Timo

I recently replaced the 22re in my 4runner with a 100,000 mile used motor from a friend. With the help of another friend, we pulled the motor apart, replaced the gaskets, replaced the timing chain, oil pump, and made sure everything was in good shape.

The problem I'm having is a clicking/clatter noise coming from the motor. I thought it was the valves so I re-adjusted them, but it did not help. Sounds like it is the timing chain the more I think about it. The noise seems to get louder as the engine warms up. Oil pressure seems fine and engine runs good. Is there any reason why a new timing set would clatter like this??

swampfox

check and see if the chain tensioner is pumping up, it may not be getting oil into it.

Trainwreckinseattle

How does one check to see if the tensioner is pumping up? While I agree with your speculaiton here I see no way to verify this easily.

I have heard of cheep tensioners having problems that's why I use oem tensioners always.

There are soooooo many things that could have gone wrong here it's very hard to even begin to wonder. The OP will simply have to start somewhere and start diagnosing and checking things off.

I've seen wrenches left in the valve cover, I pulled apart a front cover once and found someone forgot to tighten the bolts for the tensioner (it fell out when I took off the cover), I've seen people use early 22R chains, I've seen people use a pry bar to hold the upper sprocket while tightening bolts which cracks the sprocket.

swampfox

you can use a piece of hose as a listening device and listen to the timing chain area, while it is running. i stand corrected, i had forgotten about the tensioner having pressure on it when installing the upper gear. and yes it would be difficult to check.

conrad

The torque specs for the tensioner are pretty low - if you really crank down on them the oil powered tensioner wont always work right.

Similar for over torquing the valve cover nuts. It can cause excessive noise from the rocker arms.

Did you replace the tensioner and the chain guides?

Just a couple ideas, a mechanics stethoscope is your best friend here. Good luck.

Trainwreckinseattle

IS this a quess? or have you actually had an experience with this where you traced a problem back to this exact cause?

I'd really like to know. I'm big on using a torque wrench for EVERYTHING but for some reason I don't here. LOL

I've also never really tested (depressed the plunger) it's function before installing the chain. I've always simply trusted the OE part and installed it.

Is this one more thing I should be testing and verifying function before final assembly with chain?

conrad

Well, I can't say for a fact that it's what is causing your problem. But yes, I have seen a tensioner fail in a 22RE because the installer torqued the hell out of it. When we removed it it was visibly warped, causing oil to leak past the piston arm that extends the rubber guide. As a result, the tensioner would either not extend all the way or had too much give under pressure.

Trainwreckinseattle

Wow that's way over torque. I use a 3/8s ratchet and probably do them to 20 lbs. Torque is what? 9 foot pounds for a 12mm bolt?

conrad

Yes, it was way way overtorqued. I think it is around 9 ft/lbs, you'd have to check the FSM. But keep in mind that the housing for the tensioner is not very thick so a small tolerance difference can turn into a big one with repeated heating and cooling.

Also, since you replaced the pump, are you getting good oil pressure? Did you prime the oil pump? Just another guess...

Before you get convinced of anything I'd really put a stethoscope to it so you can pinpoint the noise.

Trainwreckinseattle

I'm not the OP and have never (knock on wood) had a problem with t-chain noise. But I think I will add those bolts to the bolts I use a torque wrench on.

conrad

Oops, thought you were the OP, hahaha. Oh well, hopefully he reads it all.

But yeah, add them to the 'must torque' list. The timing chain or tensioner is definitely not something you want to do twice in a short period of time!

Timo

Yes, the chain, guides, tensioner, oil pump were all replaced.

The oil pressure seems good.

I have a stethoscope, so I'll check using it first.

I have a feeling the tensioner was likely over-torqued. I'll have to have to check it with another when I get a chance.

Thanks for the replies,
-Tim

thralldad

I just went through this (see my thread). If it's rattling I'd guess that either the tensioner bolts or the bolt that goes through the center of the water pump may be overtight. That's what caused my T chain failure. If the guide bolts are loose the bolts will back out and the chain will hit them. Either way it if properly installed it should be fairly quiet. My .02!!

Timo

the noise does not come and go, but is constantly there, and it does tend to get louder when the engine warms up. It sounds like a small diesel engine when the hood is open, although probably not quite as loud.

Timo

so I take back what I said earlier. There is definitely an intermittent clatter, along with some other constant valve train or timing chain noise. I'm not sure if it's really loud enough to be worried about it, but this 22re certainly makes more noise than the one that was in it a few months ago.

thralldad

Do yourself a favor and pull the front cover. That noise will get very expen$ive $oon!

Timo

Problem solved. Turns out that the new hydraulic tensioner was defective. Put the old one back in and it works fine. Now I need to fix the oil leak where the front cover meets the head gasket.

Thanks for the help everyone.

-Tim

thook

Just as a matter of curiosity, I thought the 22re tensioner was spring loaded. IOW, I know it is on my '86. Was there a change at some point through the later years? As I recall from an engnbldr post, the tensioner relies mainly on the spring to tension the chain with the oil pressure only acting as a sort of buffer. Ted used a different word than buffer, but I don't recall the thread and when I read it. I bet I could find it, though....

Timo

Both tensioners seemed to have the same spring pressure. The new one (deffective I guess) seemed to bind. Whatever the reason, it works properly now.

thralldad

I'm glad that you got it fixed.