Metallic rattle at cold starts up

I have a 2020 Tundra with 96,288 miles on it.
Ever since I have owned this truck I'll hear a quick rattle coming from the engine from time to time at cold start up after my truck has been sitting for at least 6 hours.
It sounds like someone shaking BB's in a empty metal container.
It literally last for maybe 2 seconds.
But lately the rattle is becoming my frequent and aggressive in sounds.
I have found a few older posts about this from others but they seemed to be unhelpful and since they're around 5 years old I thought I'd take a swing at it.
My theroy is that it's my timing chain tensioner but there is isent any tapping at idle, or maybe some hydraulic components decompressing while sitting.
But since it's seems to be evolving I'm starting to worry that its a VVT gear.
But that seems to be a very uncommon issue in the 3UR-FE.
I know this engine is famous for cringeworthy sounds so I'm trying to not freak out over it.
And if it's not gonna cause me is catastrophic issues down the road I can live with it.
I was just wondering is anyone else has this annamely and if anyone has figured out what it is.

 

My 2016 has been doing that occasionally for a very long time. I don't know the cause. The truck currently has 265K on it.

 

It's not a problem. It's the quick second before you have full oil pressure. It's most likely the cam chain tensioner before it has pressure. Could also be the lifter before they get oil as well. There really is nothing you can do about it, its nothing like the cam phaser rattle Fords get.

I've heard it on my truck occasionally too as well as many other cars i've had with timing chains, including the 2023 Chevy Traverse i drive for work, my motorcycles, etc.

 

FYI, I used to have this similar rattle at startup. Although mine was not necessarily only during overnight start up.. my rattle noise was random. I thought it was related to the chain tensioner as well and left it as such.

But then my starter gave way.. and I had to replace it.. found out that the Starter solenoid was going bad and it would not disengage properly causing the rattling noise....replacing the starter help me fix the issue.. I get no rattles now.. btw my truck has about 287k miles on it..FYI.

Thanks

 

I had exactly the same issue. Finally solved by replacing camshaft gears on drivers side of engine. Apparently their was damage in the smaller gear causing it to “stick” until full oil pressure was established.

The issue has been fully resolved.

 

Is this the sound you have? This is the same thing mine does, mine is maybe a bit louder in the sense of bbs in a can.

https://youtube.com/shorts/zR15pMbRp2I?si=ujTfud2GDAaIPDdQ

 

Yep, that’s just the tensioner catching up once it gets oil pressure.

 

Bummer, such an exspensive fix. Think i might just leave it untill it gets worse or i notice it when engine is warm.

 

Next oil change try running Valvoline Restore & Protect.

hear me out, I’m generally not an advocate for snake oil type solutions for mechanical problems. I have a Saturn Outlook w/ 160k miles that has had a timing chain rattle on startup for the past few years… 20-30k miles or so.

I did a an oil change with the Restore & Protect to help clean up the rings, but the timing chain rattle went away after about 500-1000miles with that oil.


Anecdotal sample size n=1, but $60 for an oil change is a lot cheaper and easier than replacing the tensioner.

 

Funny you mention that. I just changed the oil to that maybe 90 miles ago or so. Will see how it does. I'm hopeful it fixes the issue. Saw others on facebook talking about it so figured I'd give it a try.
I Want to exhaust all options before having it replaced. I had it replaced on my 2010 but the sound I got on that tundra was when the engine was warm and not on cold start. Hopefully this fixes the issues before it gets that bad. 60 bucks would be way better then a few thousand. If not think I'll just live with it untill it get more noticeable. It only does it once and awhile. Sometime if it sits overnight other times my truck sits for like a week and doesnt do it.

 

my Saturn rattled consistently on cold start after sitting overnight.

I was not expecting the R&P oil to affect the tensioner. I just happened to notice it not rattle one morning, and have not heard it since.

Fluke? Maybe. In my experience, problems don’t fix themselves .

 

it’s normal. There is nothing to fix really. I’ve had many cars and motorcycles that will give a quick noise like that until they get oil pressure.

it’s not like the tensioner issue people usually refer to where it keeps making the noise for minutes. This should only last a second or two.