Just purchased a 2003 Tundra V8 three weeks ago and notice a lot of clicking noise from under the top cover. Sounds like a sewing machine. The dealers service mgr. at first told me it was from the "electronic" plugs. After I drove it 1K, I took it back in to have a mechanic listen to it. He told me that the clicking noise was valve clearence noise and I would hear some even when the valve clearence is within tolerance. He also said that if a shim were broken, I would notice a loud clicking sound. It seems to me the sound is louder when it is hot.
Does this sound reasonable or should I drive to another dealer for a second opinion. I don't want it to get worse then have to pay big bucks to have them adjusted. I also know when the adjusters are making noise the valves aren't staying open. My other concern is if they are getting oiled.
I believe my 2001 made a similar sound during a loooong breakin process. There are 32 valves under there. I would give it a few more miles. Are you still on your factory oil? Maybe make the switch to Mobil 1 5w-30? I do not believe you need a valve adjustment and a good mechanic should be able to diagnose that with a stethescope or other listening device as well as differences in your idle, mileage, etc.
Most of the Tundras have this noise. My 2000 makes the same noise and dealer kept telling me it was the valves. I stethed the valve covers and found it not to be the origin. I checked around the engine and finally stethed the fuel injectors. You can do this by placing a long screwdriver on the end of the injector and putting your ear against the handle. You'll find the noise is from this origin. Some people have replaced their injectors with aftermarkets and have had success in clearing up the noise. To me though its not a big nuisance to justify the $125 plus per injector to swap em out. Some of us including myself had bad exhaust manifolds but I don't think this is your case since it gets louder after warming up.
Yes, I am still on factory oil. Actually, it looks almost like mineral oil. I guess I am just familiar with the old dark colored oil.
I will check out the Mobil 1. The dealer is doing my oil changes for free so maybe I can supply the oil. I know he won't want to pay the price for Mobil 1. I am assuming it is a synthetic oil?
According to Toyota's website, once a synthetic oil is used a patroleum oil cannot be used again?
I'm not sure about ever going back to a mineral based oil a true statement as it doesn't make sense, chemically anyway. For your color, all oils are a light carmel color until they get some carbon deposits inbedded into it so your oil is just clean. :-) I've been happy with Mobil 1 5w-30 and once in a while you find it on sale at various car shops.
There was a time when all engines had mechanical lifters which tend to be noisy. Hydraulic valve lifters were introduced in the early 1950's. This ended valve train noise until the lifters sludged up, stopped working properly, and became noisy mechanical lifters that clicked. We seem to have come full circle back to mechanical lifters, which are far cheaper to produce, and the associated racket they inevitably make even when properly adjusted.
Engines with mechanical lifters have a much different sound than a pushrod engine with hydraulic lifters. Mechanical lifters impart a sewing machine sound. The use is tubing exhaust manifolds, as found on the Tundra, tends to amplify valve train noise whereas cast iron manifolds suppress the noise.
If the clicking you hear increases or decreases over time, you may want to consider pulling a valve cover and checking clearances.
Unless it's obvious that something is drastically wrong, I doubt that a dealer will agree to do this under warranty.
In the V6 engine, the adjusting shims are on top of the buckets (valve lifters) and can be removed and replaced with a thinner or thicker shim rather easily. In the case of the V8, the shims are under the buckets which means the camshaft(s) must be removed to allow replacement of the shim(s) -- very, very costly.
I hear the same clicking in my engine. I don't intend to worry about it until the clicking stops or gets so loud I can't hear myself think. Between now and then about all I can do to protect myself from a huge repair bill at some future date is to use the best oil and filter I can find.
Did you ever figure out what the ticking was? I am having problems with either a super loud injector or bad tolerances in the valve train even after a certified toyota dealer "adjusted" the valves.
My previous Tundra(2000) and current ('04) as well as my 99LC clatter momentarily on startup and always have. i don't pay any attention to it. I also switch back and forth between synthetic and regular oil when I find deals on synthetics. no problems there, either. The LC has 145K. If it was going to present a problem, it would have surfaced by now.
Valve "clicking" noise 2003 V8
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