Hello there lads, Its been a few months since i boutgh the car, and have noticed a strange ticking metalic noise that is louder on cold, on a well warmed up engine you may be heard ticking but really quiet. The ticking sound itself is similar to a hydraulic lifter tick, or a loose timing chain/tensioner. When I changed engine oil 0w20, mechanic told me that it should not tick like that, he also said that hes not surr wheres the problem, he said it might be a bad lifter, and told me just to drive it since prius engine can tick like that for thousand of miles without breaking. i just wanted to ask where to dig, betwen lifter or timing chain tensioner? Maybe someone had similar issue?
welcome! did the ticking just start, or since you purchased it? is the mechanic well versed in prius? these engines are noisy, and worse when cold
It was ticking since i bought it, the mechanic is working mostly with prius models. He said its strange because when the engine warms up lets say around 10minutes at idle, it the ticking noise will almost disappear, but still can be heard if you closely listen to the engine. He toldme that maybe theres a lifter that has gone bad, or the timing chain tensioner needs time to fill up and make tension. He didnt inspect it with any tools to give me a better answer, he just ensured me its just a joke for prius and it wont cause any harm. But since im paranoid I just wanted to hear if 2zr fxe is known for lifter tick or tensioneer issues. Im just about to take it to a different workshop and dig further.
This is how google explains that ticking noise, maybe its a normal thing, idk. Common and Normal Causes Hydraulic Valve Lifters (HLAs): The 2ZR-FXE engine uses hydraulic valve lifters that rely on oil pressure to maintain correct valve clearance. It is normal for a slight rattle or tick to occur for a few seconds on a cold start until oil pressure builds up, especially in cold weather. Fuel Injectors: Modern engines, including the 2ZR-FXE, use high-pressure fuel injectors that naturally produce a loud, cricket-like ticking sound as they operate. This sound is often more noticeable at idle and is not a cause for concern. VVT-i System: The Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) actuator can sometimes rattle on a cold start for a few seconds before oil pressure stabilizes it.
