2000 Camry XLE engine noise

Our 2000 Camry XLE is close to 60K miles running on regular fuel. Couple of months ago the check engine light came on and the mechanic reset it and said the wife need to tighten the gas cap more. This week the check engine light came on again and today I hear couple of noises coming from the engine compartment. One is higher pitch sound like the water pump is going out and the other is lower pitch like a bearing needing grease at low speed - this occurs during ideal speed and not very loud but loud enough to hear it with the hood closed.

I just check the engine again, and for some strange reason unknown to me, both sounds are now gone and is replaced by a slight tapping noise. I guess that tapping sound means I need the valves adjusted. As for the check engine light I have an OBDII diagnostic meter on back order as I don't need to pay the local mechanic $150 to reset it again.

Any ideas of what's going on? Thanks in advance.

Reply to
Jack
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The check engine light could be a sign that the O2 sensor is bad, which could also explain poor engine timing. If so, it is important to get it fixed ASAP.

Every Toyota dealer that I have been to will give you diagnosis of the codes for free. The bad news is that the O2 sensor is not cheap to replace, if that turns out to be the problem.

BTW, XLE vs. LE does not matter when discussing an engine problem. What matters more is 6 cyl vs. 4 cyl.

Reply to
Mark A

Water pumps and alternators can both make those kinds of noises, and they can come and go - at first.

Reply to
mj

Thanks, I have it verified when I get my OBDII.

My Toyota dealer charges $100 just to look at it and that was couple of years ago. Same with Nissan, Volvo and others dealers too. I'm in the Bay Area and maybe that's why.

Aren't all XLE V6s?

Reply to
Jack

Agree and loose belts and compressors too but how do you know which one is doing it?

Reply to
Jack

Jack wrote:

================= You can try a mechanic's stethoscope. Don't know how much my experience bears on yours, but may help. I do all my own work with genuine Toyota parts, keep everything spotlessly clean and go exactly by the book for all torque values and procedures. At 120,000 miles changed timing belt, water pump, idlers and seals. At 154,000 miles sounded like one of the idlers was making noise. The Toyota dealer mechanic listened and said "sounds normal to me, just wait until the next timing belt change." But it didn't sound normal to me, since the noise had just begun, so I bought new idler bearings, but when inspected them, the existing idlers turned smoothly and with zero roughness or noise (unlike the old ones I had replaced) so I did not install the new idlers. My mechanic's stethoscope, when placed on the back of the water pump sounded loudest, so I thought this certainly must be the source of the "bearing" noise. After draining the radiator and engine block I decided to go ahead and replace the water pump, even though the old pump seemed just fine. Noise still there. Check under the valve cover. All fine. Had a second trusted mechanic look at it. He used a stethoscope just like mine, but with the benefit of many years of experience. He asked if I had run the engine with the timing cover off. I had not. He said the noise was definitely coming from under the timing cover and he identified it as the lower idler (4 cyl engine). This made sense to me because that idler bolts through the water pump. He also said the noise was not serious and could be left to the next timing belt change. Apparently, the idler bearing can turn smoothly by hand (this is the way the Factory Service manual says to check them) but make noise when running at engine speed.

Reply to
Daniel

Go to your local Autozone and see if they can read the OBD II codes for free.

Regular fuel is fine for the 1MZFE. Can't really tell any difference on premium. The gas cap MIL code means the tank is not holding pressure as expected by the OBD-II's evaporative monitor. Most likely the problem is not the cap itself but defective valves in the charcoal canister. No big deal if the canister didn't disintegrate on the inside and pour carbon dust all over the evap system and plug up vacuum switching valves (VSV's). (But then you'll get other evap codes besides the gas cap code according to Toyota's TSB and a new canister will cost a quite few dollars). I know, that generation of evap system really stinks.

But this is separate from the noise problem you described.

Toyota spec'ed timing belts at 90K or 6 years. But I would change the timing belt and related components on the older 5-year/60K mile schedule. The timing belt can stretch a bit by 50K miles (but not as bad as the 5SFE ones that stretch to slap timing covers! That why I use Gates belts and hoses like Toyota did when they couldn't figure out what caused their belts to stretch.)

The idler bearings are typically dried up and slightly noisy (clicking when you shake them but generally smooth when turned). By 90K they are really noisy and may have lateral play. Water pumps can seep coolant by 60K miles even on Toyota red coolant and distilled water. So I go with Airtex pumps instead of OEM Aisin pumps.

I use Gates timing component kit that includes the timing belt, two idlers and an instruction sheet, and buy Airtex water pump from the local NAPA store. All the parts should cost about $220.

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TCS45890 FelPro crank seal TCS45889 FelPro cam seal set TCK257 Gates timing component kit K060407 Gates AC/Alt belt K040347 Gates PS belt

Reply to
johngdole

The balance shafts make a distinct whine while the engine is cold. Once heated-up the normal running clearances are present between the drive-gears and the noise is virtually absent. Light tapping noises are usually cam to valve-bucket noise. No real drama.

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

NOTE if you have been using regular fuel check your manuel it recomends a certain octain slitly higher than reg. the only reson you have been getting away with it is because the engine has an anti knock sensor on it that retards the timing when it detects preignition.a proper scan diagnosis would pic this up. in the mean time you could probably varify this the next time you fill up put the highest octain of fuel in it if it goes away then thats what it is. do you notice a sound like rattling marbles under eccelleratio or going up hills.if not it could be something as easy as a fan belt. to determine this when the noise happens turn your steering wheel back and forth if the noise changes it's the pwr steering belt then try putting all your electical acc on eg. defrost heater a/c etc. if that changes the noise it's the alt belt. i hope this gives you some options to try let me know have a good day

Reply to
MASTER-TECH

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