I got a call yesterday from Toyota Corp. and was told this will take 2-3 weeks because the shims were out of stock? I was also told that when all this is done, all I have to do is take a photo of my monthly bill and send it back and they will cut me a check. So there's some good news there, I guess.

Valve clearance or lash will usually tighten up during break in period as the valves and seats get used to each other. They are usually shimmed to accommodate this. They must have really been tight in order to trigger a cel imo. Nothing that proper use of a feeler gauge can't fix though.

After 6 full weeks of waiting, I finally got my car back. I'll post the full details tomorrow if anyone cares to read about it. I'm too tired to do that tonight.

The car did come back with two scratches, though. Luckily, both are on replaceable parts and not on the body. Toyota will replace the mirror cap on the passenger side and the bumper grill. Other than that, the car came back whole and looking good. It just needs a car wash. The advisor also told me that they didn't clear the codes. They drove it for 10 miles, which I can confirm on the odo, and that the codes (CEL) went away on their own. I guess that's good news. Unfortunately, only time will tell if the repair was done well and if the engine was put back properly. I don't know who the mechanic was so I can't say if he was thorough. Like I said, only time will tell. For now, I'll just enjoy my car.