Questions and Answers

Tapping Toyota

Q. Please help, I have a 94 Toyota pickup with less than 50k on it. It recently started making a tapping noise in the engine. The noise was almost identical to misadjusted valves. So I readjusted the valves. The noise was still present and caused me to investigate further. I found that the noise is actually coming from down in lower part of the engine around the oil pan. Could it be crank bearings? Anything that you could tell me would be of great help.

Thank you,
Eugene

A. Sounds can come from any where. Without hearing them first hand it is very difficult to suggest possible causes. If it does sound like a valve tap, bearings would not be the first thing to come to mind. Bearings make more of a dull sound where a loose valve makes a sharper type noise.

Sounds can travel through the engine, a noise heard here could actually be coming from over there. The best way to isolate the noise is to use a mechanics stethoscope and place it on various points of the engine and isolate it that way. Or lacking a stethoscope, a long screwdriver will do. Just put the blade end on the engine and put your ear to the handle end.

If it is indeed coming from the bottom end, get it taken care of right away before more expensive damage occurs.