BajaRunner

When I start my engine up in the morning, (when its the engine is cold) I hear a "click, click, click" noise coming from the left side of the engine. It's not the valve click, it sounds more like an exhaust leak.

Once the engine is warm, it stops.

I'm thinking that once the egine warms up and expands, the manifold doesn't leak.

Im wondering if anyone else has had this problem? My old 4runner had this problem.

How would I acess the drivers side manifold bolts? It looks cramped as hell.

rimpainter.com

Generally speaking, there will be a loss of performance associated with an exhaust manifold leak. Ex manifold leaks are actually pretty rare on this motor unless it was messed with or work was done on it. I also have "noise" from that side of the engine, but it doesn't get quieter with temp. I think it's just a noisy valve or something.

Yes, the nuts are a real pain to get to. The gasket is triple-layered and metal. So, make darn sure that's what it is before you tear into it. It took me about 2 hours to get that side off when I put my headers on.

User 051420

*subscribes*
Both of my 97's have done the same thing...very cheap domestic-esque noise.

rimpainter.com

Yeah, like under mid to full acceleration next to a concrete barrier, I hear a somewhat "un-tuned" (distant sputtering) sound from the engine. It doesn't sound "clean" like say, a 350Z (VQ) or newer VW (VR6) engine. Hard to explain, but that's what I hear.

Same with you?

User 051420

Exactly! I only hear it when driving up against something..fence, barrier, inside garage..anything..it's fairly loud.
My roomie's 97 3.4 doesn't make this sound at all @ 130k miles (I'm at 151k).

You replaced your cat and muffler along with the headers, right?

midiwall

{insert nodding here}

rimpainter.com

No, I replaced the muffler with a glasspack, then put on the headers; no cat mods. I'll admit, I could hear it more after the headers were put in . I think it has to do with the relatively thin tubular headers in comparison to the thick, solid cast iron stock manifolds. Meaning, what was already there simply got louder when I put the headers on.
But yeah, next to fences, other cars, walls...anything that "reflects" sound from the side will pretty much do it. Of course, it all gets drowned out by my obnoxious exhaust roar at WOT quickly followed by a supercharger whine under boost.

It does bug me though. None of the other 5VZFE's I have owned have done this; my 98 Taco, 96 4R, 00 4R, 97 4R...none.

BajaRunner

Yeah, you guys are correct. Its that same kind of tapping noise like a valve or something, especially when Im driving near a barrier of some sort and the noise is reflected back.

I was hoping it was an exhaust leak only because I would hope to gain some more performance when fixing it.. hah.

Well, Im glad it doesn't sound like something is wrong with the engine.

mt_goat

I just got a Napa stethoscope ($12) to try and find a clicking noise on my 5VZFE. A Toyota mechanic friend of mine though it was coming from the alternator or fan housing. I also have a clicking coming from the charcoal canister. This engine only has 27,000 miles but was has been in a frontal crash that pushed the radator into the fan and spilled battery acid on the alternator.

midiwall

and... you're gonna let us know what you find out, right?


That wheezing is "normal" in the sense that they all do it. You can get (buy?) a replacement from Toyota which is an updated design that doesn't wheeze. Personally, I just see it as "life" in my ride.

It comes from the pressure in the gas tank escaping through the vent tube which is what is feeding the canister. If it drives you nuts, loosen the gas cap for a second after you turn off the engine. That'll equalize the pressure in the tank to the outside air and ... the wheezing will stop.

mt_goat

Yeah, I haven't done it yet.


Thanks, I heard it was common with the older models but I didn't know what the cause was.

arjan

Mine also makes a exhaust leak like sound when it's cold. I had it checked at an exhaust shop, and they couldn't find anything.
It has done it for quite a while now, no loss in performance though.

marko3xl3

Does it sound like this?

http://www.marko3xl3.com/sounds/engine_tick_1.wav

http://www.marko3xl3.com/sounds/engine_tick_2.wav

User 051420

No. My noise is strictly under load, louder when cold..for instance, sitting in 'D' while on the brake. I can also hear it when accelerating in town. It's a raspy ticking noise with volume and pitch proportional to throttle position/RPM.

This also reminds me of the smoke I had *under* the hood while doing my seafoam treatments, and leads me to believe that it's some sort of a leak.

BajaRunner

No, mine is not that loud or pronounced....

midiwall

Good call - this is a great indicator. I get the same thing from mine when I Seafoam - and yeah, I have a confirmed leak.

BajaRunner

Maybe I should use some seafoam and look to see if there's any smoke from t he hood.

midiwall

Not a bad idea... YOu'd get clean and find a potential leak at the same time.

Roadtripr

I have almost knocking or rattling sound under load at in 4th or 5th gear when around 1700-2000 rpm. To me it almost sounds like when my old Nissan overheated, but the temp seems fine.

ricky

I know this is going to sound really stupid, but a friend of mine with a 97 V6 tacoma had the same problem... he found out it was because one of his spark plugs was loose... No more noise.