Hi, Im a noob and I need some help with my 22re. Any advice would be appreciated. Here's the story.

I picked up an 85 4runner with 81k original that had been sitting for at least 10 years for no apparent reason. I had to replace the fuel pump and battery and it started right up. It ran great, incredibly quiet and smooth. Got it home and figured she needed some oil from this decade. I have done many oil changes and I am quite sure I did everything correct. There was plenty of oil in it when I started up but something stuck. I believe it was a valve. It ran but with a loud solid tapping from the top end. I got some advice and was told that my options were to pull the head and see what was going on or just drive it and see if it loosens up. I drove it for a while and it seemed to be getting better, but I started to develop some chatter. Took it out on a long wheeling trip and the valve loosened up on the highway. Just had chatter after that and it had a little miss. Got the valves proffesionaly adjusted and chatter is gone and truck runs smooth but have a loud tap from the bottom of the valve cover on the intake side. The truck runs very well now but the tapping is very loud. I have put about 5K on the truck since the problem started. Bent valve? If so what are my options?

 

Where can I find a guide on head removal? Could I buy a reman head with valves and cam already installed like the ones on ebay or would it be better to remove mine and take it to a shop?
And just to be sure, how can I rule out injectors. I have heard they can be quite noisy. Cause with a bent valve the truck would probably run bad right? Like I said mine runs smooth but noisy. BTW sorry im such a noob and have no idea what I am doing or talking about.

 

Before you rip the entire engine apart, do a complete tune-up using genuine Toyota parts. Plugs, cap, rotor, fuel filter, vacuum lines, air filter, and PCV valve. It would be a good idea to replace the coolant and thermostat. Check timing (remember to short out the te1 connector).

If you are still having a miss after these parts have been replaced, it may be clogged injectors from sitting for a decade.

By the way, what oil and weight did you use? I have a feeling it's something too thin.

 

I have already changed the plugs, cap, rotor, plug wires, fuel filter, checked vacuum lines with carb spray, air filter, pcv valve. After that I still had a miss and so much chatter and tapping I couldn't tell what was going on. I took it to a shop and had the timing checked and the valves adjusted. After all of that the truck runs well with no miss but still has a very distinguished tapping sound coming from the intake side of the valve cover on the bottom (by the injectors i think). It seems pretty loud to be the injectors. And after driving a bit it seems like the chatter is coming back a little which leads me to believe i have a valve slightly bent. Is that a correct assumption? I have changed the oil a couple of times. I have been running 10w30, should I try something like 15w40? Thanx alot

 

Here's my advice:

Find a friend who has a properly-functioning 22re. Or if you don't have one, look one up that's close on autotrader or whatever. Listen to it and see if it sounds the same. The injector noise is certainly characteristic, and it could even be possible that you have a slightly loose wrist pin. But if that was the case, you would hear it at idle and then it would be quiet once the oil pressure comes up (this happens in my engine, not a big deal).

I guess I also wonder, if it's a bent valve, *how* did it bend? I don't think valves just 'get bent' like people do

And if you do feel like it's a problem with the head you can buy a very good, better-than-factory replacement from Ted http://www.engnbldr.com/toyota_heads.htm

 

The funny thing is the truck sat for 10 years. I am certain that it hadn't been touched. I personally installed the fuel pump and battery and started it for the first time. It ran flawlessly!. I also used to own an 84 4runner with a 22r. That was a very quiet truck and had high miles. This one was every bit as quiet, for a while. Then something stuck and I have been having all sorts of top end noises. I think injectors is just wishful thinking cause its pretty loud. Can rule out the injectors somehow? Even if I could drive it the way it is and not have any problems, I got this truck because it needed a good home and I love toyotas. I would love to buy a good cam and whatever it needs and make it run like it should or better. I am just having trouble diagnosing and getting a gameplan.

 

I was just searching around YT some more and found a thread that mentioned worn valve adjusters. Could this likely be the issue because I did drive with valve tap and chatter for a long time before whatever it was loosened up and could be adjusted? The chatter was there and the tap wasn't to bad but the truck ran awful, then the valves were adjusted and the truck runs great but has a loud solid tap. Crazy huh? I am thinking about just driving the heck out of it till something happens but I would hate to grenade such a low mileage motor.

 

Noisy valves are a common characteristic manner on these engines. They shouldn't be horrendous, but a little light tapping is normal.

Your problem could be worn adjuster(s), but I kind of doubt it at that mileage. I replaced mine at 166,000 and they showed virtually no wear.

