3sfe cam area rattle under neutral load (inc clip)

[dcg9381]

OK, I'm going to give you Camry guys a try as you seem to a little more technical than the RAV4 crowd.

I've got a 98 RAV4 - 3SFE - same as the Camry. Mine is manual, 107k.

It's got what sounds like a can of bolts rattling - only when warm and only at neutral throttle/load positions... That is, neither coasting or accelerating.

I thought it might be part of the timing belt assembly or water pump - perhaps a bearing failing, but I just had the entire timing belt, water pump, tensioner, spring, etc done and she's still rattling.

I can get it to do it at idle, bringing engine RPM up, and lifting off the throttle just a bit.

A clip of it:

http://lakebox.dnsalias.com/photos/1...4/MVI_1167.AVI


My next suspicion is cam shims, but I'd think those would rattle all the time - like any misadjusted OHV motor... And perhaps worse when cold.

Any guesses?

[Jimnist]

I remember someone mentioning that the exhaust camshaft sub-gear spring can sometimes snap and cause a ticking/rattling sound at idle.

[dcg9381]

Can you give me more information or point out the sub-gear spring in the manual? I'm familiar with SOHC setups - the twin cam setup is new to me... This isn't a variable valve timing motor - what's the spring for?

[Jimnist]

[dcg9381]

Thanks - that's very helpful.

Question: Can the cam assembly be removed without disassembling the front of the motor to get at the tensioner?

[dcg9381]

So the gear and ring are intact.. Is this something worth replacing or is it a situation where ONLY if it snaps it makes a bunch of noise..