ticking noise when at running temp

[coleb161]

Hello i have a 2012 aurion it is making a ticking noise when it gets to operating temperature its ok till them service history is good oil is good. I have seen on the internet about a middle bit in manifold coming lose but but it dose not say much about what noise it was making and one have this problem or has come across it??

[ZZT86]

Do you have an audio clip ?

[Tony Prodigy]

 

On 8/21/2020 at 12:35 PM, coleb161 said:

it is making a ticking noise when it gets to operating temperature its ok till them

Definitely need to hear the situation. Try and hone in on the spot you think the noise is coming from. Are you able to provide a clear video ?

Does it do it on a cold start up or ONLY when hot ?? Not sure what you mean sorry.

There could be a multitude of possibilities with ticking noises.

[coleb161]

Only after it gets to operating temperature 

[Tony Prodigy]

Has the car had a hard life ? Mileage ?

What grade of oil is in it ?

Sounds like it could either have a sticking lifter/s, cam chain tensioner (long shot), or maybe a small exhaust leak ??

It's really hard to pin point. I should've asked you to remove the top dress cover so the sound can be more audible. If you can post up another video, go a bit longer and move around the engine to where you think it may be.

[ZZT86]

It's almost normal I would've thought, could be injectors, could be noisy lifters & some induction.

A clip with the recorder in one noisy spot for about 20 seconds so we can study it.

Another method is to use a long screwdriver as a stethoscope on parts of the engine you assume noisiest, you will hear the noise amplified through the handle part up against your ear.

[Tony Prodigy]

4 hours ago, ZZT86 said:

could be injectors,

That thought also crossed my mind, but the ticking doesn't sound sharp enough to be injectors. It sounds more like valve train slop, ever so slightly.

We don't have any information about the condition of the car in terms of mileage, oil type etc to be able to make a definitive assumption either.

The screwdriver trick can help if the OP is inclined to try. 

Or a Stethoscope; https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Stethoscope-Dual-Head-Medical-Health-Doctor-Heart-Cardiac-Examination/111977091492?hash=item1a125ad1a4:g:QQgAAOSw~oFXGs3F

I might even get one myself, play doctors and nurses with 2GR-FE 😷

[coleb161]

29 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

That thought also crossed my mind, but the ticking doesn't sound sharp enough to be injectors. It sounds more like valve train slop, ever so slightly.

We don't have any information about the condition of the car in terms of mileage, oil type etc to be able to make a definitive assumption either.

The screwdriver trick can help if the OP is inclined to try. 

Or a Stethoscope; https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Stethoscope-Dual-Head-Medical-Health-Doctor-Heart-Cardiac-Examination/111977091492?hash=item1a125ad1a4:g:QQgAAOSw~oFXGs3F

I might even get one myself, play doctors and nurses with 2GR-FE 😷

I have a longer video just need to upload it 

In terms of condition its been serviced every 7500km from new 5w30 oil it has 137000km

It hasn't had a hard life but it hasn't been babied either

I have put a stethoscope over the engine the injectors are very noisy at the base and you can feel them pulse when your holding the stethoscope 

 

The front timing cover is quite and the front rocker cover is the same.

When i put it on the back cover i can slightly hear the noise but very quite but the only way to put the stethoscope on the back cover is through the gaps in the inlet manifold. 

[Tony Prodigy]

Hi Cole, Thanks for the extra info. Looks like we have very similar cars then. 

Another question. Have you noticed this ticking noise only recently or is it possible it was always there but you haven't noticed ? I say this because it has been reported that some 2GR-FE engines make ticking noises more than others and is quite common but not necessarily an issue.

While it's running, maybe disconnect one injector at a time to see if this changes anything. Just to rule out the injector theory.

Apart from this, just go around and check the tightness of the componentry around the suspect area too.

Is there any change in the performance of the engine ? If not, I doubt if you have anything to worry about. If the VVTI controller was playing up then you'd notice it I'm sure.

Look forward to the video.

 

Edited August 31, 2020 by Tony Prodigy

[coleb161]

I have noticed the ticking noise before it dose seem to be louder then i remember.

Iv only started taking more notice because a friend brought it to my attention when they where standing out side my car.