However, what is commonly overlooked and carried out it over tightening the valve cover. Not only do the rocker arms begin hitting the valve cover, but the valve cover studs are one with the valve train and over tightening the bolts cause the entire valve train to lift up, increasing valve clearances across the board. With the engine at idle, back the 4 valve cover nuts out and listen for any reduction in noise.

 

I have tried backing off the 4 valve cover nuts while the motor is running and have done so until I have heard air rushing and have had no reduction in noise. I don't believe it is a bent valve because I just got home from wine tasting class(I'm wasted) and pushed the truck pretty hard on the interstate into a 40 mph headwind and it ran fine(other that the noise at lower rpm). Is it possible that something sticking in the valve train for an extended period of time caused the adjusters to wear out prematurely?

 

I'd suspect adjusters myself. A quick and accurate test would be to do a compression test. If you have a bent valve it will show up there.
i Saw a good procedure on adjusting valves somewhere around here.

 

I wonder if the "professional" who adjusted your valves did it while the engine was cold. Once you have ran the truck for at least 15 mins pull the valve cover and check the valve clearances. The intake should have .008" clearance and the exhaust should have .012" clearance after it is at normal operating temp. Maybe your intake valves are too loose and are causing noise. Good luck!

 

Thanx alot everyone for the info and suggestions. Hopefully I will get it figured out. What about the possibility of a lifter problem? I am just going to drive it like it is for now and see what happens. I got so much crap to fix on this truck it will be worth it though and some day it will run as well as the 4runner I just sold

 

Still having very loud tap. I replaced the valve cover gasket and grommets. I am at my wits end. Anyone in the quad cities area who wants to give it a listen? PM me if y'ou'ant

 

Have you checked the timing chain guides?

 

maybe run some seafoam through the oil for a few hundred miles. Might try some in the tank to clean the injectors as well.

 

It wouldn't be a bent valve, it wouldn't run right if it was bent.
Injector noises are little tiny clicks, not big 'taps' or 'clacks'. I would get my hands on a cheap auto-stethoscope and probe. More than likely its a sloppy rocker or mis-adjusted valve. Hopefully all the oil passages to the top end are clear and flowing well.
Getting the valves adjusted correctly can be tricky. Engine has to be hot of course, and you should re-check them after you think they're right.
80k miles is too young for ANY mechanical problems in that engine LOL. If you do pull the cover again, get a strong flashlite and look down at the timing chain and look at the guides to make sure theyre intact.
Mine has 208,000, and makes quite a few interesting mechanical noises as it warms up...
Sounds like you got a real 'find' there... I'm jealous. :-)

 

I thought it was a real find too. At first. Now I am having quite a few issues. I adjusted the valves myself and had a mechanic do it. The timing has also been checked. After the valves were adjusted it just had the loud solid tap and all of the noises from before were gone. After driving it a while (a few days) with the loud tap the valves are kinda getting noisy again(chatter)like they are out of adjustment again. I think it is way to loud to be injector. Definitly metallic noise(s). I am starting to lean towards two different possibilities.

1. Worn valve adjuster(s) due to something sticking for a while that eventually loosened up.
2. Blocked oil passage due to the truck sitting for 10 years, maybe when I changed the oil for the first time some sludge broke loose

How would I diagnose/fix these problems or anyone have any other ideas what it could be? thanx

 

check your timing chain and guides.if your chain is loose i would change it. the yota has been sitting for 10 years right? change all that timing chain ,guides, oil pump and waterpump .its easy to do if you take your time and read all your info on it.i would definately change it your oil pump affects your timing chain tensioner.and you have to take all that stuff off any way to change your timing chain.

 

Still haven't fixed the problem. Got some other projects going on with my truck right now and it's not driveable. When I can drive it I am going to run some seafoam for a while and change the oil. I had my cousin(certified mechanic) listen to it and he said it was lifter noise. If its overhead cam, where are the lifters, what do they look like, and how can I check them? Sorry, I don't know much about working on the top end of a motor.

 

I agree with check the Timing chain. My driver side guide broke into a bunch of little pieces and it started this tappity tap noise that I couldn't pin point.

Pull the valve cover and look down into the chain section and see if the guides have broken off. They should both have 2 bolts each and should extend about 8 inches down from the bottom of the head. Also, if the guides have broken, you can see a rash in the aluminum head from the chain.

Be careful about driving it if the TC guides have broken, you can wear the head until coolant is allowed to flow into the oil chamber, then your entire engine is as good as toast.. warm buttery toast.