance between the cam and shim (when valve is closed), put a thinner or thicker shim in to get the clearance correct. Ran the hell out of that Yamaha at the strip, no issues. Don't make a mountain out of a mole hill. You are worrying about a silly little thing that dont add up to nothing.

1988 Toyota Camry used shim and bucket. It's a VERY old design. Never seen one to need adjustment

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[Darryl]

Motorcycles have been using shim and bucket valve trains for 45 years with no problems. (and I'm sure Maverick's seldom see 12.000 RPM). As long as the shims are on top of the buckets, it's not hard to adjust. You just require an assortment of shims. Toyota inline DOHC sixes have also used this system since the mid 80's. Valve clearances actually close up over time as the valve recedes into the head due to valve seat wear. Valve train noise actually becomes quieter, until the valves lip burns because the valve can no longer seat properly. From my past experiences though, it's a non issue, as these valve train designs tend to hold their clearances in spec for a long time because of their simplicity.

The valve clearance closing up is more in theory than in a reality in these engines. Burned valves are almost unheard of today in all but the most neglected engines. I remember Toyota Camry 4 cylinder using bucket type tappets. When I replaced a cylinder head gasket because of overheating, I made sure the valves weren't leaking and didn't disturb them. I had the head shaved, replaced the head gasket, installed the shims in the same spot i had removed them from, and sent the customer on her way. She drove the car for several more years then gave it to her daughter who drove it until she wrecked it. I had a 1986 Toyota Supra with approximately 150,000 miles on it when someone hit me and totalled it. Never disturbed the bucket tappets

 

[Darryl]

Yes, agreed. That said, I've noticed a trend in new vehicles to have truly single use fasteners. Plastic retention clips on hoses that have to be cut, and truly cannot be reused for example. I haven't dug enough into the Maverick to know if it has any of those.

I'm a Ford tech and don't really know either because we've not had occasion to have to do any engine work on a Maverick other than a water pump or two on an EcoBoost. I can't even recall anyone in our shop replacing a valve cover gasket on a hybrid Maverick. That's a testament to their reliability in our area

 

[Darryl]

Yeah CCN goes into a lot of detail with his reviews. I suspect he looks at the service manuals as part of the process, since his knowledge goes far beyond the typical marketing notes that most reviews have.

His knowledge of the Maverick is pretty much limited to his gut feeling and opinion . He said he never worked on one. He mentioned the solid lifters and stated that they'd need adjustment, and it would be expensive. This let's me know that he has little knowledge of the history of this engine design in general or the fact that this particular engine has been used in Fords for Many years. The fact that Ford doesn't even list valve adjustment in its maintenance schedule.

 

[Peter Lukasch]

The valve clearance closing up is more in theory than in a reality in these engines. Burned valves are almost unheard of today in all but the most neglected engines. I remember Toyota Camry 4 cylinder using bucket type tappets. When I replaced a cylinder head gasket because of overheating, I made sure the valves weren't leaking and didn't disturb them. I had the head shaved, replaced the head gasket, installed the shims in the same spot i had removed them from, and sent the customer on her way. She drove the car for several more years then gave it to her daughter who drove it until she wrecked it. I had a 1986 Toyota Supra with approximately 150,000 miles on it when someone hit me and totalled it. Never disturbed the bucket tappets

True, shim & bucket valve trains seldom show much wear over an engines lifespan. My post was more about valve clearances becoming less, not greater. The mechanical aspect of engine valve train noise will become quieter, not noisier, so it would be easy to ignore for the average person. The most change in valve clearances in a new engine will occur during the first few thousand miles. Funny you should mention the Supra, I have also rebuilt the M7 in my sons 87, it had 322,000 Km on it and needed a head gasket. On reassembly, only 2 shims out of 24 required replacement to put it back into spec.

 

[icegradner]

His knowledge of the Maverick is pretty much limited to his gut feeling and opinion . He said he never worked on one. He mentioned the solid lifters and stated that they'd need adjustment, and it would be expensive. This let's me know that he has little knowledge of the history of this engine design in general or the fact that this particular engine has been used in Fords for Many years. The fact that Ford doesn't even list valve adjustment in its maintenance schedule.

Yeah in this case, since he is a Toyota tech. It's not off on all of it though, we all know the Maverick is a cheaply made vehicle. Toyota never listed solid lifers on maintenance schedules for their similar engines either, didn't mean they never needed adjusting.

 

[Darryl]

True, shim & bucket valve trains seldom show much wear over an engines lifespan. My post was more about valve clearances becoming less, not greater. The mechanical aspect of engine valve train noise will become quieter, not noisier, so it would be easy to ignore for the average person. The most change in valve clearances in a new engine will occur during the first few thousand miles. Funny you should mention the Supra, I have also rebuilt the M7 in my sons 87, it had 322,000 Km on it and needed a head gasket. On reassembly, only 2 shims out of 24 required replacement to put it back into spec.

When I replaced the head gasket on mine, I just put everything back where they were I don't think I even checked . My car didn't overheat. I just shut it off one night. And it was bellowing steam the next morning. So when I check for warpage, it was within spec. So I just installed a new gasket and went along my way.

 

[Darryl]

Yeah in this case, since he is a Toyota tech. It's not off on all of it though, we all know the Maverick is a cheaply made vehicle. Toyota never listed solid lifers on maintenance schedules for their similar engines either, didn't mean they never needed adjusting.

