Hello,
I have a 2006 4Runner with the 4.0 liter v6. The vehicle has about 12,000 miles on it and at about 8-9,000 miles the engine began to develop a noticeable tick. The tick is coming from the left bank (Drivers Side) and from what appears to be the center cylinder. The problem is intermittent but noticeable about 80% of the time. It does not seem to matter how the vehicle is driven but the tick is only noticeable when at full operating temp.
I have exhausted my resources for investigating this and have concluded that the problem is injectors or valve train. When using a stethoscope you can here it very well between the two cams above the center cylinder on the driver’s side. The right side has never sounded this way and has only sounded like a typical quad cam aluminum engine with normal valve and injector chatter. I have brought the vehicle into the dealer 2 times and I was told this was normal. On my third visit I was a little more aggressive and all the sudden they to could here this noticeable tick. The dealership suspected that this was the result of a bad injector. They claimed that they would need to contact Toyota about this before they could proceed with the repair. After 5 days (Long story) I was contacted by the dealer and they informed me that Toyota was working on this and that it may be linked with the manifolds or something???? OK, I believe that for about one minute. Considering that a manifold problem would not be so sporadic nor would the noise be so centralized above the center cylinder.
I have attempted to solution this self with doing the following:
1. Driving light, Moderate, Aggressive
2. Converted to Mobil 1
3. Different fuel types including blends
I could type all night explaining how I have tried to solution this and have came up empty handed. I would like to add though that this is my first post and thanks to all of you and this site I have been able to research and educate myself on some of the issues.
Can anyone help and does anyone have a detailed schematic of the valve train and injectors for this engine. I would like to continue to document and develop my theories?
dkrueger9, I have the exact same condition as you on my '06 4R. Can't really hear it unless vehicle is under some sort of load.
When at idle, the injectors are noisy but the "exhaust tick" is different from that.
Doing as much research as you, I found (as did Toyota) that the exhaust manifolds are "thin" according to Toyota. They, Toyota knows about this condition. There is actually a TSB (#EG021-06) for the Tacoma for replacing both manifolds to correct this problem. Why Toyota doesn't apply this TSB to the 4R is beyond me...same engine.
The TSB reads; "2005-2006 model year Tacoma vehicles........." "Some customers may experience a ticking or tapping-type noise from the engine area at 2000-2500 rpm during acceleration that is most noticeable after a cold soak. New exhaust manifolds have been developed to minimize this condition". Part numbers for the (new) exhaust manifolds are; RH, 17140-0P070 LH, 17150-0P070 Gaskets (2), 171173-0P010 Warranty Code, EG5027
Anyway, I've driven 3 other new '06 4R Sports and the noise is there also on those. I've called Toyota Customer Relations (1-800-331-4331) quite a few times to see/ask them to include the 4R in this TSB but no luck yet.
It could be the way the exhaust gas is flowing through that part of the left manifold is creating a noise...don't know.
But, some folks with Tacoma's have had the replacement manifolds installed and the noise has improved, others have said it stayed the same so maybe your assessment on the injector is correct.
If you find that having that injector replaced eliminates the noise, please forward that info here...that is if Toyota agrees to do the repair.
Thanks for the info. Maybe you have some info on this? I'm not certain that my noise is related to the manifolds, because it is so sporadic and the noise is never noticeable on the right side. When the noise is there I can idle the truck and hear it very clearly on the left side (tick, tick, tick) and the right sounds normal as always.
If that's the case, it probably is the injector(s). And yes, mine is also louder on the left side, injector noise that is.
I'm still convinced that in my instance, the exhaust manifold is making noise under a load.
I really hate to have Toyota replace the manifolds (under warranty) and the noise is still there.
Let me know how you make out with your dealer and replacing the injector(s).
Thanks.
The dealer passed it off as an investigation by Toyota and gave the truck back to me. They did however change my oil and replace the filter with a Toyota OEM filter and advised this moving forward. I was some what dissatisfied with this whole deal. My truck was a mess when I got it back, that seats were reclined very pimp like and oil was spilt down the right side of the engine. They were also very vague and did not give me any info on the investigation. I was told to remind them to call Toyota for updates every time I have the oil changed. The dealer was hinting on the manifolds so I printed the TSB and brought it when I picked it up. I asked them to tell me how my described problem was even close to the one on the TSB. Again, all the sudden it was not a manifold thing at all but would not say what.
