Clicking noise when accelerating

[99yota4]

Hey guys, I've had this strange problem since I've bought the runner in January of 2010. It seems that when I am cruising at 45-60 mph and step on it to accelerate, a loud clicking noise is heard form the left side of the engine. (left side when sitting in the runner) Oddly enough, it doesn't happen all the time. I've been trying to track the symptoms such as what gear I'm in when it happens and speed etc. But it seems to be random. Does anybody have an idea of what this could be?!

 

[JohnsD90]

I usually associate clicking with vavles or exhuast leaks.

 

[99yota4]

Valves or Exhaust leaks? Could you explain a little more JohnsD90. Thank you!
I called toyota and they said it could be a cruise control actuator being stuck. I have no idea what or how to address this issue.

 

[DieselPower]

Even I have noticed the same problem with my 4runner

 

[99yota4]

Does anybody have any idea? The clicking is ONLY when accelerating and it doesn't happen 100% of the time. I can't narrow down the conditions under when it occurs...please help!

 

[brian2sun]

What kind of rpms are you pulling when you hear the noise? does it do it when you just rev the engine in P? My 1st guess would be exhaust leak too, I've never heard of the cruise control acutator making noise (or even failing for that matter). Doesn't seem likely to me, but you never know.

It could be a spark plug arching because of a loose wire too. Wouldn't hurt to check. I would pull the coil packs and wires and see if any are torn, melted, charred, etc... Put a little dab of di-electric grease in the plug boots before you reinstall them too.

 

[99yota4]

It happens when I'm cruising in the highest gear (4th) I have an Auto 3.4L and want to accelerate, it drops to 3rd and that's at around 3k to 4k rpm and up i hear it. I have never heard it in P but I will rev the engine in the parking lot tonight to see if that happens. How hard is it to replace spark plugs and wires? I've been wanting to do that. I apologize for the newb question but where is the coil pack and what does it do?

 

[brian2sun]

Plugs and wires are about a 2/10 in difficulty. The hole closest to the widshield on the driver side is the hardest to get the plug in/out, but it's easy with an extension and a universal socket. There are lots of writeups with pics on here and many other forums if you want to look at what you're getting into.

The 3 plugs on the pass each have a coil on top of them (3 separate coil packs), the 3 plugs on the driver side have wires coming from the coil packs. Each coil pack controls 2 cylinders. The coils take the place of a distributor in this engine and they provide spark to the plugs.

 

[99yota4]

Thanks Brian, It's not that this clicking noise is affecting my acceleration or anything so it's not a very urgent thing, but I want to slowly diagnose it and get rid of it. So you guys suggest changing the spark plugs and wires and coil packs? I haven't had any acceleration issues and my MPG is right around 18 MPG.

 

[brian2sun]

Well, like I said before an exhaust leak would be my 1st guess like John suggested. Could be the valves too, but if a plug wire is arching against something it will make a clicking noise so I'm just giving you some things to look at. If you're not sure when the plugs and wires were last changed, I would do that anyways and if it solves the problem then even better.

 

[99yota4]

Can you explain how an exhaust leak can cause a clicking noise? I do have a slight leak between the end of the headers and the down pipe. I found it when I was sea foaming a while back, which I also suspect is the cause of the P0420 code. Air could be getting in through that and dense air with alot of oxygen can cause the catalytic converter to run under threshold. I will start from there but I just can't connect the dots on how it could result in clicking noise. Thanks for your help so far

 

[brian2sun]

I would describe the usual exhaust leak as more of a ticking sound. It's just hard to "hear" the noise you're describing. Since you know there's an existing exhaust leak, I would guess that's what causing the noise and start there. Or take it to a shop and drive around with a tech, maybe he can tell you if the noise is exhaust, electrical, or if it's in the valvetrain.

 

[99yota4]

it's definitely not a ticking, it's a clicking. It goes away when I let off the pedal and continue to cruise at the same speed and same gear. It's only when I'm shifting down and flooring it. (auto tranny)

 

[quicksilvr]

It's exhaust. Every vehicle is different, and you can get lots of different variations of the sound, based on where the leak is, and what the harmonics are. Mine does it a little as well, and I don't think I even have a leak.

The pulsation of the exhaust flow under heavy throttle makes pinking/clicking/ticking sounds as it excapes through the leak. Exhaust is not a constant "flow". If it was, a leak would sound like air escaping from a tire or something. Instead it is pulses, and those pulses make the sound you are hearing as they squeeze out through the leak.

 

[99yota4]

Thanks guys, quick, I'll try to have this exhaust leak fixed up, I'm sure it's just a bad gasket that connects the two pipes and hopefully that takes care of the noise and the P0420 code. I will post back in a few days with the results

 

[ja69067]

I just did a tune up on my 4runner and now its making the clicking sound when i speed up. I gaped the plugs @ .32

 

[HuntNFish]

I'm having this exact issue with mine. Can anyone be a little more specific with where I should be looking?

Thanks,
Alex

 

[zcruiser]

How hard is it to replace spark plugs and wires? I've been wanting to do that. I apologize for the newb question but where is the coil pack and what does it do?

Instructions for changing spark plugs here, indexed with a bunch of other useful stuff:
3rd Gen Tutorial & Documentation

Pics of coil packs included.

 

[JANFORTS3091]

Clunking or knocking sound only when accelerating

Hi. I'm new here and i have this problem with my 3rd Gen 4runner. Whenever i am accelerating within 40mph i hear a clunking or knocking sound on the passenger side after i have replaced my cv axles and repaired and replaced the ujoints in my drive shafts. The clunking sounds only shows when i am in gear and only when i am accelerating from 0-40mps. Tried putting gas on neutral but there was no clunking sound. I hope somebody could help me with this.

 

[jth32199]

Hi. I'm new here and i have this problem with my 3rd Gen 4runner. Whenever i am accelerating within 40mph i hear a clunking or knocking sound on the passenger side after i have replaced my cv axles and repaired and replaced the ujoints in my drive shafts. The clunking sounds only shows when i am in gear and only when i am accelerating from 0-40mps. Tried putting gas on neutral but there was no clunking sound. I hope somebody could help me with this.

Check your U joints, that's what I would do.

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