funny sounds from my camry

[mysterl33]

Hello, I have a 2000 Toyota Camry LE 4-cyl.

Lately I've noticed a ticking sound coming from the right side of the car. It's noticible when I am driving and it gets faster as I speed up. I'm pretty sure it's from the front right of the car but it could be from the back. It's not from the engine. Another sound is when I am at idle at a traffic light, it sounds like plastic vibrating hitting something. I dont know what it is but it makes my car sound horrible. Also, I noticed that my car idles weird at traffic lights. The needle will bouch up and down around 500rpm.

I am thinking of doing a throttle body cleanup. What would you recommend I use?


What tires are the cheapest/best for the camry?

I'm in need of new head light bulbs because the ones i have don't give much visability, what would you recommend?

thank you

[Kep]

For the unidentified sound, you might try rotating the tires and see if the sound moves also. If it does, it's the tire. If it doesn't, it's something else. Try to figure out how to describe the noise and maybe someone will recognise it.

I'm not certain what your plastic noise sounds like either. I had one for the longest time that turned out to be my key ring jiggling against the plastic below the ignition switch. You seem to be describing something a lot louder if it makes your car sound horrible.

The weird idle is the most concerning. You could definately clean the TB. It might help. You might also have a vacuum leak, a failing sensor, or maybe a cracked air hose (though I don't think that matters as much with the newer cars). I'd start with cleaning the Throttle Body, the IAC valve and the EGR system. If you search each term you should find lots of posts to describe how to clean them. Things to look for on any cleaner or solvent that you use in your car are Oxygen Sensor Safe and Throttle Body Safe (or words to that effect). Adhesives should indicate that they are Oxygen Sensor Safe. Sea Foam and a tooth brush do well in cleaning the TB.

If your head light lenses are clear you may need to consider upgrading to HID lights if you want brighter. If the lenses are cloudy you can polish them out. Again, there are several how-to posts on either of these.

Kep

[Mazeraski]

I actually also have the weird ticking noise you described in your OP. Exactly the same except mine comes from the front drivers side wheel area. I tried jacking the front end up and listening with the tires spinning but couldn't hear anything, so it must be when it (the suspension?) is under load.

I got my tires rotated and it was still in the same spot, indicating it wasn't the wheel/tire. I have yet to take it to our mechanic to see if he knows what it is.

As for some of your other questions, some info on throttle body cleaning is in this post (pics from a gen 3 5SFE I believe):
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t158097.html

I actually cleaned mine a couple months back with the Sea Foam Deep Creep and it worked really well.

As for headlight bulbs, you could look into getting Silverstars, HIR bulbs or retrofit HID lighting.
This is all in addition to Kep's advice