Lexozz

Ok guys! I'm sure some of you know about the famous ticking noise we get in our engines as it ages. Well doing a T/B inspection I started the engine just to see the movement of it. While the engine was idling I noticed that one of the wires where jumping up and down. I also noticed a loss in power and thought I needed to change my wires. This was not normal. I stopped the engine, pulled the wire out and the spark plug was loose and there was burned oil at the bottom of it. I cleaned it off and tightened her back up, the ticking sound was gone
I was amazed. It's known that this ticking sound is due to loose or bent valve shims. Well I just saved myself a whole lot of money. Who knows how many fellow 1UZ owners with this problem spent hundreds of dollars to get this fixed. I wonder if anyone knows about this simple fix. I went to a few mechanic shops and they told me that I need engine work.
Guys/gals if you're getting this sound in your engines I highly suggest checking your plugs and wires to make sure everything is tight before spending a whole lot of money.
My engine sounds very quiet now I love it.

Pagong

Good deal!....
Im going to check mine out as well....
Thanks!

damon

I think I temporarily suffered a similar problem due to a brittle plug that actually broke. How did you fix the problem without spending big. A new wire harness is expensive??? Any pics?

Lexozz

Unfortunately I didn't take any pics, need new digi cam. I didn't buy anything, I just cleaned off the dirty plug and I'm good to go. Cleaning it and tightening her back up did the trick for me, I don't have any broken wires or plugs, but I do need a new set because it suffered a lot being loose and partially jumping out of the socket.

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

Good info Lexozz, I wonder if its the same on the 98's+ even though we dont have any wires. Im going to be changing the plugs soon, and see if that helps.

jasonlina

I have been trying to find out what is wrong with my car for 2 1/2 months, Toyota and Lexus don't know what is wrong with it, I paid them 500 dollars to adjust the valves and that didn't fix it. I had my local Toyota dealer do the Timing Belt water pump, etc. Upon the car returning it has this new ticking noise, at first they thought valves, injectors, ruled all that out after 2 months, no check engine no miss.
Seems to have slightly lost power and just a little harder to start. I am hoping that what you describe is what's wrong with my car.
If you feel like chatting about this on the phone I would really like to talk to you and see if this indeed what is what is wrong wih my car too
My toll free number is 1-888-705-5625 or 541-482-5625
Thanks Ben

Lexozz

This thread needs to be a sticky. This is a very well know problem most of us LS owners have, the famous ticking sound.

kaution321

I hear a ticking noise coming from under the hood while accelerating hard. Best way to describe it is, "sounds like lifters making noise as they go up and down" could this be because i need to use thinner oil *synthetic oil* What else can it be. But it does sound like the lifters are the ones making the noise.

My oil change is due soon. And I might put synthetic oil and see if the noise goes away. On a seperate note anyone changed their starter motor lately. I have a 97 LS400 and notice slow starts every now and then.

Lexozz

As far as I know our cars don't have lifter problems. Most times when you generally have the issue with lifters its due to lack of oil maintenance. The ticking is actually the pistons hitting against loose sparks plugs causing the noise (ticking) , I would suggest checking your plugs and wires making sure everything is tight before worrying about lifters.

skperformance

iTrader: (6)

So has anyone else found that the spark plugs were left loose causing there ticking?
Kind of misleading to leave this stickied as it is a one in a million chance and has affected no one elses cars.
Other than that it is just sticking lifters in need of adjustment and the noise of teh injectors firing.

nc356

iTrader: (1)

Another possibility: Fatigue crack in EGR pipe. My '94 LS400 had it; my '97 has just acquired it (but so far at lower engine temps only; largely silent after warmup; I expect it to get progressively worse.) It's only under acceleration; qiiet otherwise.

My nearby independent shop handled it before; I took one look and said better them than me!

Lexozz

The noise coming from the EGR has a different sound compared to the ticking. The cracked EGR sounds like there is an exhaust leak coming from underneath actually by the firewall.

Lexozz

How could you say this is misleading. There are many LS owners that complained about this noise and were told the same thing, bent valve shims etc and it requires engine work that is not cheap. I came across the same problem and was told the same thing by several mechanics. That's whyy this thread is stuck. Wouldn't you rather try this procedure out first (for free) rather than spending a $1000 bucks especially if you don't have to. Come on get real!

skperformance

iTrader: (6)

Ok then ,if this is so common towards this problem name the other people who had this exact problem causing all the ticking?
A plug being loose is someone who didn't torque them properly.
Again a 1 in a million chance of a poor shade tree who did your work.
There are lots of little possible things that can make an engine have a ticking sound.
But at the end of it all the majority (if any)of it is not going to be from having a loose plug.

Lexozz

Hey I was just trying to be helpful to other owners with the 1uz that have this problem. Maybe this procedure might be helpful to someone else, could be just a few or several. It's not impossible!
If you don't like fine. You should just be 1 in a million and keep the sarcasm to yourself.