I own a 96 3rz 160000 m Well maintained 5 spd 4x4 . Anyway so yea mine is making that top end ticking sound also , so i start doing tests to try and trace down the problem . Mini header installed ( light ticking sound gone , lower pitched but minor sounding clicking sound remains ) . I run injector cleaner through my motor several times ( sea foam ) and the like , in the crankcase and in my gas , Sound remains . Changed to synthetic 5w30 Mobil 1 , Sound remains . I go to 10w30 Synthetic Castrol , sound remains . I switch to conventional 10w30 Castrol gtx , Sound remains . I run injector cleaner again same result . So i decide to try the Lucas injector cleaner /upper cylinder lubricant and it actually fixed the symptom ! No click sound whatsoever with 3 oz Lucas gas treatment full tank of 93 octane gas . So far i cant hear the sound anymore .... So what does this mean , My injectors were clean but needed Lubricant ? or my oil pump isnt pumping oil well enough into the top end of the motor ? I seem to have solved my symptom but im curious what tracking this info down has actually accomplished , im no closer to finding the actual cause of the sound , other than i needed more lube in my top end or .....well lets let you guys decide , i would love to figure this one out . ( i did check my valve lash 2 times its dead on spec . So is it possible its my valves or lifters? Need some feedback please .

Sorry for the long post,but hopefully this thread will help some of the other guys with the same problem as me ,.

( Edit ) Forgot to mention the sound is at operating temperature and at all Rpm but it definitely increases in volumes as my rpm increase.
Thanks Brutal

 

I have been researching this for the past 6 months , and the only thing that has come close to helping is the Lucas injector cleaner in my gas . Some people say its piston slap , others say injectors , and even others say its valves . I have read about 50 billion posts on this subject and im no closer to finding the cause of this noise ( half of those people just choose to ignore it and act like its normal ) who am i to say it isn't normal , but i do know that an engine shouldn't be making noise like this. It's not loud or deep enough to be a rod , it definitely sounds like its coming from the top end of the motor , anyway , i guess the purpose of me posting this was to help fellow 3rz owners that has this same problem as me ( in the hope that we could pool our thought's to figure this out ). But i suppose its been talked /over talked about so much people just aren't as interested as i am in finding a permanent solution to this minor problem . So in conclusion ( short term fix seems to be Lucas for me ) and ( long term is still in Limbo ) . Hope everybody has a good day and hopefully this over talked about thread of mine will actually help somebody in the future .

Brutal

 

Have you had the valves checked?

 

Lash and for burning , checked . Lash was double checked .

 

I haven't ruled out timing chain guides yet , but from what I can hear with my stethoscope, it isn't coming from the front of the motor , more the middle or back . I'm hoping its injector related rather than internal , but i work so much these days its hard to have time to do fun stuff like tearing into my heads for a 3rd time hehe .On the other hand i wish i could be one of these people who just "ignored " it but it isnt in my genes i guess hehe

 

Wow! Same engine same year and 5k more miles! SAME PROBLEM. Ever find a solution? I did the dollar bill trick and had some suction. Mine will get louder when the engine is under load. If I barely touch the gas it's hard to hear. I'm excited to try the Lucas trick. Will report back

 

The lucas treatment , only worked for a little while . Basically these days I just keep the oil changed regularly , and do what other toyota guys do , Turn the music UP and don't worry about it haha , Hope your truck does good for you bro , mine still runs like a champ , 205 k and counting .

 

yeah the lucas oil doesn't seem to be working too well. Hey I have a question for you. can you check and see if when you take your oil cap off if there is any air blowing out? mine blows air fairly strong… thanks!

 

What on gods green earth does that have to do with anything?? Especially engine oil.