I've noticed my 4Runner ticking.
Its doing it on the driver's side of the engine, when idling at operating temperatures.
It sounds like a single injector, or valve, etc.

I hear it clearly from inside, but when I open the hood, from all the other noise in there I cant pinpoint it.

Any thoughts?

98 3.4l 2wd 70k mis. 87 octane gas.

Should I run a bunch of fuel system cleaner thru there and see if it helps? If yes, what kind is best?

Thx,
Dave

 

Are these engines prone to lifter tick at all? In any case, I've heard of a product called Seafoam that's supposed to work wonders. You can add it to your oil or fuel system depending on what the problem area is. They sell it at Napa for about $6 a bottle.
-Scott

 

Check out this thread:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...5849#post45849

 

:pat:
I just bought a 4runner SPort V6 about three weeks ago. I noticed after just a few days this lifter noise, (ticking)as it were. I shrugged it off thinking it would settle down. A few days after that I was parked with my car running next to a friend's car and they asked what that noise was coming from my engine. OUCH! Reality strikes. It primarily comes from the drivers side of the engine loudly when the hood is up, noticably when the hood is down.

gmmaspec

 

The ticking could be several things:

1) excessive valve shim wear (not likely......lifters are solid not hydraulic like a chevy V8)
2) leaking exhaust (likely- cracked exh manifold, leaky exh gasket, hole in exh pipe)
3) the interior blower for the heater/AC can tick if there is debris in the fan blades
4) a sticking injector (rare) use some techtron injector cleaner
5) arcing plug wire (rare)

 

Since I got my truck a couple months ago, it's had a ticking/ rattling (ticks so randomly that it's almost a rattle), and my dad said the noise is exactly the same as when he rebuilt the head on his old late 80's Dodge Ram. He said it was the lifters, and he just adjusted them until it was ok. But since the lifters are solid on these trucks, we're stumped.

 

hi guys
i hear the same exact sound coming from the exact same place on my 99 runner-3.4L. --real hard to say whether it is a lifter or an injector!! i know one thing----it isn't a rotational thing or the drive train or wheel weight or tire thing. my rig ticks away just sitting there idling. one thing though ---maybe its a coincidence but i think i started hearing this after my motor started to sound louder upon accelerating! maybe this could be a piece to the puzzle?---im not goin to the dealer for this----they will keep my truck for a couple days and say either
THEY ALL MAKE THAT NOISE or WE CANT SEE ANY PROBLEM AT THIS TIME! any ideas?--please get back to me

 

:pat:

I took it to the Toyota dealer today and I was going to have the technician look at it. I was parked outside and I could here the ticking noise as I was standing next to the vehicle. The front desk person had me drive it in the bay while he went and got the tech. I pulled in and opened the hood and sure enough the ticking was there...

And here comes the technician, and like holy cow batman as he walks up the ticking stops!!!!!... That is no lie or joke. It was like I was dumbfounded. So I told him where I heard it coming from and he suggested it might be this sensor/valve thing that bleeds off the gas vapors from the gas tank (some type of emissions control). We were standing there for about 5 minutes as I pleaded my case, and the ticking started to come back faintly...
I pointed it out as it grew louder and he said yup that is what is causing it. I had my doubts and he saw that. I asked if we could test that theory and he said sure and disconnected the electrical connection on it. It was about 6" above the drivers side manifold and grey in color. As soon as he disconnected it the ticking stopped. That was it! He said that it can become fairly loud at times, etc. But I had my answer and was thankful.

 

Hmmmm.......that is interesting, usually that part makes a buzzing noise when the truck is shut off.

Part looks like this (not the yelllow arrow (brake reservoir) but just to the right):


Here is another view:


Is this what it looked like?

 

I will try to take a picture of mine. The V6 has been revamped, from what I hear, last year. The techniican seemed to imply the gas vapor was introduced into the exhaust manifold, hence its position right above it. I will keep you posted.

The ticking really sounded like a lifter.

Thanks for your picture. Mine is like right under a platic shroud covering the manifold so it it not easy to see.

 

I've had good luck localizing odd engine noises by using the poor man's stethescope. With the engine running, use a really long screw driver to probe for sounds. Hold the handle to your ear - yes touching your ear. And then touch the screw driver tip all over until you can hear the particular sound through the tool. It really works! Just keep your head away from the fan blades.

 

Get one of these.....very cheap and works great.



Here is one on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2457771423

 

i wish the picture was still there =(

 

i have the same ticking noise too. i deff hear it at a stop light.... how do you fix this problem or is it really problem more so than a nuesance??