P1354 Code Help Please

[Croc]

Hello everybody, I am new here, but have seen there is a lot of knowledge on this site. I have a question and need some help or advise. I have a 99 RX300, 125,000 miles, 3.0 2WD. It is showing a code of 1354 and just recently the brakes are now giving me trouble. I have been trying to clean out the OCV's and that actually cleared the code. While i went for a test ride, everything went back to the way it used to be, normal. Went for about 30 miles or so, went back out to town and about 10 miles or so the CEL went off. Everything was like normal until I wnet to apply the brakes and then I noticed the pedal was hard. Got to the house and pulled the codes and got the same 1354 again. Nothing for the brakes though. They would stop like normal and then the pedal would get real hard like manual brakes. Is there anybody here that could advise/help me with this? Also I never noticed a difference in my timing until I stoped at the house and I could tell the timing was off. The truck had a surging effect in Park and the RPM's was around 700. I cut the truck off and back on the RPM's were around 1000 and not surging like before but still had the 1354 code. Would it be alright to drive like normal since the only time it is acting up is at a stop but not while under a load or will I tear something else up? Thank you in advance for any help and advice from anybody out there who can help me.

[lenore]

The code 1354 is probably the VVTI timing off. My neigbor experienced this with a sludged engine. The cam VVTI gear assembly was damaged, and he ended up rebuilding the engine, however the code came back, and we deteremined that the cam shaft gear that varies the timing was bad. We tried to clean it, we took it apart but there are no serviceable parts. Replaced the timing gear (vvti) and problem was fixed. I hope you are not using oil, or have signs of blue smoke. I would pull the valve cover and see if you have sludge....if so pull the oil pan and see if the oil pickup tube is clogged. Good luck Unfortunately your warranty expired.... 8years 120days on sludged engines....

here is a picture of the sludged engine under the valve cover after scrapping out a coffee can worth of gunk...