99 4cyl 2.2L Loud whining noise when cold

[Bill_H2003]

Hello,

If you are having this similar problem then you have my sympathy. I have just taken my car in for service call number 7. Still cannot locate the source of the noise and Toyota still suggests that the noise is normal for this engine.

They do not have a response when I mention that the noise was not there before and therefore cannot be normal. They also have little response when I mention that other cars with the same engine do not have the same noise.

To fix this "normal" noise, the dealership has replaced and upgraded the belt tensioner pulley, idler pulley, timing belt and water pump. They have also, at my request, cleaned the throttle body and the injectors. The noise is still there without change.

On service call 7, the service manager and mechanic were both outside with me for this early morning startup. I focused their attention on the front area near the alternator and water pump where the exhaust tubes are under the silver protective hood. I asked if those pipes could be cracked or the gasket leaking to cause the loud noise. They said it sounded more like a bearing whine then air leak. After they felt around with their hands for air movement, they said it was fine and once again claimed that everything was normal.

I suppose service call number 8 is close at hand, but I would sure like some other options as to where I should look for this "bearing whine". So, in the meantime I am still scratching my head as I lift the hood each morning and search.

Should you have some success at locating the source, please contact me. I am extremely interested in how you get along locating this most irritating problem.

Take care,
Bill

[csaxon]

This from one of my tech manuals. "Suppose a competent tech replaces a 2.2’s t-belt and adjusts it by the book. Then surprise! The new belt seems loose on the sprockets even though all the travel in the tensioner is taken up. Plus, the belt is noticeably noisier than those on earlier 2.2s. Several sources told us they’ve installed an updated tensioner spring Toyota released for this engine, but it had no effect on the noise or the slack in the belt.
If you favor an OE belt, be aware that Toyota finally issued a revised timing belt for the 2.2 that cures most, if not all, of the noise we’ve just described. Note, however, that this new belt has the same part number as the old one! By now, the chances of a parts guy handing you the previous belt are pretty slim, but you never know. When in doubt, Toyota’s serial number will tell you if it’s the updated t-belt. Look for the set of white serial numbers on the belt. For example, the white printing on the belt I have in my hand right now says 10 R0 127 MADE IN USA 382. You’re interested in the characters on the extreme left and extreme right of this serial number:
. •10 indicates the day, so this belt was made on the 10th of the month.
. •R indicates the month, so the belt was made in October (see the following chart):

January V
February U
March L
April C
May A
June N
July I
August Z
September E
October R
November M
December B

. •0 indicates the year (9 means1999, 0 means 2000).
. •382 on the extreme right is the build number.

Any belt manufactured on 01 B 9 (Dec. 1, 1999) with a build number greater than 316 is the revised belt. Furthermore, any belt made after Dec. 1, 1999 is okay, too."

[smarisetty]

Hi Bill,

I am sorry for you to begin with. I have not see a mechanic yet and hoping to learn from your experience. In general, I have never had much luck with dealer-mechanics in the past with intermittent problems like these. They are very good at doing rountine maintenance jobs and rip your money out. Once I had to go 10 times to the dealer before my problem was identified by a cheap garage mechanic without even looking at the problem, for $0 charge.

In the past, Toyota dealer had me made several trips and I finally identified the problem from the TSB on www.nhtsa.gov. Check this site out and see if there any such customer complaints.

What we are seeing is probably an issue with the timing belt. The mechanics at the dealership are just a bunch of loosers, else they would be doing something else in their life (like having their own garage), waiting to rip-you out.

I will try to fix the problem myself (will learn how do do it), but have to first identify the cause.

sm

[Bill_H2003]

Originally Posted by csaxon

This from one of my tech manuals. "Suppose a competent tech replaces a 2.2’s t-belt and adjusts it by the book. Then surprise!

<snip>

Any belt manufactured on 01 B 9 (Dec. 1, 1999) with a build number greater than 316 is the revised belt. Furthermore, any belt made after Dec. 1, 1999 is okay, too."

Thank you for this information. I will print this out and take it with me to service call number 8.

However, I have one quick question. Is there anyway I could get a look at the numbers on the belt that is installed on the car right now without removing the belt?

Take care,
Bill

[csaxon]

The upper timing belt cover and gasket are held on by screws but you might want to call the parts dept where the belt was replaced and have them check the lot numbers of the belts they have in stock. You would think they are using the newer belt but they may have had some of the old.

[ratnfested]

The wifes 97 makes a noise when cold too. Its a 4cyl, bought with 97k and now it has 166k. It runs good for the most part but has been giving us a bit of trouble lately. I need to clean the EGR, IAC, test the CTS and replace the O2 sensor (code/light for that) and hopefully it will be better.

[smarisetty]

My problem was root caused to the water pump, which is driven by the timing belt. Don't wait til the timing belt comes off. Have the water pump changed.

My timing belt came loose after the water pump bearing became loose, on the freeway.

Now my car smokes a lot on cold start. Looks like the breaking of timing belt has done something to the heads.

[corvair]

The breaking of the timing belt / waterpump has nothing to do with the smoke on start up.

You need valve seals or your engine is sludged AND you need valve seals.

[corvair]

2 things will cause the whine from a timing belt. 1 the timing belt was reused. 2 it is too tight.

[smarisetty]

the smoking of car at cold start is very severe and started all of a sudden. I know there is a recall on 97 model camry due to engine sludging. Do you think this could be due to this problem.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/t191631.html

[corvair]

yup, and it isn't a recall.

[Bill_H2003]

Originally Posted by corvair

2 things will cause the whine from a timing belt. 1 the timing belt was reused. 2 it is too tight.

Toyota seems to disagree with you. My timming belt has a very loud whine when cold and even whines when the engine is hot during acceleration. I have complained to Toyota on several occasions and they claim the whine is perfectly normal.

After reading other replies concerning your same comments, I returned to the Toyota dealership and requested the timming belt be replaced and that I would assume all costs (No warrenty claim). They refused saying that at 63,000kms I was way too early and the whine was perfectly normal.

I have done nothing further and I'm disgusted with Toyota and there lack of interest in this very obvious and easy to hear problem.

[jpgardiner]

ive had this problem many times at toyota.have they checked the sump for damage or removed the sump to check for a blocked strainer.does the noise sound like a power steering pump with no oil?if it does you can bet the strainer in the sump is blocked or the sump is hitting on the strainer[oil pickup]the oil light does not always come on. the noise normally goes away when warm because the oil is thinner. i work at Toyota Australia and had this problem before when people do not do regular oil changes..without listening it is hard to tell but give this a go and let me know

[smarisetty]

Bill,

I think your problem may be similar to what I had. The noise was bad at cold. It was the bearing (I think) on the water pump that went bad. Sure, my problem happended at about 60K miles. It is not really the timing belt issue, but the pass over of the timing belt over the water pump.

Corvair: I agree it is not a recall. The problem I have is that I maintain my own car and do very regular oil changes, say every 3 months, no matter what.

How do I produce records to show service/oil change to claim the extended warranty (or what ever you call it) for sludge problem.

Wonder if any DIY successfully got Toyota to take care of this problem. I sure did have lots of problems with my 97, very early on:

1. Front Strut assembly (TBS)
2. Water Pump
3. Now sludge

All of this within 70K miles.

[calvic]

For what its worth, mine was making a similar noise. Mine was caused by a leaking power steering pump hose. The noise was caused by air in the system. After the thing warmed up air was gone and it was quite. You could check this by turning steering wheel hard left and right while its making this noise. Mine would get noisier. Just something to check.

JJ