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Questions about the infamous engine tick (o-ring fix doesn't help)

7K views 16 replies 7 participants last post by  bigred78 
#1 · (Edited)
(I posted it in the newbie's discussion forum, but haven't gotten any answer yet, so.. hope you guys don't mind, and please help.)
Hey guys, just picked uo my first FJ. It's a 2007 Auto 4WD currently with 41k miles.

After i got the car I have noticed there is a tick/tap sound from the engine (I've been in car scene for a while so I am VERY sensitive to abnormal engine sounds.)
So I went here did some research, found out that a lot of us are/were having the same problem(which is a relief), also found the o-ring fix, which i just did yesterday, but it does not seem to help the ticking.

I've read that some member found out to be couple noisy injectors, but I was not able to listen to all the injectors with only the engine cover off, so I could not say for sure.

Anyway, I know this has been a topic since 2006, and the o-ring fix seems to helped a lot of us, but not all, a lot of us still having the same ticking noise.
I just want to know have anyone on here figured out what is causing the noise? Why? and possible ways to get rid of it?

ADD:
The noise seems to occur at idle and lower rpm when the car is warm. Could not hear a thing when start up cold.
Three guesses
1. it occurs when car is warm
2. it occurs when the rpm is low
3. it occurs when the car is warm and rpm is low

anyway, when the car is cold it idles high, and when it warn it idles low. tried to rev it a lil when it's warn, seems to go away, but not sure if it's the engine/fan sound over come the ticking or what. Have not figure it out yet.

Also I can hear in the cabin with the windows up radio off and quite outside. (my drive way, or a red light stop at late night)
 
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#2 ·
I assume this is the O-ring fix you're talking about:
http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/how-technical-articles/41859-tapping-idle-fix-w-pics.html

^^That helped quiet mine down, but I made a foam gasket instead of finding an o-ring to fit and it helped quiet it down.

These engines are noisier than most engines since they run a timing chain instead of a timing belt, so it's possible the noise is normal. While I probably look crazy doing it, I've found it helpful to grab a cardboard tube (like a wrapping paper tube) and move it around the engine while I'm listening at the other end. It helps a lot to isolate a general location for a noise.

I used to think the FJ engine was noisy, then I got a WRX. The FJ sounds like a well-oiled machine to me now!
 
#3 ·
I think mine is an exhaust leak at the headers, or collector, or something. I have a loud one too, but tried the o-ring / foam / cork / all sorts of stuff with no luck.
 
#10 ·
Whatever noise you are hearing would be unlikely to get perceptibly "louder" when you removed the oil filler cap unless the noise source was at the very front of cylinder bank #2 .

The most useful means for isolating these hard-to-find noises is to make an "extended reach" mechanics stethoscope using ~18" of 1/4" diameter aluminum or copper tubing connected to ~2 feet of soft vinyl tubing.

With the engine running at whatever speed the noise is most noticeable, probe everywhere, starting around the valve covers. Remove the plastic engine cover so you have good access to the injectors and the parts if the head near the intake valves. The useful thing about using soft copper or aluminum tubing is that you can put a bend in it to get to into difficult locations.

Don't forget to check the all along the exhaust manifolds where they are bolted to the heads, and also check all the accessories driven by the serpentine belt.
 
#12 · (Edited)
The great majority of the idle speed 'ticking' with 1R-FE engines (at least the ''10+ dual-VVTi engines) is not the vacuum switching valve, piston slap, or floppy cam chains, but just old-fashioned valve clatter.

It's not clear why an engine with roller cam followers and hydraulic valve lash control (hydraulic rocker arm fulcrums) should EVER have ANY valve clatter, but the bottom line is that they do regardless of what model vehicle the engine is installed in.

My '14 has ticked since it was brand new, regardless of oil viscosity or engine temperature. With 40K miles on the odo it subjectively seems that the noise level has slowly been diminishing , but I don't have any high-resolution sound level measurements to confirm this.

It did really bug the hell out of me at first, as I thought that a meticulous 5K mile break-in would 'cure' it, but no luck. The FJ at 40K miles has MUCH more engine mechanical noise than the 3.4L engine in my 2000 4Runner does at 250K miles.

But now, after six years of ownership, two FJ Summits, and many miles of 4-wheeling, I am not concerned that the valve ticking indicates any potential problem or impending failure, it's just the nature of this big V6.
 
#14 ·
Remember that the single VVTi engines ('07-'09) used directly actuated bucket tappets with clearance adjustment via shims, and did not have the hydraulic rocker-arm fulcrums that the dual VVTi engines have.

That's a pretty heavy 'clack!!' in your video, and not the mild ticking that the later engines tend to exhibit.

I'd have the valve clearance checked on the #2 cylinder bank, if not on both banks.
 
#17 ·
Hi.
I owned this fj from 2008 - 2011. I traded it in and a guy in town purchased it. I'm not sure the maintenance he has done on the truck over the years. My mechanic is outta town. Before on a previous truck, the lifters got bad. He replaced the cam and lifters, just as well since the cam might be wore. 2010 Yukon roller lifters If this has been like this on the fj for alot of years, chances are lifters and cam need to be replaced?
Or just shims?
Thanks

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