Hey everybody! I'm brand new to yotatech (woot!) but i've had my 1992 pickup for about a year now and i've got some interesting noises coming from my 3vze that i'd like to throw your way and see what they could possibly be.

1-The first is a very concerning grinding noise that isn't constant, but lasts about 2 seconds with a few seconds in between. It's pretty erratic, but audible over the engine noise, even at 2500 rpm. It seems to be coming from somewhere around the middle of the engine, so i'm thinking maybe fan bracket bearing or #2 timing belt idler bearing. The water pump and #1 idler have been replaced.

2- The second noise is a loud ticking noise! I know this is pretty common on the v6, but it sounds like it's coming from around the top right area of the engine, around the right bank of injectors. Is this more likely to be a noisy injector, sticky valve, or something else? If it's an injector, is there any way to make them quieter, like taking them out and having them cleaned, seafoam, bg44, etc?

Thanks a lot everybody! I sure appreciate it!

 

I'm not familiar with that motor, so I can't help much.

For sound #1 - When does it make the sound, i.e. when driving, at idle in neutral, all the time, etc.? If you suspect something on the belt drive, etc., you could take the belt(s) off, and feel all the bearings/pulleys/etc. If you find anything loose, or doesn't spin freely, that would be a prime suspect.

For sound #2 - I don't know if they use the same type of injector on the V6 as the 4 cylinder, but the 22RE injectors can me noisy as hell. In reading a bunch of threads about them, I've heard of them getting even louder after cleaning or rebuilding. So far, I haven't read of any 'fixes' for this annoying problem.

It could be a valve with excessive clearance, but I doubt it. That motor is a shim and bucket head, right? Those are typically much quieter than a tappet head, like the 22RE. And sticky valves is something that really doesn't happen. It could seize, bend or burn, but I've never seen a valve get sticky.

I hope somebody else chimes in with more experience with this motor.

Good luck and welcome to YT!

 

Th ticking is probably an injector. I never had much of a tic in mine but It got slightly more audible after I seafoamed the crap out of it. It doesn't seem to really bother anything and I can only really hear it at 3000-3200 rpm.

I also have a slight grinding noise when it's cold and wet out. That is due to the power steering pulley. I just have to find out if i can replace the bearings in it or have to get a whole new pump. Check for any rust dust on the face of the pulley around the nut. I have reddish dust on the pulley so I know I'm going to have to replace something pretty soon.

 

A grinding from the middle of the motor? Do you mean the middle of the front of the motor or middle as in intake manifold?

You may just have to get used to the ticking, if it's the injectors. But, if the injectors are older (100K) and have never been serviced, having them refurbished is a very nice thing to do. I never had much luck with using seafoam on them. Even after having done it several times, when I did finally decide to have them serviced, the flow charts came back with poor to bad flow on three of the four on my 22re. If it's the valves, you'll either need to get educated real quick on how to do it, or take to a trusted mechanic who knows what they're doing. The 3vze is not to kind on valves being too far out of adjustment. They have a way of burning. You might want to use a stethoscope (cheap at AutoZone) or a long screwdriver and actually pinpoint the noise. If injectors, don't worry and learn to love it. If valves, get them adjusted.

 

You beat me to it! An auto stethoscope will tell you exactly where those noises are coming from.

I had my injectors serviced and they made more noise after the service than before. They flow better now, I guess.

If it is valves, adjust them immediately, as you do not want to burn and exhaust valve.

Good luck

Mike

 

The ticking is probably the regulator on the fuel rail. Mine likes to tick pretty loud..

 

Hey all! Thanks for the help! I think i do have the ticking noise pinpointed to the fuel regulator, even if i just put a finger on it while it's running i can feel it pulsating at the same time as the loud clicking. Will it get quieter if i replace it? And the grinding noise seems to be coming from the front of the engine on the middle or left (looking directly at the cover over the belts) which leads me to believe that it's either the fan bracket pulley or the #2 idler pulley. I've heard lots of stories of the fan brackets going out, how common is it for the idler pulleys to wear out? I just want to know what i'm most likely getting myself into before i start ripping my engine apart. Thanks!

 

Fan bracket should be pretty easy to eliminate, less than an hour to pull the fan + belts, inspect, and replace. How many miles?

 

Idler pulley is pretty common around 200k's. It might take you half an afternoon to check it, though.