what is this engine tick/clunk?
- Thread starter Lamer
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
JayRolla
New member
Does the sound get louder and match with revving the motor?
Lamer
New member
marginally louder, but yes.
JayRolla
New member
Can you tell if its coming from lower part of motor? Like from the hblock oil pan area? To me it sounds like a slight rod knock if it gets louder with rpms. Maybe others will jump in and see what they say. If it was me I would drain oil and look for.metal contaminates.
LittleCaesar
New member
Bearing, rod, valve or a host of other things. Can't really discern where the sound originates from.
Xntrik7
New member
Is your car in gear? Mine made a “rod-knock” noise when it was in gear at idle. Took it to a reputable Toyota shop and they thought it was a cracked flex plate. They dropped the transmission and inspected the flex plate and nothing was cracked. They then suggested that a rod or bearing was going bad and that the noise was coming from the bottom end of the engine.
TL;DR- It turned out to be a bad AC idler pulley. I am crossing my fingers that your truck has the same issue.
-Dan
TL;DR- It turned out to be a bad AC idler pulley. I am crossing my fingers that your truck has the same issue.
-Dan
gamefreakgc
Elite Member
They dropped the transmission to check the flex plate??? There's this great thing called an inspection plate... 4 bolts and it's off and you can see the flex plate to see if it's cracked... hope you didn't have to pay for labor.
Xntrik7
New member
I was lucky enough to not get charged for that labor. They felt pretty bad that I was potentially facing an expensive engine rebuild. I’m relieved that it only turned out to be a really worn out AC idler pulley. PHEW!
Lamer
New member
Sorry I havent responded to anyones tips recently. just got back from a trip to the UK for Christmas.
I plan on getting an oil change this week, its that time.
yes! actually it was done Sept 1st of this year (I believe for the first time ever)
Timing belt
water pump
crank seal
cam seals
drive belts
This was not in gear. well, it was in PARK. Ill have to look at the AC idler pulley, fingers crossed.
I plan on getting an oil change this week, its that time.
yes! actually it was done Sept 1st of this year (I believe for the first time ever)
Timing belt
water pump
crank seal
cam seals
drive belts
This was not in gear. well, it was in PARK. Ill have to look at the AC idler pulley, fingers crossed.
AntleredRuin
New member
+1 with the idler pulley. Mine's been doing it for around 60k miles. I don't even notice it anymore.
I can still hear it in Park, but marginally. It goes up with RPMs, but isn't audible above 800-900 (which is why Park doesn't seem to make the noise).
Last edited:
Lamer
New member
this comforts me haha. I cannot hear it at any RPM other than idle.
AntleredRuin
New member
Yeah it scared me too. Then I realized it seems to quiet down A LOT when turning the AC off.
So I tested that theory by removing the AC drive belt. No drive belt, no turning idler pulley. If my memory is correct, this is the outermost belt, so you don't need to remove the other 2 to take it off. It'll take you maybe 20 minutes.
I drove around for 2 days with no AC, and never heard the knock/tick once.
At the very least, even it's something worse in the AC system, like a failing compressor, it's a whole lot cheaper than a new engine.
Last edited:
Lamer
New member
hmm. I haven't run the AC is a while (its winter season) but I will try it anyway.
AntleredRuin
New member
Even if you're set to heat, if the little 'AC' button is lit, the AC compressor is spinning, which will make the noise (if that's indeed the issue).
Also, when a/c is off there is a bearing associated with the electric clutch that spins. When a/c engages this bearing no longer spins.
There is a belt idler near the bottom of the engine that can fail, as well.
AntleredRuin
New member
Well that's the more accurate, technical, in-depth answer. Ha.
