Top end noise from freshly rebuilt 1.6 - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

E.Murray · 01-15-2010, 02:23 PM

I finally got the 1.6 rebuilt and put back in my '94. I've put about 150 miles on it and it has a lot more noise from the valvetrain than I remember. Everything else seems good. It has good power (well, as good as a 1.6 gets...) and sounds good otherwise. There's just a persistent very fast "tick tick tick" at idle that I can hear over the radio. I'm nervous to keep driving it since it seems to be getting louder the longer I drive (although I could be imagining that part). I've also had to add 2 quarts of oil already. Is that normal right after a re-build? Any ideas for what I should check?

Thanks.
Eric

topnotch · 01-15-2010, 04:59 PM

wow i had mine rebuild in december and the oil level is still good. did you check for any oil leaks? or did the mechanic put in enought oil after the rebuild? the ticking noise could probaly be coming from the tappets ,plus to remember the oil has to go up in the valve train to keep oil on the moving parts so you will have to add a lil more oil sence some of it will stay in the head, plus too you have to put in some slow drive time to get the seals soft and everything back in proper working order.

E.Murray · 01-18-2010, 01:55 PM

The ticking is definitely a tappet-type sound. Am I not getting enough oil to the top end? What could cause that? As far as the oil consumption, it was parked in a muddy spot, so it may have leaked out. I'm not sure about that. It doesn't smoke so I don't think it's burning it. I'm much more concerned about the noise. Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks.

CRASHDRIVE · 01-18-2010, 08:27 PM

it could be anything,unless I'm with you and the car running its hard to tell, ticking noise may cause by uneven trq on the cams bearing caps to valve clearance.

when you rebuild the motor did you change the oil pump? did you make sure when you mate the block to head no object or gasket is blocking the oil path?

trife96 · 01-18-2010, 08:41 PM

Was any work done to the head in the rebuild process?

E.Murray · 01-20-2010, 03:10 PM

I had a valve job done (over $500!!) and of course new seals and the surface cleaned up. I did have the cams out about a dozen times trying to get the valve timing right. I don't have a torque wrench that goes low enough to do the caps, so I just tightened everything gradually and estimated the torque. Is it extremely critical? Even if it was wrong, why would it sound like there wasn't enough oil flow?
Also, I did put in a new (not rebuilt) oil pump and was very careful that I didn't have anything blocked when I put the head on. GRRRR

topnotch · 01-20-2010, 05:32 PM

maybe you over torque or didnt torque enough possibly the valves are hitting the valve seats to hard on what date was the engine rebuilt?

trife96 · 01-20-2010, 08:17 PM

yea, the head is pretty critical. And for $500 is a good bit. But for that much, I would have expected them to go by the book on that one. Check springs, valves, cam lobes, bearings. Then reassembly, intake and exhaust valve seals are different. And like said above. Torque specs are really important when it comes to certain parts. The head, intake and exhaust manifolds, etc. I hope they rebuilt it right. I hope that helps some. I would check the torque on that head though. Pull the valve cover. At this point, at least monitor it but if you keep noticing it get worse, I would investigate further

also wanted to mention. You said you had the cams in and out a few times. The cams need to be handled carefully. Hopefully you didn't mess them up by handling them alot. Did you have them checked???

CRASHDRIVE · 01-20-2010, 09:51 PM

Kinda hard to say I dont know if you trq the right amount when you bolted the bearing caps, too much you wont have oil clearance, too little you'll have vibrations, uneven trq kiss that cams goodbye, I don't even know if you did the right sequence when you bolted the bearing caps. here is something I want you to do lets check the cams, take your valve cover off, use a adjustable wrench to spin the cams by that hexagonal section on the cams. listen if you can find the ticking noise. it should look like this....

jaygt · 01-20-2010, 09:56 PM

im not sure why you would rebuild a engine? i just bought a 1996 7a 1.8 from japan for 350$ even. super clean inside and all acc. so 100% spare alt distrib a/c etc. unbolt the old one and stick it in. just curious.