I dont hear the noise in the car only drive past building and parked cars ext.

As for Performance i haven't noticed any loss there seems to me ok.

One thing i noticed today when i put petrol in my cruising range was a little lower then normal. By around 70km. 

[coleb161]

2 hours ago, coleb161 said:

I have a longer video just need to upload it 

In terms of condition its been serviced every 7500km from new 5w30 oil it has 137000km

It hasn't had a hard life but it hasn't been babied either

I have put a stethoscope over the engine the injectors are very noisy at the base and you can feel them pulse when your holding the stethoscope 

 

The front timing cover is quite and the front rocker cover is the same.

When i put it on the back cover i can slightly hear the noise but very quite but the only way to put the stethoscope on the back cover is through the gaps in the inlet manifold. 

 

[Tony Prodigy]

I think it's ok to be honest, although the recording has a tendency to amplify the tick noise.

I'll have to do a recording of mine then play it back and see if it sounds similar, but given this, I think that what you say make sense in that when it get to temp it's more pronounced as everything has expanded. Even if there is some clearance in the valve train that is slightly more than the other, I don't think it's an issue. You may benefit from a 5W-40 oil being in Queensland instead of the 5W-30.

I can't explain the fuel range, but keep an eye on that too. It's probably a right foot thing 😁

I wonder if the 40 series 2GR-FE has some ticking to them too.

[coleb161]

23 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

I think it's ok to be honest, although the recording has a tendency to amplify the tick noise.

I'll have to do a recording of mine then play it back and see if it sounds similar, but given this, I think that what you say make sense in that when it get to temp it's more pronounced as everything has expanded. Even if there is some clearance in the valve train that is slightly more than the other, I don't think it's an issue. You may benefit from a 5W-40 oil being in Queensland instead of the 5W-30.

I can't explain the fuel range, but keep an eye on that too. It's probably a right foot thing 😁

I wonder if the 40 series 2GR-FE has some ticking to 

My uncle just got a 2015 kluger same engine his is definitely not as noisy. 

I put stethoscope on his injectors the seem a little bit quieter but i was walking from a garage to the road so i might put them side by side.

Ill do a service and try 5W-40 see how it goes

[Tony Prodigy]

19 minutes ago, coleb161 said:

Ill do a service and try 5W-40 see how it goes

That will be interesting to see.

Fuel injectors make a ticking noise but to what degree of loudness I'm not sure. I suspect it may be due to a different brand of injector that was probably used at different periods. Injector tick is fine and doesn't cause any issues. A similar ticking sound can be confused for the injectors but can actually be an exhaust leak. If you're inclined and have  trolley jack, get under it whilst it running and see if you can detect any exhaust related leakage. I cannot emphasize safety enough here. Always use axle stands before getting under there and keep the jack in place as a secondary measure.

Now I'll have to check mine lol.

[campbeam]

28 minutes ago, coleb161 said:

Ill do a service and try 5W-40 see how it goes

No harm in trying. I was wondering whether or not to suggest an oil change and trying a change of oil viscosity.

https://www.nqifs.com.au/engine-oil-viscosity

Can I also suggest that you use a 5W-40 full synthetic oil. Also a good excuse to go for a day trip unless you normally do a fair bit of highway driving.

Maybe consider whether adding some fuel injector cleaner to the fuel tank will be of some benefit and using premium 95 ULP.

All helps with the fun of driving and cruising within the speed limits.

 

[coleb161]

22 minutes ago, campbeam said:

No harm in trying. I was wondering whether or not to suggest an oil change and trying a change of oil viscosity.

https://www.nqifs.com.au/engine-oil-viscosity

 

Can I also suggest that you use a 5W-40 full synthetic oil. Also a good excuse to go for a day trip unless you normally do a fair bit of highway driving.

Maybe consider whether adding some fuel injector cleaner to the fuel tank will be of some benefit and using premium 95 ULP.

All helps with the fun of driving and cruising within the speed limits.

 

Iv put injector cleaners in today ill do an oil change in a few day see how it goes.

