andykrow

Hey all,

After a brief foray into an FJ60 and the ih8mud forum (awesome group btw) I decided carbs and 2f engines are not for me. Sold the 85 FJ and picked up a nice 95 4runner with 200k and a 22re (not easy to find those without a v6!)

It's a nice truck, and I got a great price because it seems to be making a timing chain noise. It makes the "rattle" at cold startup, and then at 2k and up when you let off the gas, or just "cruise" at rpm up there. Seems to change with RPMs although it's subtle. PO said it had done this since he bought the truck two years ago and had not gotten any worse over time.

So this is sounding like two previous 22re's I've had that needed the timing chain done. I popped the valve cover off to see what it looks like and I was surprised to see the guides completely intact and fairly new looking.

For some reason I had thought that the timing chain rattle happened once the guides were toast. Am I wrong about this? Could this noise be something else? Exhaust shields seem to be tight. Is it safe to lightly drive as long as I have the guides intact? I have no problem doing the chain and might just do the chain/oil/water pumps just to know they're fresh.

PO had been running 5w-30 and this seems a bit light for a high mileage 22. Is it possible 5w-40 might quiet this down?

Thanks in advance!

-Andy

svdude

iTrader: (3)

I have always been a 10w30 or a 10w40 fan.

Have you checked your valves? It's possible you're getting some valve noise. When it's cold you're not getting as much oil to your valves.

andykrow

Haven't done the valves yet. Wouldn't valve noise happen all the time? Maybe I haven't experienced a truly loud 22re valvetrain but none of the other 22re's I've had made this sound. They were always more of a ticking sewing machine kind of noise but this is deeper.

I'm a big fan of Rotella T6 so I'll be putting that in this weekend. I'm noticing too that I hear the noise on startup but then it doesn't really come back until the truck is warmed up. Makes me think a thicker oil could help...

svdude

iTrader: (3)

It's possible. I'm just learning about these motors so I'm no brainiac on them. I just learn by reading these forums and reading random things in the FSM to try and better understand how these motors work.

If the motor has that many miles on it and you haven't done the valves yet, then it would be a giid idea to do it.

Also, if your guides look good, I would think that the chain can still make noise if the hydraulic tensioner is going bad.

andykrow

Well the timing chain is tight as can be. I shut her down and pulled the valve cover right quick, could barely budge the chain on the driver or passenger side. So it's safe to say the chain is good. Looks like an aftermarket cam gear too so it was probably changed somewhere in the engine's life.

So anyone got more ideas on the noise? It happens at startup, when floating the throttle, and when letting off the gas to shift. No noise at all when its under load. It's quiet enough I can't really hear it with the windows up, and def not with the stereo on.

The ol' stethoscope tells me it's coming from the block. But it seems higher pitched than other bearing noises I've heard out of 22re's.

Fingers are crossed that this is piston slap... We'll see what happens when I climb I70 in 3rd gear / 4.5k rpms. Hopefully she doesn't explode!

Inferno451

I'm no help, but mine does EXACTLY the same thing. I just started a thread about my 22re power loss with a list of things i've done, so you can cross those off your list. Does yours hit a brick wall in terms of power under load around 4500 rpm?

jeetS

Thought I'd pitch in here.

I have a fresh rebuilt (10k miles) 22rte. The rebuild was about 5 years ago tho so a month after I got the truck (jan 2011) the headgasket popped. The po didn't change the coolant and it was eating the head. I replaced the headgasket and installed metal chain guides and a new Toyota tensioner.

I have the same issue as you. Rattle at startup(check valve in filter is good) and if I'm in a drivethrough or something like that and the rpms are dropping from 2500 it rattles loud...

Getting super frustrated

1800's kinda guy

i think it may only be on the carborated because of the fuel pump on the side of the head, but i had a guys do that one time, frustrated me for a month. finally i realised that the chain was tight, but if i grabbed the top gear and wiggled it front to back it had play in it. whoever had done the chain last forgot to put on of the spacers on before he bolted the top timing gear down.
if that does happen to be it, take it to a mechanic though. because if you are changing it and the chain comes loose just a little bit down below, you will throw the timing off a tooth.

andykrow

Interesting... I'm going to check that gear as soon as it warms up out here.

Pretty sure this is in the block though.

Oh well I'm going to start saving for a new motor and just drive this till it dies. Its been to Utah twice which involves so major high altitude pass climbing,and the noise hasn't changed at all. Inferno I'd say this truck is a little weaker than other 22's I've had, but it is a heavier 2nd gen with stock gears on 31s, so its hard to tell. I don't feel a brick wall towards 4.5k but I rarely rev that high, and this motor is pretty noisy up there. I don't want to push it too hard...