Ive never owned a toyota truck that didnt tick!! Lifter or valve noise is incredibly common with the 20r 22r and 22re engines. Even after a full tune up or rebuild. Unless you think its a rod knock I wouldnt be too concerned about it. I guess you could always adjust your valves, maybe pull the head and clean everything up really well. Ive gone through 7 22re engines in 5 trucks and every single on e of them had valve tick even the fully rebuilt long block ticked.
I just did my valves and they quieted down to a reasonable 22re noise, but now theres a tick that goes on mostly at idle or when i let the revs slow down the truck while still in gear. And it's a sharp tick rather than a click like the valves. Anyone had that?
IMO Isolate the noise. If you dont have a stethoscope, use a breaker-bar or long screw driver by touching it to the engine at one end and your ear at the other.
