My Is200 Sounds Like A Tractor On Idle

[dj0nes]

Howdie folks,

Can you kindly take a look at the video I have just taken, It's of my IS200 - It sounds quite tractory I think, the Oil is fine and quite new and has recently had service and cambelt. It's on 83k.

P.S: Excuse the dodgy camera handling, I was trying to find the bonnet rod as well as recording!

Also a quick video of how it sounds from the outside is here. (You can also hear the tapping noise slightly too.)

[sparkystav]

How recent is the cam belt?

[dj0nes]

Umm around 4k ago just before I brought it mate.

[sparkystav]

And its been fine till recently?

Any ECU light come on the dash? have you checked the spark plugs. It does sound like its down on cylinders

[dj0nes]

It's always sounded like this mate I've put around 3.5k on the clock- I've always known it was there just only recently started paying attention to the noise.

No lights on dash no, I haven't checked the plugs to be honest no. If it makes any difference there is no misfire or hesitation and the car pulls well and doesn't feel down on power.

[fjcfarrar]

It's always sounded like this mate I've put around 3.5k on the clock- I've always known it was there just only recently started paying attention to the noise.

No lights on dash no, I haven't checked the plugs to be honest no. If it makes any difference there is no misfire or hesitation and the car pulls well and doesn't feel down on power.

It sounds like a bag of nails - with a good IS200 at tickover you should just hear the belts running and maybe the alternator whirring. The noise seems to be from valve-gear and is probably wear/wrong clearances/oil-starvation to the cam-assemblies. It is worth checking it out - but if it is just general wear, it can rattle on for years like that. I don't suppose it is noticeable when driving above the ar***ole's exhaust that someone has fitted.

[dj0nes]

Lol that's the only good thing about the exhaust- it drowns out the tractor noise.

What do you recomend doing mate, should I try a diffrent oil? If it is wrong clearences how would this be resolved? It's driven pretty happily like it for 3.5k now so surely if it was oil starvation the engine would have been curtains by now?

[clifton 94]

hi changing the oil will not make any difference the first thing to do is take the rocker cover of and check the state the cams are in also check valve clearance while your in there you could check your cam timing you need to do this first hope this helps

[sparkystav]

I'd check the cam timing as well as if its always been like that it could be out by a tooth or something.

[dj0nes]

Okay cheers guys, do you reckon running it like this will cause any damage or is it just case of it sounding crap?

[clifton 94]

Okay cheers guys, do you reckon running it like this will cause any damage or is it just case of it sounding crap?

hi if you keep running it it can only get worse and more expensive these cars good but they dont repair themselves you may save a lot of money if you get it checked sooner rather than later

[mattc]

I would think that the damage has already been done by the sound of it.

I recon the cambelt is out a tooth or two and it may get expensive if thats the case, bents valves, pistons could be knackered etc.

Check the timing marks are right first

[dj0nes]

Taken it to two mechanics so far both say it's noisy injectors

After a bit of googling it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one.. http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=66741

[clifton 94]

Taken it to two mechanics so far both say it's noisy injectors

After a bit of googling it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one.. http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=66741

if you rev the engine to say 4000 rpm then release the pedal does the tapping noise stay the same or does the tapping stop or get quieter as the revs start to drop

[dj0nes]

Hard to tell for sure mate I think it stays the same loudness wise but it tends to match the engine speed.

[clifton 94]

Hard to tell for sure mate I think it stays the same loudness wise but it tends to match the engine speed.

if the tapping stays the same as the engine revs drop theres a chance its mechanical you could take the injectors out and take them to a specialist and get them checked this will eliminate or confirm this is the problem

[mattc]

Are those "experts" both deaf?

No way is that an injector issue

[fjcfarrar]

Lol that's the only good thing about the exhaust- it drowns out the tractor noise.

What do you recomend doing mate, should I try a diffrent oil? If it is wrong clearences how would this be resolved? It's driven pretty happily like it for 3.5k now so surely if it was oil starvation the engine would have been curtains by now?

By oil-starvation I mean reduced oil feed. This can be caused by partial blockages or lowered oil pressure caused by general bearing wear elsewhere. You can check if it is this sort of problem by pouring in half a litre of oil and starting the engine while the top end is still drenched in oil. If this briefly shuts up the noise it gives a clue where the problem lies. You will probably have to drain off the excess oil afterwards. Whatever the cause which could even include running on low oil in the car's past, I doubt if there is a cheap solution.

[stani1029]

I dont get how an injector makes tapping noises? It has to be mechanical.

By the way whats inside these heads? Roller rocker with hydraulic tappets?

[dylbert]

I dont get how an injector makes tapping noises? It has to be mechanical.

By the way whats inside these heads? Roller rocker with hydraulic tappets?

Injectors are mechanical, their solenoid valves so they can sound when their opening and closing.

[stewartsetter]

Mine has been doing that since I bought it nearly two years ago. It only does it though when I first start the engine. When it idles it does sound like something rattling in the engine but as soon as the rev increases it stops and no sign of it when travelling driving.

[mishman]

Hi,

I know you did say the cambelt was changed but it sounds like the tensioner to me, mine sounded like that until cambelt, tensioner and water pump got replaced and then it just was fine.

[ShamsTurboLis200]

Hi mate wondering if your lexus is for sale contact me back on Skype my username is ShamsTurboIS200 

[steve2006]

2 hours ago, ShamsTurboLis200 said:

Hi mate wondering if your lexus is for sale contact me back on Skype my username is ShamsTurboIS200 

Are you trying to buy every IS200 in the UK ? 😀

[ShamsTurboLis200]

14 hours ago, steve2006 said:

Are you trying to buy every IS200 in the UK ? 😀

I've had 4 in my full life yellow. Beige silver and black ive only go the beige one left 🙂