Strange Noise From My Engine.

[BALIKBAYAN]

When I parked my Avensis during the Monday evening last week I noticed a strange noise from the engine. I have tried to locate the noise, but the only I have found out is it might be from the free end where the belt for generator and waterpump is. I have tried to listen to the engine itself with the old fashioned way with a screwdriver to between my head and the engine. I could not hear any abnormal noise from the upper part of the engine. I have also tried to find out if there is any abnormal readings with the code reader and my cellphone hooked up with the car. Everything looked normal. Ofcourse I have checked all the fluidlevels too.

I have had it serviced in early December last year with new filters, oil and sparkplugs etc.... 2 weeks before that I had to change the generatorbelt because the old one snapped and I had planned to change it when I was doing the service. The coolant got a bit warm. It was at the upper end of the gauge, but I have no coolant loss after that incident. I checked the coolantlevel very often a few weeks after that, because I was afraid that the engine might had any damage like headgasket. Now I am suspecting that the waterpump might be the one that cause the noise. It is mostly heard during low rpm like idling.

Could anyone let me know their opinion about this?

The car is a 2004 with a 2 lit petrol engine.

[Raistlin]

Can you describe the noise...

[jaybird1]

Is it like a "tinkling sound" I have that on my Avensis d4d 2002 but nothing seems amiss

[BALIKBAYAN]

Thanx for the answers. I was away with work last week and had no time to co inue this thread.

I will try to attach a video so you can hear the engine. In my opinion it has become worse . I was not permitted to upload the file. I am too lousy to describe the sound.

[Mike169]

Hi and hello.

A tinkling sound can often be the water pump or the alternator fan, are you ok with taking off the belt that goes around either/both and see if the noise still persists when starting the engine for a short time time only obviously, and also giving you the chance to spin both by hand to listen to see if either is making a strange noise?

Regards Mike169

[cmia]

i suspect the tingly sound is going to be released to one of the pullies.

as above as long as the engine sounds fine.

dont worry about it.

[jaybird1]

Thanks for the info. I will check this out, not urgent though, had it for a while but sounds like your on the right track

[Mike169]

I'd keep an eye on your coolant level as if it's the water pump then very probably it will be leaking a bit and you may see coolant under your car when you switch off....................any vehicle will get slightly hotter immediately after it is switched off due to the lack of cooling air passing through the system and leaks will show up.

[jaybird1]

Thanks for that. Coolant level and charging voltage regularly checked, as you would with a vehicle of 162k on the clock. All well with the old girl

[rob virgo]

Have 217k on my d4d Tspirit and recently had an eng rattle on idle and low revs, in my case it's the a/c pump bearings on the way out, mega money to repair so a belt for a non a/c car fitted bypassing the pump is on order...

[cosmicbagel]

I have same symptoms on my Avensis 2004 1.8 petrol (99,000 miles) and have identified the A/C pump bearing the cause of the problem. A short belt to bypass the pump only option now until I can arrange a fix. I think it is possible to replace the pulley bearing separately leaving the rest of the pump in situ.

[Mike169]

Hi, i replied earlier on this post. I very much go for the A/C pump bearing starting to fail as in my previous posts i was seeing if you could take the water pump/alternator belt off to see if the noise stopped as it sounds like a rotary noise and the bearing failing on something and that may have a fan on it? I did not know that your vehicle had air con. so this is also a very likely cause of your strange noise. I suspect it you just 'leave it' eventually it will seize up the bearing and it will make the air con. pump scrap and a replacement will be very costly. I support the idea of fitting a shorter belt to by pass the A/C pump until you can get a new bearing fitted to the pump to prevent further damage, this may well be able to be done on the car without removal, the price of a new shorter belt should save you a small fortune in the long run. If you can't change the bearing yourself you may have to use Google or similar to located a local air con. refurbishing firm, engineering shop close to you, if you can't fit a shorter A/C yourself i am sure many local mechanics can do a simple job like that.

Let us all know how it all goes.

Regards Mike169

[jaybird1]

The sound is intermittent. I will run with the aircon activated and also use the old trick of listening through a screwdriver to the pump. Thanks for the info

[BALIKBAYAN]

The noise has increased and I went to Toyota yesterday on my way home. When the engine is cold it sounds terrible. They listened and they did not like the noise. They could not tell me where the noise come from, but they will have a closer look next Friday afternoon. I believe that it might be the waterpump or one of the pulleys for the belt. In worst case it might be something with the crankshaft. I have 180 500 km (112 000 miles) on the clock.

I went to Toyota because I feel sorry for them because they might close their business here.

[cmia]

The noise has increased and I went to Toyota yesterday on my way home. When the engine is cold it sounds terrible. They listened and they did not like the noise. They could not tell me where the noise come from, but they will have a closer look next Friday afternoon. I believe that it might be the waterpump or one of the pulleys for the belt. In worst case it might be something with the crankshaft. I have 180 500 km (112 000 miles) on the clock.

I went to Toyota because I feel sorry for them because they might close their business here.

any sound clips ?

[BALIKBAYAN]

I let the local toyota workshop have a look at it. It is the waterpump that sounds terrible. It was an expensive fault finding search. About 40 minutes and £40. I am considering to change the pump my self.

[Mike169]

Get yourself a cuppa and watch this 45 min video clip, it may help you decide if you are up for the job.

Enjoy, Mike

[BALIKBAYAN]

Thanx for the video link. I have read the workshop manual today. And it doesn't seem too difficult. I guess the difficult thing is to get a cheap waterpump and the time needed to change it.

[Raistlin]

Toyota... Cheap

I'm sorry you seem to have got that wrong

[BALIKBAYAN]

That seems to be an easy operation on a Corolla. I hope it is as easy on the Avensis. The workshop manual talks about using a special tool when loosen the waterpump pulley.

Raistlin: Who said it has to be original spareparts, but I prefer to use Toyota parts.