But they would go the life of the engine (typically 200,000 +) without being adjusted with no loss of performance and no excess noise. That's the evidence that adjustment wasn't needed . As for the Maverick being cheaply made, one of the reasons is able to be made cheaply is because it uses EXISTING, PROVEN components from other vehicles. The powertrain has been used in its present form since at least 2012. The 2.5 Atkinson cycle engine is a modified version of their bullet proof reliable 2 5 that they've been making for years which is an enlarged version of the 2 3 Co developed with Mazda that was used in the old ranger. None of them routinely needed valve clearance adjustment in routine operation. These engines would just run virtually Forever . The valve cover gasket would need to be replaced a couple of times. But no valve clearance adjustment would be needed. Again, the Maverick could' be sold cheaply because it's mechanicals were taken from the parts bin using mostly parts from already existing vehicles with different sheet metal. That way you could have a reliable vehicle without having to start from a clean sheet of paper. That saves a lot of R&d money. Remember, it is based on the 2020 escape platform. Again, with an engine that has been made in its present form since 2012 or 2013, they didn't have to spend R&D developing a new engine. The development costs have long been absorbed.

 

[icegradner]

But they would go the life of the engine (typically 200,000 +) without being adjusted with no loss of performance and no excess noise. That's the evidence that adjustment wasn't needed . As for the Maverick being cheaply made, one of the reasons is able to be made cheaply is because it uses EXISTING, PROVEN components from other vehicles. The powertrain has been used in its present form since at least 2012. The 2.5 Atkinson cycle engine is a modified version of their bullet proof reliable 2 5 that they've been making for years which is an enlarged version of the 2 3 Co developed with Mazda that was used in the old ranger. None of them routinely needed valve clearance adjustment in routine operation. These engines would just run virtually Forever . The valve cover gasket would need to be replaced a couple of times. But no valve clearance adjustment would be needed. Again, the Maverick could' be sold cheaply because it's mechanicals were taken from the parts bin using mostly parts from already existing vehicles with different sheet metal. That way you could have a reliable vehicle without having to start from a clean sheet of paper. That saves a lot of R&d money. Remember, it is based on the 2020 escape platform. Again, with an engine that has been made in its present form since 2012 or 2013, they didn't have to spend R&D developing a new engine. The development costs have long been absorbed.

All well know information for anyone here. Nothing is perfect, not sure why anyone is even upset up the lifters. Just the OP fretting over nothing.

 

[Between the Wheels]

I don’t know, maybe the OP was just trolling.

 

[Maverick123]

OMG it also has 13:1 compression ratio, just like a high-performance race engine! It must be a ticking time bomb!!!1!! AVOID!! SELL! SELL!

(Don't look up "Atkinson cycle" )

 

[Escapologist]

Remember, it is based on the 2020 escape platform. Again, with an engine that has been made in its present form since 2012 or 2013, they didn't have to spend R&D developing a new engine. The development costs have long been absorbed.

The platform is in roughly the same state of development as the last gen of the panther platform. Starting in 04 with the C1, there was then a divergence with the CD2 for the 1G/2G Escapes, and all that was folded back in and planned to be part of C2, so it's more like the Focus it launched on being overbuilt rather than a "focus platform" beefed up. The CD3 became Mazda's baby and went up somewhere between half and one size classes.

Anyway, 20 years of development in the hybrid drivetrain, 20 years of development in the platform, the basics are rock solid.

 

[HeyBales]

Yeah in this case, since he is a Toyota tech. It's not off on all of it though, we all know the Maverick is a cheaply made vehicle. Toyota never listed solid lifers on maintenance schedules for their similar engines either, didn't mean they never needed adjusting.

2005 Toyota RAV4 schedule lists for every 60K/72 month service for Engine Valve Clearance, which is by shims, which is actually decently easy to get to if replacement was needed - I checked 100k when bought & like 160K :

Now - if I had to replace, now an annoying trip to dealer, I'm guessing special order but maybe not, for the exact size I needed.
I always had hydraulic before this, so when I saw it every 60K, I thought for sure I'd have to do a shim change.
That 2AZ-FE engine used in many vehicles and years. Sounds like from experience they rarely needed a shim change.

ETA - ah the days of what the manual used to contain:

 

[icegradner]

2005 Toyota RAV4 schedule lists for every 60K/72 month service for Engine Valve Clearance, which is by shims, which is actually decently easy to get to if replacement was needed - I checked 100k when bought & like 160K :

Now - if I had to replace, now an annoying trip to dealer, I'm guessing special order but maybe not, for the exact size I needed.
I always had hydraulic before this, so when I saw it every 60K, I thought for sure I'd have to do a shim change.
That 2AZ-FE engine used in many vehicles and years. Sounds like from experience they rarely needed a shim change.

ETA - ah the days of what the manual used to contain:

Yeah I haven't owned a recent Toyota, mine were from 2008 and 2013, so I don't recall seeing that stuff. Never had issues, but at least they want people to know it should be addressed.

 

[KenE]

My 1977 Yamaha street bike had bucket shims. A non issue IMHO. Many possibilities exist in all things in life so choose your worries, or battles, as you see fit and move on.

I'm almost 79 years old, still riding motorcycles, and fondly recall the bucket shims on my 1984 or 1997 Goldwing, with 50k miles. Ordered assortment of shims to do my 1st 'shim' replacement. Used maybe one shim for a .001" change. Frequent, timely oil & filter changes on your Mav 2.5 Atkinson, no problem with valve adjustment IMHO.

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