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Weird noise and excessive fuel consumption.

11K views 30 replies 5 participants last post by  nimster64  
#1 ·
Hi, its been a while that my engine was making this noise. :ugh3:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1T6h9WtIkw&feature=youtu.be

And my car was also being drinking a lot of fuel since a while too, like 15L/100km when i am careful with the gas pedal. :thumbsdow

But now im tired of that and i was wondering if that noise could be the reason of that fuel consumption, but i dont remember if both problem started at the same time. :confused:

I changed the spark plug, the old one was getting rusty, no help on fuel consumption, or barely if it does.

There is no check engine light.

Any idea? :disappoin

Thanks. :)
 
#2 ·
Hard to tell from the video whether that's a hissing or grinding noise.

If it's hissing, that's a pretty hellacious vacuum or exhaust leak. Given the fuel consumption issue, I'd lean toward vacuum leak.

If it's grinding, I have to ask, when's the last time you changed your oil?
 
#6 ·
Part of the hissing is going to be coming from the air filter -- changing to a CAI/ShortRAM intake will do that. However, the first video link you posted suggests more than just a sound from the CAI. Definitely sounds like a vaccuum leak.

Check all of your vaccuum hoses... check your intake manifold to make sure the gasket isn't leaking. Throttle body, bypass hoses, valve cover, pcv valve.

Poor fuel mileage would definitely be caused by a vaccuum leak particularly if it's in the intake. However, if you don't find a vaccuum leak and all hoses appear to be good (intake is good, etc.), check your upstream O2 sensor and MAF. Either of those not behaving normally will absolutely trash your gas mileage and may not necessarly throw a CEL.
 
#10 · (Edited)
That actually sounds fairly normal... these engines for whatever reason like to chatter a lot at higher mileages... either that or I seriously need to fix something with my engine. When I pull my valve cover the only thing I really see is a bit of varnish... no sludge or major carbon deposits and no apparent wear on the cam lobes or lifters.


Whats is the best way to find these problem?
Best way? Pull off the manifold and replace the gasket. Another way to do it that I hesitate to try is to spray carb cleaner around the various vaccuum hose connections and throttle/intake gasket surfaces while the engine is running. If you hear the engine rev you know you've found a vaccuum/intake leak. I hesitate to suggest it simply because of the possibility of fire and I don't know if it could cause damage with these engines... someone will have to clarify that.


What should i do about the cold air intake if its the case?
Nothing... that's part of why people install these systems in the first place.

Isnt the car has a stock short ram intake?
No.

Notice the rest of the air cleaner assembly still remaining in the engine bay? It continues all the way down underneath the battery and has an intake tube at the front of the engine bay behind the headlight. That's not a short-ram intake.

How can i flush the motor?
Marvel Mystery Oil or AutoRX. I've found MMO to work somewhat better than AutoRX. That, and it's a hell of a lot cheaper.

If i have to change my intake i will have to buy something like that?

http://www.carid.com/1998-toyota-corolla-air-filters/weapon-r-air-intake-284564.html
That intake will likely have even more of a whooshing sound. In all seriousness, though, I would just stick with the stock airbox/aircleaner. You get better fuel economy and better power at the lower end of the power range. A whole 5HP at 5000 RPM's is hardly worth the headache. Although, it does look really cool!

You probably noticed that i am using an custom air filter, and to prevent the check engine to light up, i took the sensor and pluged it back without a filter, does it mater?
Yes. Without that MAF in the correct place, your engine computer has no idea how much air is actually entering the engine. The fact that it's running at all means that it's probably running in open-loop mode but the fact that the CEL hasn't popped up is interesting to me.

I just took a closer look at your videos and I see three issues.

1) Your MAF isn't hooked up to anything. Your engine will run like crap (amazed it's running at all) like that.

2) That's why you're getting a lot of that hissing sound -- the stock air hose isn't designed to for that type of filter and you're probably getting some air leakage around the air filter base in addition to the normal hissing/whoosing noise those types of filters create.

3) If you want to install a CAI/Short ram intake, you need to use the supplied tubes for it. Sticking on a filter like that is not the way to achieve what I think you're trying to do. And, more than likely, it's what's causing that loud hissing/whooshing sound. The tubes supplied with the K&N and Weapon-R kits like the one you linked to are designed to include the MAF in the air stream also.

Also, my car has 2 sensor right? 1 before the catalytic and 1 after?
Depends on which sensors you're talking about. It sounds like you're talking about your oxygen (O2) sensors... so yes, there are two. One on the downpipe right after the exhaust manifold and one on the exhuast pipe between the cat and the resonator. That, of course, doesn't include the dozen or so other sensors that are part of these cars.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Whats is the best way to find these problem?

What should i do about the cold air intake if its the case? Isnt the car has a stock short ram intake?

How can i flush the motor?

