Clicking Sound From Engine?

Hi, yesterday I purchased a 2001 CAMRY LE 2.2L 4CYL from a dealer with a 60 day bumper-to-bumper warranty. The engine checked out great with my mechanic and I did not hear anything unusual. Today, after driving about 50 miles, I noticed a clicking sound coming from the engine.

I videotaped it, with sound, here: http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=2001-TOYOTA-CAMRY-LE


What, if anything, should I do? Is this normal after running the engine a while? I'm not a mechanic, but it sounds like something is off. I wish I could have videotaped what the engine sounded like yesterday -- quiet and smooth.

Thanks!

No, it's not normal.

How's your oil level? Have you checked it since you started hearing that noise? Pull the valve cover and see if there are any abnormal deposits under it.

Ahhhh I could write a book, just toooo muuch information to convey to not "random" troubleshoot that LoL!

It's obviously something rotating.
Definately check the oil level!


With it running, don't be afraid to lean over and stick your ear next to the engine. Once you figure out what direction it's comming from, it get's rather easy to cross out the parts list!

If you want, take another video, and reach over and pull the throttle open a few times so it revs up. Also, run the camera real close all around the engine itself so we can tell where the sound is comming from!

(Obviously don't touch anything hot, stick an appendage in a moving belt, or drop something metal between the + - battery posts, otherwise you can't hurt yourself!)





What Brian told you is something I hope you do. Take the valve cover off! No directions needed, 10mm bolts, spark plug wires, real straight foreward stuff!
Sounds like the lifter buckets are slapping to me. May be just a belt problem, understand it's actually easy to pinpoint by ear, but hard in a video!

When you pull the valve cover, set it down so it still convers the internal intermesh gears that turn the camshafts, but most of the valves, buckets are uncovered (I.E. rotate it 90*).
Don't worry about oil going everywhere, there is very little flow in Toyota heads, the only oil that will go anywhere is what the gears sling off, which is why I want you to kind of cover them.

Crank the engine & let it idle.
If the ticking is comming from right there, take a little bit of oil and drizzle it on the lifter buckets. If the noise stopped, you just found the lifter bucket that's slapping the side of the housing / or a valve that needs to be adjusted (not rare, but not common on modern Toyota's, they go a long way before they really need to have them checked)




Lastly, had any mechanical work done lately? Oil, valves, belts, pumps, distributor, alt, practically anything else that rotates.

It sounds to me like it's all of the lifters.

well, guys, i will have my mechanic check it out tomorrow....will let you guys know what we find.

just checked the oil....looks great, and its full (actually the oil was about an inch above the full level line).

just checked the oil....looks great, and its full (actually the oil was about an inch above the full level line).
An inch above the full level line is way too much oil.The camry 2.2 litre engine takes 4 litres of oil with oil filter change.The camry 3.0 litre engine takes 5 litres of oil with oil filer change.So looks like you got 5 litres of oil in your 2.2 litre engine instead of 4 L. Too much oil in the crank case is no good,the crank shaft will be hitting the oil causing oil forming after the engine been running for awhile especially at highway speed.Forming oil contains lot of air bubbles ,making it hard for the oil -pump to pump enough oil to the top end of the engine.When the lifters don"t get enough oil ,they will be making ticking noise.

great, i hope this problem is fixable without any damage to the engine. like i said, i have a bumper-to-bumper warranty for 60 days, so should i be worried about anything? i will have this fixed tomorrow. thanks!

took it to the dealer and they replaced the accy belts. also changed the oil. i will do another video when i get a chance and compare the sounds....it still sounds a bit noisier than before, but its probably in my head. anyways, it was free, so that was nice!

I wasn't worried about the quality of the oil. I was trying to get you to check the under the valve covers for sludge. The engine in that car is known to be very hard on oil. If the previous owner went according to the recommended oil change interval, then there is a good chance there is a lot of sludge build-up. This would make it necessary to clean out the engine. See the first post in the FAQ thread. If the sludge is blocking the oil pump pickup, you better find out.

i will do this with my mechanic. i need to have him check the spark plugs anyways. thanks!

I dont know if this applies to you but i also have a clicking/rattle sound with my 2004 Camry LE V4 and i been reading up on the problems with the Gen 5 and they mostly state that the problem is with the intake manifold. your intake manifold could be cracked which is causing it to make a clicking sound.

Here is a link from Popular Mechanics on the Gen 5 Camry
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/sub_care_clinic/1608802.html

Here is another link from MSN auto
http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/Reliability.aspx?year=2003&make=Toyota&model=Camry&trimid=-1&src=VIP&tab=6&sub=-1

no, i think the sound is pretty normal now. i have the new video so you can compare the two to see what changed.

before accy belts changed: http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=2001-TOYOTA-CAMRY-LE

after accy belts changed (note both fans running in this video, hot florida summer heat!): http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=2001-TOYOTA-CAMRY-LE-016

ok after looking at the video and listening to it, thats not how mine sound.