Hawkfanatic

My truck(94 4x4 22re) has always been noisy since I got it in 2000 with 39K on it. It was a bone stock virgin as far as I could tell. I chaulked it up to the usual Toyota tick. It now has 116k on it, and after the headgasket was replaced(and my radio died), I have noticed alot more ticking, with one especially loud tick. There are at least 3-4 different ticks I can hear.
So what specific parts cause a tick besides the valves and injectors?
I have adjusted the valves with no change. Timing is good.
I just dont know...
Any help would be appreciated, especially if you are in the Cinci area and want to take a listen.

thanks

Flash319

The only tick you should here are the injectors at idle. You will here the valves a bit when reved up. Other ticks like when the truck is first started are usually due to the timing chain tensioner or a slight lean or advanced condition under load causing a bit of spark knock. The tensioners suck in design but there is nothing you can do about it. Do a search and you will find lots of answers. If it sounds like a diesel change the timing chain and tensioner right away as you are very close to buy buy engine.

thook

Hopefully the timing chain was replaced when the HG was done. If not, I'd take a good look at it. 116k is a lot of miles for an original chain. "Could" be eating the guides up or hitting the cover already.

Hawkfanatic

Yeah I forgot to mention the chain was done at 60k. When it started to go, it was all the noise on start up that gave it away. It does sound like a diesel tho... Hope I dont have to put another chain on it. The guides looked fine when I adjusted the valves last weekend...

Flash319

The diesel sound is definatly the chain tensioner is no good.

jason191918

Get a big screwdriver and put one end on where you think the noise is coming from and put the other end to your ear (I'd put the pointy side away from your ear). You can hear exactly what is going on in there and figure out your problem.

Flash319

"Get a big screwdriver and put one end on where you think the noise is coming from and put the other end to your ear (I'd put the pointy side away from your ear). You can hear exactly what is going on in there and figure out your problem."

Your funny.....

jason191918

have you ever tried it?

Flash319

Ya I have, big time joke. I guess maybe on small block chev you could maybe hear a collapsed lifter but you could hear that without it and I bet a bent push rod sounds the same.......... The sound inside a 22RE echo's everywhere that is why people always say that there valves are noisy when their chain is about to break. It must be the aluminum.
There are always better ways to test for a failure condition then jamming a screw driver in your ear.
Not knocking your method (well sort of) but if it works for you go nuts. Maybe you know what to listen for but most people will hear a lot of normal noises of an internal combustion engine. And the 22RE has A LOT of normal noises.

jason191918

I meant you can tell the difference between top end noise and an injector noise, for instance.

Prophet_MX

My truck started making a ticking sound a few weeks ago. Before you panic and start pulling apart the engine, you should check your header! I have an small exhaust leak right at the manifold from the bolts coming loose! I grabbed the locktite and wrench and problem solved!

kountry_boi

I have now got ticking sound only when I push the gas. I just recently change the spark plugs and I think it's either that or my fuel injectors because i threw in that injector cleaner.

thook

The screwdriver trick works pretty well, actually. You can tell, for instance, if valve or lifter is noisier towards the front or the back of the motor. I used a screwdriver when I was troubleshooting my valves and adjusting them confirmed #4 was a tad too tight.

Anyway....
I believe Toyota recommends a change every 70 or 80k miles. I don't remember exactly right now, but a good one will go well beyond that. So, I wouldn't suspect the timing chain directly at this point. There things that can create valve train noise besides the chain. It could be oil pressure, maybe your oil/filter needs changing, or maybe (given your latest post) you're running a bit lean. Fuel filter? How about PCV valve? Any blow by.....indicating bottom end issues? I do know that sometimes when a top end is rebuilt it creates stronger vacuum thereby exaggerating ring issues. Your oil quality will tell you that. As in, if it seems to get dirty quicker than normal.

Schiznit....I don't know. Those are things I'd look at.....even if some seem improbable. All of these things I have found to effect motor noise. I just put in a new TPS, reset my timing, changed oil and filter (all on top of other things done recently) and my motor has gotten real quiet. Almost 220k miles....

thook

Read......https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...louder-129843/

???? Possibly ????

Flash319

"You can hear exactly what is going on in there and figure out your problem."
This is the statement that triggered the response from me. This little trick can help I guess for that but I know what injectors sound like so not a problem.

As for the tick, If you let it idle and the noise is not there, then just add a very little bit of throttle and you get the rattle, and it gets intermittent throught the RPM range then I would be almost 100% sure that you tensioner is failing. I have gone through extensive troubleshooting on this subject after installing a new chain and tensioner to find that the new tensioner was bad. (Ted sent me a new one right away, no charge, buy from him)

Hawkfanatic

Thook- That was the same thought process as I had initially...
Oil and filter we changed with the HG 2k ago, fuel filter has about 40k on it, but I might replace it for cheap insurance, PCV valve was replaced a couple oil changes ago, and no blow by that I can tell. I let the truck run while I loosened the valve cover with no change.

Flash- The noise is actually the opposite of what you describe... very loud at hot idle, and not noticable in the upper RPMs, but that might be from other niose drowning it out.

I do have a slight exhaust leak around the engine bay somewhere, but this is much more metal on metal sounding.
It also has had an itermittent miss at hot idle since the HG, but its as well is not noticable driving, just at idle.

I read on 4x4wire about a guy that had a problem with his rocker assembly being worn and causing noise...

kountry_boi

thanks flash, i'll check up on it but it has gone away for now.

SCYOTA

Who adjusted your valves? Did they do it when the engine was at normal operating temp. As your motor heats up the valve clearances will increase. Have you checked your ignition timing with a timing light? Also, maybe your valve timing is off since you said that the noise became more prominent since the HG replacement. That may also have something to do with your miss at idle. When your truck is idling is there a lot of vibration or shaking?

Hawkfanatic

I adjusted the valves COLD to .007/.011 as I have read on some of the forums. It didnt make a difference in the amount of noise.
Timing has been set to 5 degrees with a light, and the jumper.
How do I check valve timing? make sure the gears dots are inline?
The truck is not real smooth at idle, but its not teeth jarring... I drink will sit fine in the cup holder without spilling...
The miss is very intermittent at idle... no discernable pattern.

MMA_Alex

the metal heats and expands, and the valve lash gets smaller as the engine heats up. DO IT HOT, it does make a huge difference. actually the best i've found (done it almost a half dozen times) is .011, and .007 warm. The purpose of the lash is to make sure the valves fully close, and dont stick slightly open when the engine is warmed up.

the screwdriver trick does work. it lets you know what part of the engine the noise is coming from. sure, on a little engine the noise will go a lot of places, but its a hell of a lot louder at the source than at other spots.

You might as well just go to the dealership, and buy the adjuster studs, and replace em because they're probably worn out which will cause it to not hold the valve lash setting you set anyway.

A little tip for setting the lash: Put the feeler gauge in, and slide it in and out while you tighten up the adjuster. when it stops being able to move back the adjuster off just slightly, and that'll be the perfect setting. A lot of mechanics will tell you to feel the drag, but we all have different strength, and feeling, and this way its exactly the right spacing.