When I got to work today I could here the tick and the smell of burning oil. Needless to say I was piss$#..$$&&#$## (Not Happy). I could not figure out how I let them talk me into reminding them to call and see if there was a fix for my truck. For $35,000 this should be handled and I should be made aware of what is going on. I'm not sure if Toyota was made aware of the issue I was actually having. It's seems as if the first thing Toyota suggested was the one they took and then they get to push it off as an investigation rather then actually diagnosing my problem. I decided that since this was not like this when I bought it then the problem deserves a little better attention. I contacted Toyota and explained everything including my experience with the dealer. I will be contacted in the next three days.
That's very unfortunate about how they returned your truck to you
I would have been livid!
I basically had to do the samething, that is handle doing the investigation myself instead of my dealer doing it but I've learned that to do something right...do it yourself.
After calling Toyota, it only took a day before the service manager called me to bring my 4R in.
But they won't do the manifolds since no TSB has been generated for the 4R's. At least I have it documented!!!
Good luck and keep us posted.
BTW, next time we're up at "The Port" I'll let you know.
Well, here is an update. A Toyota Expert will be in town on 02/21 to investigate my issue and I can’t wait to see what the outcome is.
Here is what the dealer wrote back to me via email after contacting Toyota, Customer relations and the service manager. Needless to say they were kind of rude and did not even address the other service issues I had during my visits.
I will keep you up to date.
B.T.W. I have read that more and more 4.0L engine owners are experiencing the same thing even after the exhaust TSB.
Thanks.
Thank you for your time and effort.
Please note, I have never asked your service team to perform repairs on my 4Runner based on (TSB EG021-06). In fact I disagreed with your team when they suspected that this was the issue. It could indeed be a problem; however I feel that this is a different issue form (TSB EG021-06). This is the type of confusion that has been so frustrating.
Please John, I’m practically begging you. When the tick is present listen to it with a stethoscope on the top of the valve cover at the center cylinder or even back towards the firewall. Careful, hurts your ears when the tick is bad. This will show that it is not normal nor is does it have the same characteristics of (TSB EG021-06).
As of right now I will say that I will be there on February, 21st 2007 at 7:30am.
Can a vehicle be available for me again? I need to be at work by 2pm. If not I will make other arrangements and or take off of work again.
Thanks again for you help!
Mr. Krueger-
I have spoke with my Toyota DPSM at length regarding your e-mail and vehicle. It is Russ Darrow and Toyota’s position that we can not and will not perform a technical service bulletin for a Tacoma on your 4runner. However, we have contacted the Toyota field engineer to examine your vehicle and determine if there is in fact a problem or if it is an operating characteristic. I heard from him this morning and he would like to examine your vehicle on the 21st of February. We would need the vehicle at the dealership by 7:30 a.m. and would request that it be left here for the duration of the day. The situation has been taken into the greatest level of consideration when we have a field engineer examine the vehicle. Generally, the decision he renders is considered final. Please advise as to the date and time listed above.
'05 Tacoma owner here with the same problem & the TSB done.
If you read this prior to your appointment, ask to see the spark plug from the driver side bank closest to the firewall. I'd like to know if the insulator is burned. Mine was at thirty thousand miles. I changed them. Am at 38,000 now and will check again soon. If that one plug insulator is burned again, this a very bad thing and...off to the dealer I go. Admittedly, I was running low octane gas then but have run nothing but the recommended expensive stuff since changing the plugs. (Low octane gas causes detonation which is evidenced by burned insulators.) Why only the one is my question and in the area of the ticking.
Also, you may be interested to know that there is a valve adjustment procedure to shim the valves to the correct tolerance.
Thank you for your reply. The more I dig into this the more I realize that there is more of an issue then just a noisy manifold. I will pull the plug and look at it be for I bring it in to the dealers tomorrow. I would like to see for my self and my faith and trust in this dealership is dwindling away.
The Toyota Field Engineer has determined that the Tick is a bit noisy and he has ordered a redesigned set of manifolds for my 4Runner. I have not hear of any one getting there manifolds replaced on a 4Runner 4.0. Still not sure if this will fix it but I am hopeful. I also read that there is a
solenoid on the driver’s side valve cover that is extremely noisy. Something for emissions. FJ owners are placing some sort of felt gasket between the unit and the valve cover and this has eliminated the tick at idle. I'm going to look for it on my 4 liter. BTW the black engine cover needs to be removed for this.
Glad to hear (no pun intended) that the engineer did determine that the noise is excessive.
I hate to have you be the "guinea pig" but if you find that the new manifolds do correct the problem, please PM me or post the part numbers (if different than the ones I posted earlier in this thread) after the repair.
The new manifolds are on and I can honestly say that there is a massive difference in sound quality. I also do not notice any changes to the nice throaty sound on heavy acceleration. I started to post this and realized that I did not have the invoice for the part numbers but I will add them.
2006 4Runner V6 4.0L Engin Tick
Linear Mode
