Engine noise at idle

The Toyota 0w20 is a great oil and much higher in Molybdenum then anything else. Go over to Bob is the Oil Guy and do some reading on it.

With that said, any 0w20 meeting specs is fine.

 

I only use the

$53 Toyota 0W-20 oil Toyota/ exxon mobil Case of 6 Quarts Full Synthetic TGMO SN 0W-20 Oil

Toyota 0W-20 oil with a TRD or Amsoil oil filter. As noted it's an excellent oil - manufactured by ExxonMobil to Toyota's specifications. The oil has a high level of Moly and Zinc additives - excellent for anti-wear. The TBN - Total Base Number is very strong - this supports Toyota's 10k OCI recommendation (I still do 5k OCI's). I buy it on Amazon for about $6.91 a quart. Here is the VOA Blackstone report I had done and posted on Bob is the Oil Guy:

 

1900 RPM on cold start up seem little high. It should be around 1300 at 20-32'F and settle down to 1000 within minutes. At what outside temperature you getting this 1900 RPM?

 

Thanks for the information. I live in the Deep South so temps are regularly on the warm side.
I’ve checked this out and it appears to be normal start up.

 

Agreed... I just traded in my 2017 TRD Off Road because the engine noise was the worst I have heard in an car I have owned with any mileage since 1982. It had 30k miles. Unacceptable. I have the same 4.0 in my 2007 FJ and at 150k, it is difficult to know it's running it's so quiet. A 4th ten Runner with 180k parks in the space next to me, and my 30k and now NEW Runner make more noise - it's embarrassing. This is not normal and needs to be addressed by Toyota. I traded the TRD in for a New 2021 SR5 yesterday, and it is also noisy, but without the lifter noise that developed in the TRD. A new 4.0 motor from Toyota is $18k. I cannot see this engine going to 250-400k like the many FJs I see. There might be an issue the needs to be addressed in the software or perhaps there is a faulty sensor, low oil pressure? Who knows, but if it were in both cars I would accept the answer, "That's just the 4Runner or this engine." But the noise is not in all 4.0 engines. It is in recent 5th gen 4Runners. And if enough of us get together and write the issue might get resolved. Here is Scotty Kilmer on the subject. Here is his video on it. He ran a scan tool on it, with a 15k car, and the readings are not right, will we get the same:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ux667qwtGo

As a group we will get better attention of the issue and perhaps a resolution.

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on my last oil change in nov2020 I added 1 OZ of
Lucas Break-in Oil Additive TB Zinc Plus...
now toyota oil has moly in it 800PPM .. well I put in mobil oil 0-20wt SN PLUS. I did the calculation to add 1 oz of the zinc plus and the oil will now have 1200 PPM..
my engine is much quieter and my MPG increased a bit. I have a scan tool that indicate the MPG .. so the MPG rises a bit also.
I used toyota oil prior to the nov 2020 oil change and this works the same . cost is $14 of the zinc plus 16 OZ..
do not put more than 2OZ in the oil...
on my 1996 chev Impala I added 2OZ in the oil and on a cold start it starts up quickly and has no engine noises.. zinc coats the metal protects when on a cold start.. engine spins faster.. on a cold crank ..

 

Has this proven to be an issue for anyone causing any significant repair?

 

Not that I have ever seen or read about.

Neighbors down the street have three 5th gens between 100,000 and 250,000 miles. All sound exactly the same and just like my 2019 with 17,000 miles.

 

Here is a home made fix to startup rattle. And I wonder if the 4Runner is suffering the same problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPRoSZR_3wM

 

Novel approach to that particular issue, but our engines are nasty noisy when idling, not just on start-up.
And to take the above fix one level higher, I'd install an adjustable delay-on timer that gets 12v only when the key is in the "on" position and shuts juice after 2 seconds. Hitting that rocker switch every----single---time I start the truck would get old after awhile. Though to be honest, I've become quite the lazy muther....

 

You'd think with all that overly complicated BS going on they'd have figured out how to make this engine make some useable power below 4k rpm.

 

my 4runner cold start below 40F has the 1800 rpm .. then the idle drops a couple of min..
my other 2 GM V8 engines cold start is 1700 rpm ...

