Hood Rattle

[4x4mike]

So I found the cause of the most prevalent noise on the 4Runner, my hood. I've adjusted the front bumpstops, tightened the hinge mounting bolts and the latch mechanism and it's still there. I can see the hood vibrate with the road at the edge closest to the windshield.

While I did find a way to silence it I want to make it a temporary one. Any ideas on a more permanent one?

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2LR2CL3-Znw/UsNmsS9E-dI/AAAAAAAA8KA/kmEqxzs_Eso/s800/20131231_163511.jpg

This piece of pipe insulation takes away the rattle. With the hood open you can see a small thin rubber lip to keep rain water from running down the firewall but that's it. Everything looks normal and I haven't changed anything but the noise is killing me. I thought about adjusting the hood but I think it's fine. I also thought about adding some stick on foam seal but that seems pretty hokie and I don't imagine it would last long.

Any suggestions? I'd like to fix it before the pipe insulation wears the paint on the hood.

[Seanz0rz]

I'd go with the stick on edpm (or whatever it is) stick on weatherstrip. As long as you can't see it with the hood closed, I'd call it a good fix.

[4x4mike]

Yeah but there was nothing like that on there before. It also worked for close to 14 years as far as I know. I don't think anything has moved or bent but it's driving me crazy and it's all I hear when I drive.


I may end up with something stick on but I'm not sure how well it will work because the cowl doesn't extend that far under the hood, it's mostly the little rubber gutter thingy. There isn't much area to stick something on. I just imagine the foam stuff unsticking from the adhesive and getting full of dust and sand.

[CJM]

Check the welds on the hood to the subframe itself, they will often come undone as well.

[Seanz0rz]

The hinge side should never move. Inspect all hinge bolts and the sheet metal around them.

[Seanz0rz]

Just curious, ever solve this problem?

[Swede]

My hood used to rattle a bit, turned out to be the hinge pins. I just rotated them 180 degrees and it's been fine ever since.

[Seanz0rz]

Good tip!

Also, welcome back! Long time no see!

[4x4mike]

My hood used to rattle a bit, turned out to be the hinge pins. I just rotated them 180 degrees and it's been fine ever since.
I'm not sure what the hinge pins are. My hood bolts to a hinge with 2 two bolts on each side. Those bolts are tight. The hood latch is tight and aligned. For some reason I can't picture the actual hinge right now but everything under there looked in good order.

[Swede]

I'm not sure what the hinge pins are. My hood bolts to a hinge with 2 two bolts on each side. Those bolts are tight. The hood latch is tight and aligned. For some reason I can't picture the actual hinge right now but everything under there looked in good order.

Hinge pins are what the hinges pivot or rotate on. Miles and miles of vibration will cause them to loosen up causing them to get noisy as a small gap develops and creates play. Simply rotating the pins by hand a little bit moves the worn areas away from each other and the end result is no more noise.