1997 FZJ making a clicking noise 150000 miles

[Marty Moose]

I have a 1997 FZJ80 with 150,00 miles on it. It starts fine, runs and idles fine but it started making a clicking noise. If you rev it up it sounds a little like a diesel until you reach 1500 RPMs then the noise goes away. The oil pressure is fine. It runs and drives just as good as it always did but it makes this noise. Since this started I haven't been driving it because I'm afraid it will damage the engine. Does anyone have any ideas, has this happened to anyone else or do I need to put new main and rod bearings in it.

 

[cruzizzle]

Welcome to the board.

The forum usually associates "clicking" with birfield joints, so we assume you mean "ticking" or "knocking", as related to engine speed, yes?

Sounds like a possible rod and/or rod bearing issue. It may not be as easy as replacing bearings if it is at the point where you describe. Depending on how the crank mics, it may need to be turned, and who knows-you may be looking at a complete rebuild if the block needs bored as well. Not easy or cheap. There simply is no way to tell the magnitude of the problem without some disassembly.

 

[Marty Moose]

Yes it would be a ticking sound not really a knock. I thought it need the values adjusted at first so I check the lash and I replace 3 value shims and everything looked and measured fine under the value cover. The noise didn't go away.

 

[Atticus]

How are your belts?

 

[Marty Moose]

The belts are all new and I started it without the belts on to make sure it wasn't the iddler pullies.

 

[Atticus]

The belts are all new and I started it without the belts on to make sure it wasn't the iddler pullies.

Clearly you know more about his than I do. Good luck, dude.

 

['74 UA FJ]

Does it sound like it's coming from the valve train? You may need to tighten a rocker arm.

 

[Marty Moose]

Does it sound like it's coming from the valve train? You may need to tighten a rocker arm.

The 1FZ-FE is a duel overhead cam engine. It doesn't have rocker arms.

 

['74 UA FJ]

The 1FZ-FE is a duel overhead cam engine. It doesn't have rocker arms.

Alright. I'm used to dealing with Fs and 2Fs. If you think it could be a rod or bearing, I would try adding a bottle of Lucas engine oil. If the sound changes, then you've probably got bigger problems. Although, a rod knocking is a little different sounding than what you've described.

 

[Marty Moose]

What do you mean if the sound changes I probably got bigger problems?
What is tipicly wrong if the sound changes?

 

['74 UA FJ]

What do you mean if the sound changes I probably got bigger problems?
What is tipicly wrong if the sound changes?

The Lucas will stop or quiet a slight rod knock. It made a very noticeable knock almost non-existant for about a year in my brother's F engine.

It doesn't sound like a knock to me though, if it goes away above a certain rpm.

 

[pulse98]

You may want to try AutoRX from www.auto-rx.com.

It is HIGHLY regarded at Bob is the Oil Guy.

 

[tashby]

Timing chain slap? You could remove each spark plug wire individually to isolate the bad cylinder.

 

[Marty Moose]

You may want to try AutoRX from www.auto-rx.com.

It is HIGHLY regarded at Bob is the Oil Guy.

This sounds like good stuff. Have you used it?

 

[LIVERUST]

my 97 LX450 had a little ticking noise in it when I got it. worse at low idle, maybe worse when it was cold. Performance was great. After a year the noise became much worse after pulling up a long grade with a load on it. Did the trick of pulling wires off one by one and starting car to see if the noise went away. Isolated it to one cylinder. Trailered it home. Dropped the oil pan and found lots of metal in the bottom. Blew a bearing, Spun a rod. something like that.

more info on it with the next ROTW in June.

I hope your story turns out different, Although I finally have peace of mind now. I was always nervous about that noise. Now it's quiet.


troy

 

[Marty Moose]

my 97 LX450 had a little ticking noise in it when I got it. worse at low idle, maybe worse when it was cold. Performance was great. After a year the noise became much worse after pulling up a long grade with a load on it. Did the trick of pulling wires off one by one and starting car to see if the noise went away. Isolated it to one cylinder. Trailered it home. Dropped the oil pan and found lots of metal in the bottom. Blew a bearing, Spun a rod. something like that.

more info on it with the next ROTW in June.

I hope your story turns out different, Although I finally have peace of mind now. I was always nervous about that noise. Now it's quiet.


troy

With the pan off could you get to the bearings to replace the Main and the Rod Bearings? Do you think if you would have changed the bearings it would have saved the engine from spining the bearings?

 

[cruzizzle]

How are you gong to replace the mains with the crank in the engine? I've never pulled the pan off a 80, but I'm not sure you have the clearance you would need to get the crank out without engine R &R...maybe someone else will chime in on that one.

Chances are good that if you spun a rod bearing, there is more damage done than what replacing bearings will fix.

 

[Marty Moose]

How are you gong to replace the mains with the crank in the engine? I've never pulled the pan off a 80, but I'm not sure you have the clearance you would need to get the crank out without engine R &R...maybe someone else will chime in on that one.

Chances are good that if you spun a rod bearing, there is more damage done than what replacing bearings will fix.

On GM and AMC engines you can pull the pan and loosen up the crank jornals and slid out the old bearing and slid in the new. But I don't know about the 1FZ-FE.

 

[LIVERUST]

There was talk about doing a bandaid approach to fixing something. I don't remember what it was, but I figured if I was going to open my wallet for something I might as well go all the way. They pulled it out, ended up with new pistons, rods, timing chain... about everything that was easier to replace while it was apart. Obviously the PHH was much easier with the engine out. All hoses, belts, ... The head and valves were not bad, ground them I think it was? sorry, I tried to blank out this whole thing.

I don't know how much money I would have saved by pulling the engine and doing bearings earlier. Hard to see dropping that kind of money into something that was really running very well, just made a funny noise. Everyone asks if I have a lot more power now or notice improved performance. I really don't. I think it was running great, just noisy.

Now like I said, I have peace of mind about the engine on long desert trips. My mechanic did a great job.

like I said, I'll mention this in my ROTW next week and have costs etc.

troy

 

[Marty Moose]

Thanks, Troy I will look at ROTW next week.