Ticking Noise On A 2003 4.2 D4D

[Sensei]

My D4D usually makes more noise than I'd like, but recently it started making a destinctive ticking noise when pushing the gas pedal. There was no sound on little or max gas. A friend helped me by removing the top cover and measuring the valve clearances. They are within the limits, although a few are on the border. After putting everything together, the ticking sound seems to appear only when letting off the gas or when giving very little gas. Might it be the injectors? Here's a video with sound:

[gjnorthall]

Manual or auto? Does the noise occur only when driving or can it be replicated with the car stationary. On the face of it - it does sound like a valve train noise - when was the timing belt last replaced?

[Sensei]

Manual transmission.

Noise only occurs when in gear. Not in neutral and revving.

Timing belt (+ water pump, clutch and flywheel) was replaced 3-4 months ago, and I've driven ~ 6 000 km since then. The noise appeared overnight a few days ago.

Car is now at 195 500 km.

[doujoy1944]

Hi to all,

I have heard a noise like this before but not on a Toyota it was while I worked for Renault UK and it turned out to be a loose timing belt tensioner which had not been tightened onto the face of the engine block, and the reason it did not click or rattle all the time was because it was spring loaded and would settle down when a steady speed was reached.

Doug.

[gjnorthall]

It certainly sounds like valve gear noise - was the tensioner / idle pulley replaced with the belt? Are you certain that the dished washer was fitted the right way around behind the crankshaft pulley? Valve gear isn't really affected by engine load so doesn't entirely tie in with no noise in neutral and revving.

[Sensei]

It was a timing belt kit, so I do believe all the associated parts were replaced as well. This was done by a garage so I don't know the details. I'm not familiar with the dished washer you are mentioning either, so can't answer about that.

[Sensei]

Garage listened to the injectors and think two of them are making noises. Can anything be done with this or do I just have to get new ones? Local Toyota charges roughly £1900 for the two.

[gjnorthall]

The symptoms you describe don't altogether align with noisy injectors. Nevertheless all injectors tick - caused by the internal shuttle opening and closing. Some BMWs, for example, suffer from exceptionally noisy injectors - they go on forever being noisy but drive owners nuts. It can be misleading listening with a stethoscope or similar - it's difficult to tell abnormally loud ones from ones with a normal ticking noise. Injectors are expensive - you can get reconditioned Denso ones for around £150 each - don't know where Toyota gets £1900 for two!

Get a diesel injection specialist to have a look at your car. If it confirms an injector issue - I'd suggest getting the 4 units ultrasonically cleaned, calibrated and function tested. Any suspect injectors can be refurbished by replacing pintles, valves or valve seats. It's important to test and calibrate the four injectors to prevent out of balance issues. I've seen loads of problems resulting from replacing just one or two injectors. Many injection specialists do a mail order turnaround on injectors.

[jase hutch]

Sensei , I had to have two injectors replaced on my Rav last year , the problem was a slight diesel knock caused by no pilot injection !

The work was done by a local diesel specialist and the total bill was just over £1000 but it has transformed the car ! I don't know where you're based but the company was "Malvern Diesels" and I can't recommend them highly enough !

[Sensei]

I'm located in Bergen, Norway. How has it transformed the car? Apart from the noise, I have no complaints (don't know anything about the fuel economy though). Do you know if they just replaced the injectors, or did they have to register them in the ECU or something? I really dont think the non-Toyota garage where my car's at can do that.

[jase hutch]

It's just made it so much quieter in general ! Yes , the injectors need calibrating when re fitting !

[Sensei]

I got four new injectors from Parts-King at under half the price compared to norwegian toyota dealer. Ticking noise is all gone now. :D