I just rebuilt my 22RE in my 89 4Runner and have about 3,000 miles on it. I put a new timing chain and tensioner on there but I'm nervous that this sound I am hearing on start up is my timing chain. When I start it cold, I hear a slight rattling for about half a second and then it goes away. According to my searching, that almost always meant timing chain. I was hoping someone may have a video of their truck starting up with a timing chain on its way out that I could hear. I may see if I can get a video of my sound so you can hear it.

 

Have you checked your valve clearance? Are the sprockets worn on the crank and cam?
My truck doesn't do that much if any, only when the engine is cold and there's no oil in the head.

 

I set my valve lash after I warmed it up on the first start up and then checked them again a couple hundred miles later. Brand new gear sprocket on the cam and crank. It doesn't really sound like the ticking you would hear from valves or injectors.

 

What oil filter are you using? does it have an anti drain back valve? might just be until it gets oil pressure.

 

I have no idea if it has a anti drain back valve...its a fram?

 

I have found it much easier to check the valve lash cold. you would be surprised how much the lash changes if you are not quick enough to do it warm. if doing the lash cold, that lash should be .007 and .011

 

My valve lash is a little different than stock because I have an RV Head with a .261 cam. Do you just subtract .001?

 

did you change the tchain guides when you did this?

 

Yep, everything on the block and the cylinder head is new except for the rocker arms and the oiling tubes. I got the steel guides timing chain kit from engnbldr.

 

Just in case anyone comes across this thread later, I found it was my oil filter. The cheap orange Fram filters don't come with an anti-drain back valve so all the oil was draining out of my filter every time it sat for a while. I image that the noise I was hearing was due to a lack of quick oil pressure to power the tensioner on the timing chain. I think other Fram filters may come with a anti-drain back valve but I will probably just buy purolator instead....I like their filters better anyway.