Hey guys, I just got an '86 4runner (22re, automatic) which runs just fine. There is, however, a funny noise in the front of the engine. I was certain it was the water pump bearing/gasket, so i replaced it. Wrong!
When I start the car, it waits about 5 seconds before it starts whining. Then, when I shut it down, it sighs! It sounds like air pressure being released. Also, when I accelerate the noise goes away. So I'm figuring it takes 5 seconds for whatever system to build up pressure, and some gasket is leaking that pressure off. Any ideas? It's coming from the crankshaft pulley/water pump area. Thanks.

 

maybe the timing cover or oil pan gasket is leaking, try doing this. take off your PCV vacuum hose (yeah I know not related) but follow me here. and plug the hose. Does it go away?

 

there's 2 hoses going to the head, 1 in the front and 1 in the rear. which one? also, plug it which direction? (ie, pull it off the efi and plug that end, or pull it off the head and plug that end? or both?) thanks

 

pull the hose off of the pcv valve (the one on the back of the valve cover) and plug the hose. no need to take the hose off the intake. nor take the hose off the front of the valve cover.

 

you, my friend, are a freakin' genious! (so far, at least) I remove the hose and plug it with an old spark plug, no whine. i plug it back into the pcv valve while running, 5 seconds then whine. i remove it and plug it, no whine. what the heck??? what's making the noise? (thank you, by the way!)

 

the PCV draws a vacuum in the valve cover which in turn draws a vacuum in the oil pan as well because the oil pan is open to the valve cover through the head where the timing chain goes threw it. Now that we narrowed it down to definitely a timing cover gasket leak or an oil pan gasket leak it will be up to you to figure out which one no need to trace down vacuum leaks in hoses etc. Can also be a very slim possibility its a head gasket leak where the headgasket separates the bottom of the head to the timing cover but very unlikely.

BTW: it is perfectly safe to run with that hose disconnected from the PCV till you get that gasket fixed. And I would recommend you do just make sure that spark plug doesn't fall out. (been there done that) lol.

 

yah it would have to be near the middle or bottom of the timing cover, or the front of the oil pan. you rock! thanks man!

 

getting one of these might help you narrow down where you need to fix that leak which my best guess is the bottom of the timing cover where it meats the oil pan. Probably in one of the corners.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...ier=70131_0_0_

 

or you could try just tightening up a little on the oil pan bolts, just don't go to nuts with it because they will strip really easy.

 

Nice diagnosis.

 

and by the way, i've tweaked the nut behind the wheel... many times. it never seems to help...

 

my whining noise was the tranny pump. added some auto tranny fulid and it stopped whining.

 

this is why I don't have a supercharged 22r yet. lol.