1999 Camry, 4 cylinder, suddenly engine problem
 

Hi, I need someone who has experience in these to give me suggestions as to what I can do to fix this. See the video on youtube at . It was suggested to me that it may be the crankshaft positioning sensor so I replaced it but it did not help. Can a Toyota mechanic advise please? Thank you and God Bless.

Did the engine run low on oil or overheat?

Get a section of hose or tubing to use as a stethoscope. Try to narrow down the area of the noise. Listen to the valve cover area, the passengers side, mid engine block and lower block area just above the oil pan.

I suggest you take off the valve cover and take a look. Its easy to do. Remove the 4 large nuts on the spark plug tubes, take of PVC, etc and it comes off.

Thanks for attempting to help me with this. Yes, it was three quarts low of oil and my son said it did overheat. It is late and getting dark here so I will do as you suggest and take a hose and listen tomorrow and take off the valve cover. When I take the valve cover off, I will take a picture and attach it here and tell what I find when I listen to it. Again, thank you very much for your attempt to help me. I have $7200 in this car for my son and now this happens. Well, I'll message again tomorrow, Thank you, Chris Webb

Low oil and over heat. The internet has lots of video's with sound for engine problems.

Low oil can damage the connection rod bearings. Check internet video's for connecting rod knock and compare.

The engine model is a 5SFE.

This site has a past post on rod knock caused by low oil with a video/sound. Search for it.

Overheating can cause head gasket failure or a cracked head. Check the engine oil and spark plug tubes for coolant. If coolant in the oil it will appear emulsified.

Ask son if the oil pressure light came on. If so ask how long he ran the engine with the light on?

If no oil light ask how long he drove car after the noise started.

Check the oil, is it milky in any way. Blew a head gasket on my Isuzu truck and that was the color. Radiator fluid and oil mx.

Also, white smoke out the back.

Hopefully engine OK.