Hi all,
Sorry for creating a new thread, I've searched the forum but haven't been able to find anything that sounds similar to what I've been experiencing on my truck. Over the last few months on cold starts I've had a slight ticking sound that's progressively worsened over time. I originally thought it was a bad alternator bearing though I replaced the alternator last summer and the sound persists. Here's a link to a video that shows the sound.

YouTube

On a side note do any of you have any tips for troubleshooting/locating engine noises? I've been trying to do most of the work on this truck but haven't been able to find a way to pinpoint where noises are coming from.

Any help is much appreciated

I'm sure others will chime in but for a video on sound diag would be a tremendous help to pop the hood, start in one of the wheel wells up near the engine bay, pull back, pan across the engine bay and then finish up in the opposite side wheel well.

That being said somebody's gonna ace it right out the shoot from your video.

That sounds like more like tapping to me. Or ticking then a bearing. Granted it's hard to tell exactly as the location hasn't been found.

If its tapping I would suspect either the injectors if valves need adjusted.

Would be best to pinpoint the exact location first with a automotive stethoscope or a piece of hose to narrow the area down. Then once its pinpointed down exactly. You can make the necessary repairs to correct the issue and of it.

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Sounds like valve tic to me.

Take a long screwdriver or other long hard object. Hold it to your ear and then touch it on various parts of the valve cover.
You can do similar with a length of hose.

They also make automotive stethoscopes.

Sounds like a flex plate to me. if you go under the truck and remove the inspection plate and check.

If you have a stethoscope you can use it to narrow down where the noise is if you don't the use a 3 foot peace of heater hose put to your ear and move around the engine compartment to narrow down the noise. If you have a idea where the noise is you can take a solid bar like a 3 foot pry bar place it to your ear then move it to different parts on the engine this will help Id where the noise is coming from. I would start with the Valve covers. Obviously do this with the 4runner making the noise. You will be amazed how well this works

You said it before me WHY did take the time to type it in.

Nothing wrong with users adding to thoughts and agreeing. :-) Sometimes we have many people comment at the same time. So that is how this happens. Hopefully the OP will be able to pinpoint the location and get their issue resolved.

Thanks for all the responses guys, I'll give the heater hose a shot tomorrow morning on cold start and will update with the results.

If you have anything solid like a pry bar or even any piece of pipe will really help you pin point even down to which cylinder if it is a engine problem.

I have this sound as well and its one of the bearings on the belt drive system on the front. Im pretty sure mine is powersteering, and its a lot more pronounced than yours. Sometimes my a/c will be on full blast and just stop out of nowhere so I was thinking it could be a bearing in the condenser. I say powersteering though because my pump doesnt whine but ive noticed shes not as smooth as she once was to turn the wheel, and when i run into a little resistance you can hear the belt squeak a little. This video does sound internal lol BUT it sounds like exactly what I have so i know its not.

EDIT: I have replaced my waterpump, and all accompanied timing belt pulley bearings last year with OEM components. When I pulled my water pump at around 250k I almost didnt throw my new one in cause the old one rolled over perfectly. This year im not gonna waste time diagnosing my pulley up front im going with a new powersteering pump and a new a/c condenser. should solve the problem.

Not the water pump. I just had to replace my six year old Aisin one where the bearing was failing. I would have to agree with @spartacus to check the flex plate first.

Check vacuum lines by charcoal canister. If one is loose you will hear exactly that noise.

Been a busy week but finally had the chance to check the valves using the heater hose yesterday but didn't notice any unusually loud tick from the valves and none of the vacuum lines near the charcoal canister were loose. If it is the flexplate would the sound be noticeable only on cold starts? Also, where is the flexplate located at?

@VernySanders It seems to be coming from the power steering/ A/C condenser area, is there any way to determine whether or not the pulleys are bad?

Thanks for all the suggestions guys

The flexplate is your flywheel that the stater spins the engine to start it. Automatics have an inspection plate so you can see inside. The flywheels can crack and make all kinds of noise.

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