Big problem (Need opinions PLEASE)

4runit

4runit

New member
Hey so this weekend I was driving around and I heard this weird rattling sound. It sounded like a branch was caught in my wheel well and was spinning around. I pulled over, checked it out and found nothing. Then I checked my engine. Nothing looked out of place and the belts looked fine. The sound was louder, and it sounded like the fan was hitting something when I tried to accelerate. I noticed before that my engine oil temp. gauge would fluctuate between high and med so I checked the coolant bottle. There was barely any. Thinking that this was the problem and causing the fan to rumble because it was low on fluid I went to Kragen and picked up some coolant. To my dismay I heard the sound again after it was filled up to the very top and had been running for a good 20 mins. I then thought it could be my engine mounts or transimission mounts creating a rattling and wanted to get see how much it would cost to replace the mounts. So the next day I went to the mechanic who didn't have a clue what the sound was but he said it wasn't the mounts. He said if I left my car with him he would check it the next day. After I got home from school I got a call saying that there was a problem inside the engine, and it could be the crankshaft. Today, he said I needed a new engine...:roadkill:


I'm wondering what you guys think..is this dude bs-ing me or is this a serious problem. Any ideas will help Thanks
 
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It really could be a number of things, actually anything that moves, does it speed up and slow down with the engine RPM's, or with mph's? It could be the water pump, alternator..... You might get another opinion, it can't hurt.
 
Take it somewhere else and do not tell the person you take it to that it has already been checked out. Anyone that says an engine needs to be replaced is immediately suspect in my book. Engines can be repaired unless you have a catastrophic failure of some kind that makes it cheaper to just replace. If that is the case, a good mechanic will be able to tell you what happened and back it up with evidence, like broken parts.
 
Sorry to hear about you troubles.

Ask friends and relatives for a good mechanic, somebody that they have dealt with in the past and had good results.

I had a Toyota water pump go out on a 3VZ and it made a similar sound as you are describing, "a rattling sound."
What has me thinking this also, is the missing coolant..
 
isolate the sound.

does it increase with vehicle speed or with engine speed?
in park, does the sound increase when revving the engine?
when coasting, pop it into neutral, see if the sound stays steady.

is it coming from the front or the back?
left or right?
wheels straight, or on a turn?


these are all things you should do yourself BEFORE taking the truck ANYWHERE.
 
004Gunner said:
Take it somewhere else and do not tell the person you take it to that it has already been checked out. Anyone that says an engine needs to be replaced is immediately suspect in my book. Engines can be repaired unless you have a catastrophic failure of some kind that makes it cheaper to just replace. If that is the case, a good mechanic will be able to tell you what happened and back it up with evidence, like broken parts.
Click to expand...

agreed.. unless theres somthin seriously wrong with the head or a hole in the block then it should b fixable. doesn't sound like the crank either
 
LINY4Runner said:
isolate the sound.

does it increase with vehicle speed or with engine speed?
in park, does the sound increase when revving the engine?
when coasting, pop it into neutral, see if the sound stays steady.

is it coming from the front or the back?
left or right?
wheels straight, or on a turn?


these are all things you should do yourself BEFORE taking the truck ANYWHERE.
Click to expand...

ok sorry for leaving out the details, this is what happens, you can barely hear it at high speeds, the noise is the same in park as stopped at a light, THE SOUND IS COMING FROM THE ENGINE, straight or turning the sound continues, like i said b4 it sounded like something in the wheel wells, but when i stopped and parked and popped the hood it was coming from the engine.
 
i had this problem too and i started looking around, it turned out the fan has a little piece of plastic that goes around the edges like to protect things from getting slung up in it. well it is two different pieces and they are connected like two half circles i guess. well the bottom piece came off and was hitting my fan... so i took it out and it has been fine ever since. i wish your problem was this simple, but it wouldnt hurt just to look and see if that was the problem. good luck, and i hope you dont have to get a new engine.
 
me too thanks...its still in the shop but ill check it out sometime soon..def before i have to pay for this mechanics bs
 
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First off, good luck. Sucks having to drop big coin on any repair. One thing you can do to try to isolate the noise is buy a cheap mechanics stethascope. Looks like reg. steth, but has a metal rod coming out of the end of it. If you place it on diff. parts of your engine it may help to narrow your search. Or help verify what the mechanic tells you. It's great for checking pulley bearings, and the like.
 
When was your timing belt changed last? Many people have encountered major issues with the crank specifically, when the crank bolt is not tightened to the appropriate torque spec of 217 lb ft. The original spec was 183 lb ft, but Toyota later changed it to the 217. Did you ever notice the motor running a little rough or any odd vibrations?
 
The BIG thing that stands out here is the missing coolant. There has to be a reason that you were empty, and I doubt it has just slowly leaked out onto the ground. Leaking coolant leaves signs where it is coming from so have a good look under the engine area. If you don't see anything, then there is a good chance that the coolant is entering the cylinders and getting burnt away, or it is getting into the oil system. Replace your engine oil and pay attention to the condition of what come out.
 
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