I have an 87 4x4 pickup with a carburated 22R engine in it and 150000 miles. Recently it has started making a knocking sound when I start it in the morning and it pings slightly when I am in 4th or 5th gear and need to go past half throttle (when I think the 2nd barrel opens). I checked my timing and it is good, I just replaced spark plugs, distributor cap, rotor, air filter, fuel filter, PCV valve, O2 sensor, adjusted the valves, and gave it an oil change. It still has plenty of power and does not lose any when it pings. What should I do to fix it?

 

For the knocking, put a mechanical oil pressure guage on it and see if your oil pressure is acceptable. I personally don't like <20, but have been told that dealers accept down to 5 @ a hot idle.

The knock sounds like an oil pressure problem, could be a clogged oil journal somewhere. Difficult to trace.

The ping is often a sign of;

a timing problem, which although you have checked the initial timing, are the vacuum advance, and the mechanical advance of the timing working properly?

an octane problem. Have you recently changed grades of fueal, or quality of fuel (Changed gas stations)?

a fuel mixture problem, as in the engine is running too lean, has the carbeurator been properly adjusted.

Hope this of some help, I know it won't cure the problem, but it will give you some ideas on where to look for the cause of the problem.

I'm sure there are several more qualified than I to tell you exactly how to check for the exact problem and cure it, but since there were no replies, and I know how it sucks when you are trying to solve a problem and there is 0 response, I thought I would throw my 2 cents in.

good luck

 

Does it sound sorta like a diesel engine on start up?

 

It does not sound like a diesel, it runs quiet except for the knocking which occurs after it starts. It goes away after I drive it a while.

 

The reason why I say that is because if the engine has a little rattle at start up (somewhat diesel engine sounding), and then hear a tattering while the truck is under load, but not while it is idle it is probably the timing chain. If I had a sound recorder I would go record mine and see if its the same sound your getting. Another way you can check is if the oil looks something like chocolate milk. Thats when I would stop driving it cause the timing chain has eating into the cover enough to let coolant in. Have you every had the timing chain replaced?

(this might just apply to 22re engines I'm not sure I would do a search through google groups)

 

It does kind of make a chatter when I start it, not very loud though. It also makes the same noise sometimes when I am going down hill. The oil is still ok but when I went to adjust the valves the timing chain seemed a little loose. I will look at the timing chain a little closer, thank you.

 

Yeah look for the chain guides. See if they are in any condition.. Mine makes the sound.. After thinking about it this entire weekend and checking everything (without removing the valve cover), I decided to drive my other car for a lil while while I'm waiting on my dad to get time to replace it. Were gonna hit the water pump and oil pump at the same time. I'm gonna get metal chain guides too... I'd like to go with lcengineering but they don't have metal guides listed by themself.

 

I see how it would grind and make it knock, but would a loose timing chain make it ping?

 

I dunno the exact sound you're hearing so I cannot be sure. I know mine is making a tattering sound when I'm goin down the highway and sounds similar to a diesel engine when I start it up and its cold. If you want more info just goto groups.google.com and look um timing chain and 22re and alot of info should come up.

 

Thank you for your advice. I will definetly have that checked.

 

No problem, thats what we're here for. Btw, I forgot to say welcome to the forum. Hopefully you don't have any more problems, but if you do do be afraid to ask questions. Hope you get that problem fixed... I still have to wait on mine, bout 2-3 weeks before me or my dad have time to work on it (replacing timing chain (with metal guides), oil pump and water pump while we're at it).

 

Sounds like the timing chain to me too. Dave has solid advice for pinging, but it's 'sounding' like a chain problem. The chain, although way more durable than the belt, will stretch and the guides and tensioner start wearing. The start up noise sounds like chain slack...usually goes away after oil pressure builds. My fear is that your chain could have skipped a tooth or two showing you a false correct timing while advancing giving you the ping . Just a guess, but as Krash sez, if you have'nt changed the chain, guides, tensioner etc (your mileage sez you should be due) you should do it and dial in the factory timing specs. I've changed quite a few timing chains on my old Datsun, I pushed the last one too far...big time chain skip and valves got all bent destroying my head. Good luck and welcome aboard.
butnut

 

Sorry, I forgot about the chain, lost mine 3 years ago, and was stuck on the easier to fix stuff. Good luck with it.

 

No problemo...gotta start troubleshooting somewhere. You must be the only member with dual names... so, who's posting?
butnut

 

I had same noise in my engin so changed timing chain, The knock got louder after I did that. Looks like I have a rod knocking so am going to chang bearing on thur. Will let you know what I find.
Bill