Engine Ticking Noise

Hey all,

Over the last couple weeks a ticking noise has developed from the engine bay and I believe it is coming from somewhere inside the engine itself. It is hard to pinpoint exactly where it is coming from but starts up at idle and will increase in speed with acceleration.

I have replaced a few parts around it in the engine bay recently (since the ticking started) and the ticking seems to be a separate issue. Really suggesting to me it is coming from the engine not other components.

Hopefully you can help me identify it and it isn't something that can develop into a major concern. A video link should be attached to the post taken from under the vehicle near the steering column since it was easier to hear the noise from there. Can't say it is coming from the bottom part of the engine, just the being under the truck blocked out background noise.

Thanks for the help!

https://1drv.ms/f/s!ArKvPkRAXa4KwDjRosXjfZtNxuk_

 

timing chain? mine ticks a little too, a toyota specialist told me its nothing to worry about.

 

Thanks for the input, I have 3.4l though with a timing belt and I changed it a year or two ago... Don't think it would be that but worth looking into. I don't think I've come near to the recommended milage for replacement.

The noise just started recently though and before I changed the belt last time it wasn't making any noise.

 

ah, well other ticking culprits im aware of could be valves ticking or an exhaust manifold crack

 

It wouldn't surprise me if it was either of those to be honest. I was thinking it might be valves but don't know a lot about them.

I did switch to synthetic oil a couple months ago, could that contribute to ticking valves?

Otherwise, there isn't any apparent cracks in the exhaust.

 

how old are your plug wires. wait until dark and fire the truck up and see if there is a plug wire is arcing on the engine somewhere. You'll see the spark if that's the problem. I had a 79 GMC Jimmy that did that to me. I couldn't figure out what the clicking sound was, a friend told me about this.

 

Interesting, I haven't noticed that but I'll certainly check. The wires are fairly new, about a year, and are ngk from napa.

 

Could be normal injector tick as well....or exhaust leak....or valvetrain tolerance out of spec.

 

Any easy way to narrow this down? Exhaust leak should be fairly easy to locate but how about injector tick? I didn't realize they would do that.

Valve train tolerance I have to go in with the feeler gauges correct?

 

I'd lean towards exhaust leak, or injectors.

I had a small exhaust leak on the passenger side connection from the driverside. I was able to soak the flange studs and nuts in pb blaster for a week (without driving, the heat will burn the pb blaster off) and then separate the flange, and replace the gasket. I live in CA though, so pretty rust free.

Injectors are probably due if they are original. MotorWest can either service your current injectors (you send them in, the clean and service them) or you can get the denso upgrade ones.

 

Ya for that reason I'm really hoping it isn't the exhaust. There is rust here and they will be hell to get off.

I didn't know there is a denso upgrade for the injectors though, could you point me in the right direction for that? Even if it isn't the injectors I should replace/service them like you suggest considering the age of them.

 

MotorWest sells them. Should be easy to find on their site. I think they are only upgrades in terms of MotorWest identifying something they didn't like about the OEM injectors after servicing a lot of them. You can still get your current ones serviced and they'll be fine. The injector o-rings are a PITA. Timmy has a great video on the whole process, but my suggestion is to use the provided tube of SuperLube from MotorWest rather than the gas dip before seating the injectors. It was my experience that the gas made the o-rings easier to pinch and install incorrectly, as they become dimensional unstable. With the SuperLube, that was not the case. A little bit goes a long way there.

There is a thread within the last few pages where someone asked "what else should I do while I'm here" or something like that, and I replied to that thread with a link to another post I posted a while back, about the other various things you can get to when you are doing an injector job (mainly, the valve covers, and some hard-to-reach vacuum lines).

 

how many miles on your engine, just curious. I'm at 144k and having no issues, except basic wear items. Going to tackle the valve cover gaskets in the spring.

 

I'm at @146k valve covers went at 140k, and I ignored it until covid and work from home life began. I didn't have a specific reason to replace my injectors, other than I was doing the valve covers, and they're all right there. I will say that I did regain some MPG with the new injectors... I was getting crap MPG before that.

 

It sounds like an errant spark or injectors to me but it is hard to say from a phone recording.

 

I would get a mechanics stethoscope from a parts store or Harbor Freight and probe around to see if you can locate the noise source. Not an expensive item that can help rule out noises.

 

Dang- you're spot on there. That's cheap enough to be a stocking stuffer.

 

Thanks! I'll look into this a little more and go from there

 

I'm a little shy of 250k miles. I did the valve cover gaskets last winter but didn't check clearances at the time since it was my first time doing the job and I was a little rushed. Hopefully I don't have to dig into it all again.

 

Didn't see any sparks after dark but I also didn't go in to check the plugs more thoroughly. I also replaced them last winter. Wouldn't expect them to be bad but I'll have to check when I have more time after work.