1998 Camry LE 2.2l

[inzel]

My car has a newer motor with a warranty from the used car dealership in my area. The car runs great but there is this weird ticking type noise. The mechanic said it was cam springs and that I shouldnt worry about it but I still do. It sounds like it could be lifters or something like that. It is louder when in gear and much quieter in park or neutral. Do you guys have any ideas? I really love this car and want to make sure it lasts! Thanks in advance

[Mister_Perkins]

Originally Posted by inzel

My car has a newer motor with a warranty from the used car dealership in my area. The car runs great but there is this weird ticking type noise. The mechanic said it was cam springs and that I shouldnt worry about it but I still do. It sounds like it could be lifters or something like that. It is louder when in gear and much quieter in park or neutral. Do you guys have any ideas? I really love this car and want to make sure it lasts! Thanks in advance

I would lean more towards the springs rather than the lifters. On the 5sfe they use bucket style lifters, so theres really not a whole lot that could go wrong there. A weak spring / bad spring would make more noise than the lifters. If anything, pull the valve cover off and check to make sure everything is tight

[tacosteelersman]

It is almost impossible to diagnose a tick without hearing it, check youtube for the same sound or post a video. The injectors themselves make some noise, and so do many other things.

[inzel]

I will do that for sure. I will try to take a video and post it on here... So do I need to worry about anything with the spring? Will it bust or something like that?

[Mister_Perkins]

It could get too weak and bust, but it could also let the Valve drop and could do some major engine damage if not taken care of. Could even be like Taco is sayin and being a noisy injector. A video would help.

To pinpoint where the noise is coming from, I suggest getting a dowel rod about 1 inch in diameter and 12-16" long and placing it flat against the valve cover at different positions. Put your ear against the flat spot on the dowel rod and listen for the sound your hearing. If its louder in one area opposed to another area, you'll have a better idea where the noise is coming from.

Instead of a dowel rod you could also use a stethoscope, but a chunk of wood will do too.

[inzel]

Ok cool I will do that as soon as I can. Probably this weekend. I really appreciate the help. I was planning on sending you a private message about this because you seem to know a lot about these cars. Pretty cool that you responded so I didnt have to pm anyways

[inzel]

Alright so I made a short video and uploaded it to my site. Here is a link:

Video

Please let me know what you think.

Thank you in advance

[bdy0003]

Rod knock?

[agni]

Originally Posted by inzel

Alright so I made a short video and uploaded it to my site. Here is a link:

Video

Please let me know what you think.

Thank you in advance

It sounds like valve train noise to me, though I'm not an expert. My 5S-FE makes a quite similar sound, and becomes much more noticeable when the engine is warmer. Is this the case with yours? I definitely agree that it is an annoyance at the very least. I started a thread about it with a video here: Ticking - Possible Valve Issue? (w/ video)

I've prodded around with a long screw driver, listening through the valve cover, cylinder head, block, etc. and the ticking sound is most prominent on the valve cover, right above the exhaust valves for cylinders 1 and 2. Everywhere else on the valve cover I just hear a dull hum, and a faint ticking noise. I didn't hear any knocking or tapping through the side of the block, which leads me to believe it is not rod knock. I suppose the noise COULD be originating at the rod bearings and traveling up through the head. There is obviously more mass (cast iron) to the block, which would shield the noise.

As far as the exact cause is concerned, it could be that the valves are out of adjustment. My valve clearances were fine when I checked them, though. A weak or deformed spring would also make sense, as Perkins said. I also recently came across an old technical service bulletin which might be related. It was published on Jan 17 1997, and the summary reads "INTERAL ENGINE NOISE WHEN IDLING AT NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE." I can't find the full report though, maybe someone here has access to these?

[inzel]

Well I really dont think that it is a rod knocking. The motor has less than 5k on it and the noise will disappear if I hold the idle at like 1k rpm. It sits at about 500 or less.... Do you think that the whole problem is that the idle is too low? If so how do I adjust it?

Here is a video of it while its cold:

Video

And here is one when it is warmed up again inside my garage:

Video 2

Excuse the really great camera angles lol I was just trying to get it closer so the sound would be more clear. The video makes it sound much louder than it is too. It is more of a tick, like low on oil or something like that... not a banging sound haha... hope this makes some sense!

[inzel]

Hey Agni... it sounds exactly like that actually. Your video and mister perkins' videos sound just like what mine is doing. That makes me feel better. I was thinking about tackling the valves myself. Seems like an interesting project to me anyways.

Any other ideas or thoughts out there?

[agni]

It does appear that your engine also makes the noise only when warm, which really puzzles me. If it was a defective spring, I would think that the noise would be there regardless of temperature.

I recently came across a good DIY on replacing valve seals without removing the head (http://www.lextreme.com/valve_seals.html). It is done on a UZFE but I think the valve design is basically the same. Seems kind of risky though . . .

[inzel]

Think it could be just the idle then? Im baffled. The car runs great, fires up right away each time, I am getting around 30mpg, no smoke, nothing... Just a ticking noise when Im below 900 rpm...