hey folks...you'll have to forgive me...i'm new to the whole experience of 4runners and hoping that i can muck my way through it. i've got a stock '96 runner with an automatic 4 banger...i recently redid the oil pump and have eliminated that problem. however a new sound/problem has emerged and i'm stumped. after driving it home from work...it kept stalling out...idling really low...and the new sound much like a tapping on the heat shield is coming from somewhere? the blasted noise seems to move. it goes away slightly when the RPM's come up but returns when the RPM's stablize. i'm worried that i'll do damage by driving it but i'm also putting off going to our local dealership. not a good scene there...any thoughts that might help?

 

...as it turns out, i have one of 2 problems...main bearing tolerance shot or the relief valve isn't working causing the pressure to not make it to my timing chain tensioner...which retards the timing causing the stalls...hence the noise coming/going from my timing cover. now you know the rest of the story...$800 later and i might have my runner back in my hands by tuesday! thanks for all the views...sorry the problem was so vague...