5VZ-FE with a tick ?? (2 Viewers)

[Duane]

So I have a 99 runner with 104,000 miles on it that sits second up the single wide driveway so it may only get driven on the weekends.
The other day I got back home, so it's all warmed up, and got out to notice a pretty audible tick coming from what seems the top of the 5VZ-FE.... well it sounds louder from the top than the bottom with the skid plates removed anyhow.
It seems quiet when cold or not that warm but after a run down the highway it may or may not come back and tick. Yes it speeds up with the engine rpm.

Do these have a hydraulic lifter I assume? Maybe a valve clearance adjustment or I would assume with the hydraulic lifters not an issue? The oil is clean, was running Mobil synthetic and swithed to dealerships regular 5W-30 without any difference so far. Oil is clean before and after still.
It's not reassuring to want to head out for a 4 hour trip when it gets cold here but at this point doesn't warrant tearing into it to diagnose further. Any thoughts, suggestions??
thanks

 

[Duane]

what no wise men from tick ville?
I find it darn annoying to have such a noise... sort of like how many months it took me to get the intermittent jingling noise out from under my 72 Blazer.... darn untrimmed end of one of the header tubes broke off and was rattling up and down the exhaust pipe between the drivers side header collector and muffler.

 

[raydouble]

The first thing that comes to mind is exhaust, valvetrain, and looseness. Probably in that order.

Does it tick cold?

Heat shield falling off?

Can you record a video to share?

 

[Duane]

thanks raydbl
- don't notice it when cold... not even a 10 minute trip in town..
- notice it after a 20 minute trip down the highway and then it seems to happen and will stay if shut off and started again


heat shield..exhaust... hmmm.. I don't think but I appreciate ideas to bounce around

I sort of wondered if it was something to do with the timing belt but that seems unlikely.... seems more metallic than a belt wacking something
I'll try to do the video thing

Also I should try to sort out the frequency to see if it is on rpm time , 1/4 that or what as that may rule out some items or narrow it down as well. Certain components function at different fractions of engine rpm.

 

[spaldam]

I had a tick myself (along with over heating) and a lot of people suggested it was a head gasket. Turned out to be a bad lifter, and a cracked cylinder. So now I have a replacement engine.

 

[Duane]

I had a tick myself (along with over heating) and a lot of people suggested it was a head gasket. Turned out to be a bad lifter, and a cracked cylinder. So now I have a replacement engine.

Well I could see a bad lifter..gad I hope a liner isn't buggered.... It's not overheating presently so I'll keep my fingers crossed there.
Also it's odd that it doesn't tick until it's warmed right up... usually ticks I'm thinking are more so when cold and if anything reduce when warmed right up. I sure hope I'm not looking at anything in the bottom end. Don't wanna go that deep into it...