Old Red 94

Hi everyone,

Let me start of by saying hello! This is my first actual post here, even though I have been using this site for a while. I am hoping to get some insight into my engine issue, and hopefully find a way to live with it. So....

First off, a little background about the truck. I have a 1994 4x4 with a 22RE. This truck is awesome! I have had no problems ever with it in the 4 years that I have owned it. I am currently in college, and it is my daily driver. I originally bought after it had been damaged after sliding into a guard rail after a bad snow storm. There was a lot of ice. I bought it off of the previous owner, who I knew took extremely good care of it. Always had it serviced at Toyota, OEM everything. Long story short, It needed mostly body work, and a paint job to get it back to good condition. Interior is pristine, and it originally had 185,000 miles on the original motor.

4 years later I just reached 206,000 and the original motor is still in great shape, pulls well, doesn't burn oil, etc. Still running the original clutch as well, and it hasn't slipped ever. However, as soon as the weather turns decent enough I plan on replacing it, because preventative maintenance is better than repairs. I just fixed an exhaust leak on the manifold because the gasket had some blow by on the #4 cylinder exhaust port.

Now, to the current issue. I have a ticking noise coming from the back top end of the 22RE, and cannot seem to get rid of it. I know it is not coming from the bottom end because I have used the good old mechanics stethoscope method, and have isolated it to the top rear. I have eliminated the following as issues

Rod Knock
Timing Chain (replaced at 180,000 by P.O. and inspected by me)
Injector Noise
Exhaust Leak (fixed already)
Valves out of adjustment (I adjusted them hot at Factory specs)


The ticking is noticeable in the cab when driving, and the truck sounds like a diesel when idling in the driveway. It increases with engine rpm, and It is coming from the top end. I have inspected the cam, and everything looks to be ok. I am at a loss for what is causing this ticking noise, and if it is something I can fix, or do I just have to live with it? My apologies for the long essay.

the_supernerd

Over-tightening the valve cover bolts will cause a loud valve ticking noise. If you have isolated it to the head and the rear of the engine with a mechanics stethoscope, it could be a worn tappet, rocker arm, valve or valve guide. If the valves are adjusted too loose it will sound exactly like a diesel (learned that when I was learning to use feeler gauges ). Some people adjust their valves to .007/.011, or even .006/.010 to quiet them. I had a machinist tell me that is a sign of worn valves as they are slamming against the seat which is making the noise. By tightening them you are giving them more of a cushion so the noise is quieter. It does not sound like a diesel, though.

By the way, wait until your clutch is worn before you replace it. I had a mechanic tell me 75k ago that my clutch was shot (which I already suspected at the time). It eventually started slipping, but I was easy on it and it still works. Unless you drive it hard and burn it up suddenly, it will let you know when it needs to be replaced.

Old Red 94

I will try .006/.010 as clearance. I also eliminated the valve cover bolts, as I always finger get them finger tight, then go ¼ to ½ turn more. It makes sense that it might be a worn valve, and if so, I will just have to live with it until the weather is nicer and I have time to pull the head, and maybe do a rebuild.

Odin

You sure about the .006/.010. This is the first I've read about it. I don't think I'd go that far. Guess I should do a search...

bswarm

If you have the valve lash adjusted to specs and it's still noisy it has other problems. Possibilities are: worn rockers or rocker shaft, worn valve keeper grooves (on the valves), worn keepers, worn valve guides, aftermarket performance cam which has different lash specs, etc.

Badger62811

Just do what I did for my last truck and mask it by running 20w 50 oil.... valve chatter disappeared. (Kidding)

bswarm

I knew a guy that put 90w gear oil in his worn out 350 chevy, followed him home in a smoke screen.

Old Red 94

The cam is the original OEM, and not aftermarket. I inspected both the cam, rockers, and rocker shafts, and all looked to be in good working order and ok, but the valves may be the culprit. The engine drives fine, and it has done so since I got the truck. It has made this clicking noise for the past couple years without any bad effects on the engine or drivability, so it isn't an urgent issue.

When I was at .008/.012 it sounded awful, I did go ahead and adjust to .006/.010, and it quieted it down, but it is still faintly there. I guess I will just have to live with it for now. Will I do any serious damage to my valves? I may just rebuild the entire engine this summer if I pull the head and find out the valves are the issue, because once the head is off, and I redo all of that, I might as well go big or go home and do the bottom end.

the_supernerd

.006/.010 is definitely tighter than spec, but if your valves/valve train is messed up anyway then you will eventually have to take it apart and rebuild it. The valves (mainly exhaust) tend to get tighter as they wear, so you will need to make sure to check the valve lash more frequently at those clearances so you do not burn a valve. The fact that .006/.010 made it significantly quieter indicates there is some wear somewhere, so it will be up to you whether to tear into it and fix whatever is wrong so .008/.012 will be fine, or just run it tight until the bitter end.

Your truck sounds exactly like my '88 2wd truck. It makes a different than normal valve tick that is mostly quieted by adjusting to .006/.010, but is still there. It runs well now, but I do not really care much if it burns a valve because I will eventually rebuild it anyway since it has 265k on it and has some other issues.

Old Red 94

I think a rebuild may be in my future. The rest of the truck is in superb shape, so its time to dig into the engine and give her some love.