Paranoid Camry V6 Owner, Enigne Noises Strange Or Not?

[funky.chicken!]

I am getting some strange engine noises after the car has been running for a few min's.

It sound likes repeated cracking / crackling from the bottom of the engine.

I am not loosing any water and its not overheating on the temp gauge while driving some I assume the head gaskets are ok, it's a 1993 K reg and done 160Kmls so relatively high miles but drives really well.

The only thing I have noticed out of the ordinary was when i check the coolant top up cap there was a fair amount of murky brown mud like substance in it, it has been cleaned out, but I am very cautious as I have had the heads go on a v6 before.

Am I being over cautious and there’s nothing wrong or are the sounds i am hearing a warning that’s something’s not quite right?

Your thoughts please?

[MyV6Flys]

I am getting some strange engine noises after the car has been running for a few min's.

It sound likes repeated cracking / crackling from the bottom of the engine.

I am not loosing any water and its not overheating on the temp gauge while driving some I assume the head gaskets are ok, it's a 1993 K reg and done 160Kmls so relatively high miles but drives really well.

The only thing I have noticed out of the ordinary was when i check the coolant top up cap there was a fair amount of murky brown mud like substance in it, it has been cleaned out, but I am very cautious as I have had the heads go on a v6 before.

Am I being over cautious and there’s nothing wrong or are the sounds i am hearing a warning that’s something’s not quite right?

Your thoughts please?

I would drain some out of the raditor, then look-feel for grit or what ever in the water. I don't know why it would be brown. So look for grit, if yes, it could be the water pump talking to you. Look around the belts also. make sure a small piece of tape or something is not bouncing off them.

[funky.chicken!]

Hi

Thanks for the reply, I decided to book it into a garage for a check up as i noticed a little smoke coming up from the engine bay, The crackling noise has been put down to the exhaust manifold heating up and giving out a strange noise and should be nothing to worry about, but the rad cap was leaking slightly which was causing water to go onto the exhaust system and give out some steam/smoke, so a £2.50 rad cap has sorted out my problem.

Thanks for the time.

Regards.