If i have to change my intake i will have to buy something like that?

http://www.carid.com/1998-toyota-corolla-air-filters/weapon-r-air-intake-284564.html

You probably noticed that i am using an custom air filter, and to prevent the check engine to light up, i took the sensor and pluged it back without a filter, does it mater?

Also, my car has 2 sensor right? 1 before the catalytic and 1 after?
 
#12 ·
Regarding the ticking sounding normal, I know it's certainly not normal on a vvt-i ZZ-1FE, as leakyseals explained to me a couple days ago. I'm betting he can chime in with an explanation of why it's not normal on the non-vvt-i ZZ-1FE we're discussing in this thread. This isn't an 8th gen Accord we're talking about or yes, I'd say it was normal.

I would recommend a Kreen flush, leakyseals might be able to explain better how to go about that (or why you, in particular, should not). If you're not comfortable with Kreen (BITOG members LOVE the stuff and it's well-touted here, as well) after reading up on it, then yes, MMO or AutoRX, in that order. Don't overdo it on the MMO, as it WILL mess up your O2 sensors and/or cat if you use too much. As directed, it won't hurt a thing.

Good to know it's not grinding or chattering. Out of curiosity, what oil change interval do you run? It has no bearing on anything in this thread, just my own curiosity.
 
#14 ·
I got the car about 5 mouth ago, it was at 186km, ive made like 7000km with the current oil, i changed it, all the oil was there, but it was pretty black, i changed it 2000-3000km ago,

So the best way to find the leak is to use wd-40 and shoot up everywhere?
 
#15 ·
No... you're asking for a fire doing that. You should inspect all vaccuum hoses and check all areas with intake gaskets. If you're going to use anything to rev up the engine, use carb cleaner, not WD-40. And, only spray it in very targeted places... don't just spray it anywhere and everywhere.
 
#18 ·
I just listened to those 2 videos again. It sounds like 2 completely different cars. One, the hissing sounds more like a bearing noise, because it does not change when you rev it. Bearings are alternator, waterpump, things along the serp belt. When bearings warm up the metal expands, the noise subsides. the second its dieseling which would indicate low oil pressure on a non-vvt-i. Are you using conventional oil?
 
#20 ·
Good call, this is why I asked if it was hissing or grinding.

I wouldn't call the vvt-i noise dieseling, but then I didn't look at the 2nd video yet, so I'm not sure what the exact noise is.

I'll second what leakyseals said above and suggest if you're not using a decent quality synthetic, switch to one. He steered me toward Mobil 1 High Mileage, for its excellent cleaning properties, though I ended up going with Penzoil Ultra for its similar cleaning properties and API SN rating. Either of those are good choices, though leakyseals has a history of using Mobil 1 and I'm just starting with the Penzoil (less than 100 miles on it so far) so there's more known history with leakyseals' preference.

If you follow the advice above, make sure to direct the credit where it is due, not to me. :thumbsup:
 
#22 · (Edited)
Alright, you have 2 things going on here.

1) Hissing sound. If there is a vacuum leak bad enough to hear usually that is accompanied by a rough idle. Video shows pretty smooth idle. Could it be a tight or warn bearing when cold? maybe. would think noise somewhere along the serp belt. Could it just be what the car sounds like on startup with that CAI? Yes. The ECU on that car is constantly adjusting the idle based on RPM's, temperature, etc. The adjustments are made by your MAP, 02, temp sensors, and others. At cold start your using more air, idled up slightly (1500rpm?). But the TB plates are closed. How do you get more air? The IAC valve opens. And what does air going through that small IAC hole sound like? A vacuum leak. We cant hear that noise on the factory intake. Very likely with the CAI, but I'm honestly not sure. Only way to know that is put the factory box on and start it cold.

2) The dieseling when warm. Similar to a ticking, like a clackity clack. For my corolla and the camry it was a varnish/carbon/gunky buildup that hampered valve and lifter seating. Nothing required adjustment. Once I cleaned that up, engine became quiet as a mouse. Perhaps over the miles with regular oil you've got some buildup. There are motor oils heavy in cleaners, there are also additives you can use depending on where you live. I prefer a combination of the two. Do that for an oil change then go back to the regular oil if you want.

Hope this made sense..
 
#24 ·
Alright, this is the only store in my city that could have stuff for cleaning.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/3/AutoFluidsChemicals/FuelTreatments.jsp

What would you recomend to me to fix the number 2)?
2 types of cleaning additives would be used...

1) In the gas - Gumout Regane is one of the few that has PEA, put that in the gas. Note: only the REGANE gumout has the PEA.

2) In the oil - Running a straight synthetic like Mobil 1 or Pennzoil Platinum will solve a lot of your problems over time. But wow, its expensive up there. So what oil additive can you use to clean? Kreen is what I use but you cant get that up there. So I looked for an additive similar. Not a 5 min flush, an additive that blends with the oil, has time to work is the best method. Duralube Sludge Away looks good. Its a new product Specifically created for sludge removal. Just keep topping off the oil with that stuff over the course of an oil change, see what happens.