2007 JB43 M13A VVT Pinging

Hi Everyone,

My 2007 Jimny has recently developed an awful noise between roughly 2000 and 3000 rpm. It sounds an awful lot like pinging. The noise seems to be coming from the top of the engine.

Do any of you have any ideas on what the problem could be? Is this a common issue?

I'll be pulling the rocker cover first thing tomorrow morning to see if anything's loose. Also I'll pull the plugs and check the cylinders with a bore scope.

Thank you in advance!
Kind regards,
DutchJimny

Without being able to hear it it could potentially be lots of things. I think you are on the right track checking for acute failure points.

Is it more like a rattle?

Could it be just a loose heat shield on the exhaust?
Or loose parts inside the catalytic converter in the manifold?

Any difference in the noise when the engine is under load when accelerating?

if you use a wooden stick to listen thru, you can press one end at parts of the engine, and listen to the other end of the stick. it will isolate the noises and help you find the location.
(Or you can buy or borrow a stethoscope)

Thank you!

It does sound an awful lot like a heat shield rattle when you're in the car. However the only heatshield I have is on the bottom of the catalytic converter, as I have a full stainless exhaust (including headers). I have tapped the exhaust with the engine turned off. And you can hear a slight rattle. But while the car is running and you have the bonnet open, the sound is completely diffrent and very clearly coming from the top of the engine.

Load makes no diffrence to the noise. Its strictly in the ~1800 to ~300 rpm range.

I've just pulled the plugs. All seem fine. Checked the gaps also, they were all perfectly to spec. Checked the cylinders with the bore scope. Only thing I saw was some very small clean spots on piston #2. All bores and other pistons look normal.