Help me identify this noise on my 7mgte

[Justgio928]

I just got done swapping in a 7mgte into my 88 4runner. It was a jdm import motor so it should've been okay but I know this isn't a normal sound. It sounds worse in this video. When I start it up and just stand next to the engine, it almost just sounds like a leaky exhaust manifold or something but yeah. Thoughts?



I'll try and get a better video later.

[Snafu_Bohica]

JDM = Three years in the car before it is pulled and replaced - its their form of emissions. That stated, if you knew you had ONLY three years to own an engine, how hard would you drive it? Did you rebuild this JDM import engine? Sounds like a noisy lifter. Check that you're firing on all 6 cylinders. That'd be a start. That is NOT the manifold. I have a manifold leak and its only noticable if you're standing next to the car, not in the cab. You sound like you have a dead cylinder or a noisy lifter/stuck valve

[Snafu_Bohica]

My rod knock for comparison. Spun crank bearing

[scottevil]

Check the basics make sure you don't have something simple left loose. Does it happen all the time or does it come and go? Rod knock usually doesn't go away.

[Donn29]

Knock can come and go if it is very early and has cause little to no damage yet. I didn't hear anything but what sounded like a squeeky fan belt. Try revving it up as slowly as possible in neutral. So start and idle, then apply as little throttle as possible. If it is early knock, it will only be present at a particular rpm. But, ya, there is a lot of other little things that could cause knock sounds. Look around for loose stuff. Try to pin point the location.

[moozi]

7m is notorious for spinning bearings. I reckon it's a bottom end knock.

[82 Lover]

that does not sound like a bottom end knock to me..
it does sound like a loud valve tap.
can u adjust it or is it self adjusting.
i dont know much on 7m
honestly. after years of sitting.
there is a break in period.
i say fill it up with GOOD oil and after 500 miles see if anything changes.

[mk2 robbie]

listening to the vid a few times and scrolling around the 6 second mark the sounds goes away. Sounds like its only making noise under load, am I correct?
In that case couldnt be a valve knocking cus it would be all the time, rod knock is a possibility, BUT what about shaft play in the turbo? is there any?

It does sound like an exhaust leak, maybe a crack starting in the manifold? gasket going before the turbo... lots of variables here that need to be described about the engine before it can really be diagnosed.

[Snafu_Bohica]

And, run Marvel Mystery oil through it with the GOOD quality oil.

[Justgio928]

Yes the noise all but vanishes when I let off the gas early in the video so it seems to be worse the higher the rpm. I'll try and get a video from under the hood and with varying rpm's asap. I checked the oil finally (since I hadn't installed the dipstick prior) and it was barely reading so I added a quart and a bit to get it to full. Haven't driven it since then but hopefully that might help.