Valve Clicking after Air Intake Manifold removed to replace PHH

[GPHS]

Dealer-maintained FZJ80 Land Cruiser with 1FZ-FE engine has about 100K city/highway miles. I took it to a non-dealer to have PHH replaced. They had to remove the Air Intake Manifold (upper and lower) to replace the PHH (which was bulging and leaking) with an Xtreme Silicone Pesky Heater Hose Kit w/ Breeze Constant Torque Clamps. I also asked them to re-route the heater hoses to take heater core #2 out of the circuit. While the IM was off, they also replaced Water Bypass Hose #1 and all of the 1/8” vacuum hoses hiding underneath the IM. They also replaced seals on all 6 fuel injectors.



Needless to say, it was in the shop for several days. When I picked it up from the garage, I noticed a clicking noise emanating from the valve train above cylinder #6 that becomes louder as the engine gets hotter. The noise is more easily heard from the cab than from under the hood. I localized the noise by listening at the end of a 3’ piece of ¾” EMT conduit, which I placed on the passenger-side of the valve cover at multiple locations. I definitely did not have clicking noise before this shop visit.



What could have happened? Could any of the work I had done damage the valve train or somehow induce this clicking noise? I have verified, to my satisfaction, that the noise is not being produced by any of the fuel injectors.



Thanks for reading this, my first, post.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[ajax1]

Did they use new gaskets on the intakes? No need to pull the bottom to change the phh. But if they didn't change bottom gasket to the head and the gasket that goes between top intake and bottom could have intake leak

 

[baldilocks]

It's probably an exhaust leak associated with the egr modulator or the valve itself. When I did my head gasket two years ago I left the little rubber hose that connects the modulator to the egr tube off accidentally and the noise was immediately noticeable upon start up. Does it run as well as it did before?

 

[BILT4ME]

Are you actually hearing injectors instead of valves ticking?

Although, the exhaust leak seems most plausible.