Yes, but a royal PITA, especially if AWD (I've done it on both my sold-FWD and AWD 4.1s).

However, also a PITA, but you can get to the EGR VSV without doing so. Search on here for my and others' posts on such. IIARC, I removed the throttle body as well as the battery to approach it from both sides, but I don't recall which side worked better.

 

Right side if in the seats or on the usa version passenger side

I pretreated the junk on the block and engine for a couple of days with diesel with a blow gun just to get the caked on junk off to make an super clean engine to work on
Less chance of trash getting inside the engine when doing the teardown

Also led stick style work lights helped so you could see better

Remove the battery
Remove the battery tray this is a perfect time to clean the tray and treat the battery tray area as well for rust and corrosion
Jack up the front a bit and use Jack stands
Remove both wheels
Remove the passenger side wheel liner
I used cement blocks to stand on
When needed to get high enough
To reach back in for the vsv

Just remember every bolt is metric
I used the nano sockets and gear wrench setup

And all impact rated extensions and swivels you can use black electrical tape to limit the swivel action as you are built out maybe 2-3 feet with extensions so you can get a 1/2 inch drive breaker bar on the end to help break loose the vsv bolt into the rear side of the block
Mine was stupid tight
lol I thought I had snapped off the bolt!
😂
Oh yea now is the time to go all new silicone vacuum lines as well if you have not done that mod yet!

I used the gear oil rtv for sealer and green can brake clean to get all of the surfaces oil free after removing the valve cover

See my new pages on the rav4 4.1 repairs
There are handy tools listed to help work on these

 

Thanks for these detailed tips. As my inlet manifold seems to be leaking I wish to replace that gasket as well. Can the manifold be romoved from its studs without having to move the engine away from the firewall?

 

Yes, but not if you have ham-hands, etc. Much harder if AWD. I remember having to access some fasteners and connections underneath the manifold from under the right-front of the car.

 

Is leakage of the intake manifold common?

 

No. Unless was reinstalled by a novice.