Weird engine noise

I just recently bought a 1999 Tacoma Prerunner access cab. The truck has a rebuilt engine in it with about 7,000 miles on it. When I accelerate or I am giving it any gas there is a noise (ticking/chattering) coming from what sounds like the engine/engine bay area. Can't really describe the sound. Any ideas of what this might be?

 

I would check fluids, then poke around for something rubbing or tapping on something.

Does the noise only happen when rolling or does it occur just reving the engine?

Does the noise change frequency with revs or speed?

 

All the fluids are good. I'm pretty sure it only does it when I am rolling. It gets louder the harder I accelerate

 

Louder with more speed or with more revs?

 

More revs

 

Does it sound like a metal on metal noise or could it be an exhaust leak?

I would park it and rev the engine by hand to see if you can narrow it down.

After that, have some one drive it around with you standing outside it.

 

If it were an exhaust leak would it only make the noise when it was being driven? When I got home yesterday I revved it up slow and I didn't hear anything

 

How loud is the noise? Louder than some one talking in the truck? Louder with windows down?

What engine do you have? Auto or manual?

 

No it's not very loud. I have to have the AC and radio off to hear it. Just annoying me and want to make sure it's not hurting anything. I have an automatic and it's the 4 cylinder.

 

The 4s have a little tapping noise in the valve train, mostly at start up. Its pretty common. My truck has always done it at start up.

What oil are you useing? I notice a bit less noise when its warm and when I have used 5w20 rather than 0w20 in mine.

Search for "the toyota tick" and see if that is what you are hearing.

 

on almost every 4 cylinder you will find a cracked exhaust manifold so check for exhaust leaks, they don't throw codes often but cause noises from popping or ticking to something sounding like tapping.

if yours is cracked replace it with the stock mini header from the 02-04 engines, they fit 2.4 of 2.7 and bolt directly up to your existing lower collector running to the cat

 

The guy before me was using 10w30. I haven't had to change the oil since I've bought it only last week. Where should I look for the leak? Will it be very noticeable? Where should I search the Toyota tick?

 

Okay so I read up on "the Toyota tick" and I think they may be what I am hearing. I am still going to take it to the mechanic who put the engine in and see what he says.

 

I find searching via google with the keyword tacomaworld is faster than the forum search function some times. Links!
Toyota tick

https://www.google.com/search?q=tac...oid-sprint-us&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

Cracked header

https://www.google.com/search?q=tac...UTF-8#q=tacomaworld+cracked+header+4+cylinder

 

Thanks I'll check those out. Yeah at first I searched using the forum search bar and it gave me weird results so I went back and used google and found some stuff.

 

the most common spot is dead center of the manifold and you can usually see it through the hole in the heat shield but if not, take the heat shield off to check it


also look here: http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=79270.0 in post #14 it shows pictures of cracked cast manifolds

below is the heavy duty all steel stock mini header upgrade from the 02-04 years that fixes it permanently

 

I bet your hearing the VSV valve functioning.

 

What is the VSV valve?

 

Vacuum switching valve

 

Is that something to be fixed?