sudden loud tapping

Can you describe what year or model it is.
Is it a Common Rail ect.
The information might help forum members or visitors give you answers.

Cheers

You will probably find out soon anyway, but one of our work's hilux's started making a very similar sound recently and it turned out to be one the injectors. We are currently fighting with the extended warranty trying to get it replaced under warrantly as they wanted > $2k to fix it. (06 with 110k)

I first thought it was an exhaust manifold or header leak but it is definately one or more of the injectors when you look closer.

Toyota tried all sorts of excuses to get out of the warrraty claim like blaming us for putting unleaded in it etc but finally they sort of agreed to fix it. Waiting for parts is the excuse now, four weeks later.
The car still drives ok but has a very prononced diesel rattle and sound terrible in underground carparks etc.

If is an older model with rockers for valve movement, i have seen one broken in half and one with the bottom where the holder sits, broken out. This will give you reduced power as the valve is not being opened up all the way or not at all.. Hope the damage bill is not too high!! Michael

You will find out for sure tomorrow, but I would think it is valve related due to the noise in the snorkell, something could have gone through bent/damaged the valve and is still bouncing on piston. If you have dropped a valve it would really be banging. Best not to start it unless you have to. Hope I am wrong and it is something simple and cheap.

HI,

im no mechanic by any means, but "she's not running hot or losing coolant. She's noisy and seems to have reduced power"
and the fact you made it into town would suggest its something less, rather than more, serious.
I'm thinking valve or injector.

Year and model would help to give some braod idea.

My only other advice would be that don't let some mechanic try and hold you to ransom knowing your stuck on your holiday. Ask them exactly what the problem is and get them to show you (the broken parts) and explain it to you in detail. If you have any doubts I'm sure there's a number of good diesel mechs in Katherine only a $50 tow down the road.

good luck, dont stress !
Rich

Keep us informed......

Thanks all. She's in now. It's a 98 hilux 3L diesel. I'm a little worried as the 1st thing they plan to do is change the oil. I hope I managed to talk them out of it.

I rang my mechanic at home and he thought it sounded like the timing belt skipped a tooth. A guy next to me at the park said the same thing when I started her this morn. He thought there was a knocking sound as a result of pre-ignition. I hope to get an update this morning.

Mechanic suspects an injector problem, diesel dribbling into cylinder. has ordered 4 from Darwin and should have it done tomorrow if they arrive on time...

Fingers crossed! I'm relieved It's not the head at least.

when I get her back; I'll report back.
cheers Joshua.

Hi,

I had a similar problem with my ln106 dual cab 2.8 diesel. Started it up one particularly cold morning, warmed it up, took off for work and about 30 seconds later an awful brrrrr tapping noise from the engine. The noise rose and fell with engine rpm.

Took it straight to the nearest diesel mechanic and by the time I arrived (5 minutes down the road) the noise was gone. He suspected it was a intermittent blockage of an injector.

I dropped the oil and opened the filter; there was no debris so was very relieved.

The noise has not returned.

Good luck - it was very worrisome at the time.

Let us know how it turns out, eh.

From what you describe it sounds most likely to be injector related.

If you skip a tooth on the timing belt, it will hardly run at all.

A: if your a tooth out on the cam, your pistons meet the valves.= barely running motor.
B: if your a tooth out on the injector pump, it barely runs at all.

You have not mentioned hard starting, or barely running, but more a noise and out of balance, dropped a cyld symptoms. is that a fair description??

On your 3L 2.8 motor,
Sometimes the valve bucket/ shim combo can create noise, but the most common culprit is the injector.

Even touching them with your hands, and feeling for the noise, or using a screwdriver against the injector, and other end against your ear, you will have a good indication as to where the noise is coming from.

Top of motor, and they echo all through the incuction and exhaust system,e ven with a stethoscope there is so much noise going on up there hehe.

Screwdriver of appropriate size/ length is good in an emergency.
I and other mechs have proper stethoscopes for more accurate diagnosis, which helps.

Even cracking the suspect injector to bleed of any possible air, as air can be a culprit of noise, can/ may help in diagnosis, ie crack the offending injector and noise stays or goes away.

hope that helps you understand a bit of what may be going on so your not so helpless.

Let us know what you find.

Trains

Hi. Got car back Fri. Still noisy and blowing some brown smoke, but a little quieter with 4 new injectors. We departed Katherine Sat and 9 km down road motor failed with broken timing belt.

So now in Darwin waiting for plane.

I'm having car brought back home as I never want these turkeys to touch my car again.

Ill be seeking advice given the 1400 spent already and the looming cost. of a rebuild.

On with the holiday!

Joshua.

Whoa good god sorry to hear of this disaster. The toyotas are normally so reliable. When was the t-belt last changed?