[domej]

12 hours ago, coleb161 said:

new 5w30

mind if i ask what oil you're using? i have heard castrol oil causes loud valvetrain noise in some vehicles

[Tony Prodigy]

3 minutes ago, domej said:

mind if i ask what oil you're using? i have heard castrol oil causes loud valvetrain noise in some vehicles

I've always used the Nulon 5w-30 Full Synthetic.

 

[Tony Prodigy]

4 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

i have heard castrol oil causes loud valvetrain noise in some vehicles

I've not heard this myself but anything is possible. Not sure what would make one oil so much different to another except for the additives packages may vary. You'd need to dive into the literature and compare notes between brands. Ashley is our resident facts and figures guy and we also had a member Tommy M who featured a lot here until recently. He has a good knowledge on oils. I'm sure someone will chime in on this at some point.

[coleb161]

42 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

I've always used the Nulon 5w-30 Full Synthetic.

 

I use penrite pro 5

[Tony Prodigy]

13 minutes ago, coleb161 said:

I use penrite pro 5

Wasn't aware of Pro 5 but I have 2 of these in stock after I finish what Nulon Stock I have left. Thought I'd give the Penrite a try for a while and see if there's any difference. 

[campbeam]

On 9/1/2020 at 1:30 PM, Tony Prodigy said:

I think it's ok to be honest, although the recording has a tendency to amplify the tick noise.

I'll have to do a recording of mine then play it back and see if it sounds similar, but given this, I think that what you say make sense in that when it get to temp it's more pronounced as everything has expanded. Even if there is some clearance in the valve train that is slightly more than the other, I don't think it's an issue. You may benefit from a 5W-40 oil being in Queensland instead of the 5W-30.

I can't explain the fuel range, but keep an eye on that too. It's probably a right foot thing 😁

I wonder if the 40 series 2GR-FE has some ticking to them too.

Recording of my 2006 Aurion engine with an odometer reading of approx. 221K.  Engine is at full operating temperature after returning from a highway trip and has 5W-40 oil. Engine and transmission got a good workout going up and down the Toowoomba range. 

[Tony Prodigy]

Engine sounds pretty normal to me Ashley. I was hoping you'd get right up to it to compare the O.P's video.

[campbeam]

44 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Engine sounds pretty normal to me Ashley. I was hoping you'd get right up to it to compare the O.P's video.

Being my usual subtle self, I will appreciate if others also post a video or sound clip of their 2GR-FE engines. Maybe a 50 series engine is quieter. Engines with lower kms should also be quieter.

Yes, I did detect the hint that a comparison video would be handy. Video is compliments of the girlfriend, my IT Support gal.

Good to get other people's opinions especially when I think that the engine could be quieter. Idler pulleys have been re-lubricated but not the bearing on the tensioner.

I also keep a watchful eye on the coolant level and for any leaks from the water pump bearing plus an ear out for the dreaded VVTi rattle.

COVID-19 has played havoc with the supply chain so re-thinking about having a water pump and gasket on hand rather than buy when needed. Maybe direct some of those tax refund $$$ for that purpose. 

[Tony Prodigy]

7 minutes ago, campbeam said:

Being my usual subtle self, I will appreciate if others also post a video or sound clip of their 2GR-FE engines. Maybe a 50 series engine is quieter. Engines with lower kms should also be quieter.

I will try and remember to shoot one today when wifey gets back from soccer with my boy. The engine will be at full operating temperature too.

9 minutes ago, campbeam said:

Video is compliments of the girlfriend, my IT Support gal

Send our gratitude to "The One Who Must Be Obeyed" 

10 minutes ago, campbeam said:

Good to get other people's opinions especially when I think that the engine could be quieter. Idler pulleys have been re-lubricated but not the bearing on the tensioner.

I also keep a watchful eye on the coolant level and for any leaks from the water pump bearing plus an ear out for the dreaded VVTi rattle.

Mine is still completely as it came from factory. Just keep this in mind when i make the video. I'm sure at some point the pulleys will need attention. It's inevitable I guess. 

12 minutes ago, campbeam said:

COVID-19 has played havoc with the supply chain so re-thinking about having a water pump and gasket on hand rather than buy when needed. Maybe direct some of those tax refund $$$ for that purpose.

I already did that as you all know, but I should also look to getting a new serpentine belt along with the pulleys and the tensioner. Any suggestions would be appreciated too.