 

Dealer says that the noise I hear is injector noise. Are they using mini-hammers to open the injectors?

 

I purchased a 2015 4Runner with 65k and I’ve had it to two Toyota dealers as this is the noisiest engine I ever had. Both dealerships said it’s in good shape and this is normal 4Runner lifter noise?? I had a 2003 Tundra for 20 years with 240k on it and it didn’t make half the noise this engine makes. It sounds like a valve tap or it’s about to throw a rod. I’ve seen multiple posts on this and this can’t be normal engine noise. It’s sounds like Toyota doesn’t want to do a recall to address this issue.

 

Lol.

Mine rarely needs to go above 2500-3K. Getting on the freeway and passing are pretty much the only exceptions. Even getting on the freeway I don't usually need to go past 3K, unless I need to merge aggressively.

 

I have read that the lifters are part of the cause. If I'm not mistaken, the lifters are solid, not hydraulic. I'm not sure why Toyota did this.

Which motor was in your Tundra?

The 4.7 V8 had a timing belt rather than a chain and those motors were nearly silent compared to the V6.

 

Lol, the 4.0 knock is normal. I’ve had two 4runners now, both of them had/have it.

 

Correction, 2nd gen 4 litres are noisy muthers. My 2007 FJ makes no such noise. And FWIW, I did an oil change using Amsoil XL 5W-30 and I swear the engine seems quieter after warmed up. Didn't check cold, will try to remember.

 

Good to know, I have no experience with the first batch of 4.0’s. I do remember trying 5w-30 in my first 4runner and it definitely made the knock quieter.

 

I would have guessed this was a matter of single VVT-I VS dual VVT-I, but my '15 Taco was a noisy one, too. I'm still curious what the reason behind the solid lifters was.

 

I came across a thread on t4r where a member posted a video, and was persistent with the dealer about the knock. A rep from corporate contacted him and confirmed that the knocking is due to a “piston slap”.

who knows though, things run forever with proper maintenance so as long as I get some use out of it my engine can knock all it wants

 

"Piston slap" sounds dirty.

I'm happy with the performance of mine. At times I do wish it was as quiet as the 4.7 in my '03 was. At 257K miles, you could barely hear it idling. But, at 52K this motor seems to be getting better with age. Hopefully it will be as bulletproof as that 2UZ was.

 

I had piston slap in a 3.0 V6 Accord in 2005. It got worse and was awful in cooler spring weather or winter. The dealer and Honda to my suprise were awesome and replaced with a new crate engine (car was 7 years old with 38k miles). Hope this does not happen on a new 4R

 

I just picked up a 2021 4 Runner Off-Rd premium engine sounds like its knocking 51 miles on it.I never heard it on the road test I think the radio was on then but i noticed it the next day

 

Knocking or ticking? The valvetrain is very noisy on these motors. But, if you believe it's knocking, take it to the dealer. Maybe start another 4Runner on the lot to compare the noise.

 

I just went to check again sounds like a diesel engine at idle & just off idle. I was listining to the lower engine with a long screw driver to my ear sounded more like the lower half, the head & timing cover area was more of a faint ticking. Also i have to bring it back to check the alignment drifts right and wheel is slightly off to the right.

 

Everybody complains about this.
It’s a noisy engine. Normal.

 

Not every body buys a 40 + thousand dollar vehicle with a engine noise like diesel motor, I don't think a 2021 4Runner with a gas engine & 51 miles on it should sound like a diesel engine ever. i didn't buy this 4 runner with a diesel motor & i expect it not to sound like one.
$40,000 is a lot of money to me not sure every one that says its normal has this kind of money to through around if they do than they have no worries. Sorry for the rant been a long day at work & i feel like i not getting a fare deal doesn't seem rite.
I never seen any advertisements about 4Runners with a normal knocking motor for sale on tv or at any toyota dealers yet.
Maybe it's just me but that's not normal.

 

Other than the idle noise, how do you like it?

 

I feel for you dude. I am supposed to get one also and now wondering. $40k is a lot of cash for sure and i worked hard to get it like everyone else. I hope situation turns out ok. Please keep us posted.