Rattle on startup when truck has sat for 24+ hours

Ok. I will watch this thread with great interest! My 2019 has the same noise after it has sat a while! My Tundra is not my daily driver so it sometimes sits for a week or two. I have a hard to me describing the noise. The videos above sound somewhat similar, but not quite. Sounds almost like a belt squeal. Really hard to describe! I have owned my truck for 9 months now and this month I take it in for a check up. I'm just over 5500 miles now, so I want my oil changed and I'm going to let the dealer know. I'll mention this thread too. I hope it's something like a pulley noise and not something serious. I'm under warranty.

 

There’s another thread about this and the “diesel sound” our trucks make. It’s the oil from factory, they have thinner oil and a few people said putting thicker oil will stop that sound. Haven’t tested myself but would like mine not to make that noise.

 

i wouldn’t worry to much about the noise. These newer Toyota engines (started around 05 with the 3.5) use hydraulic lifters unlike the older Toyota’s with shim and bucket. Ever since then they’ve been noisy bastards. It’s the lifters pumping up. You should hear them after doing an engine rebuild. It’s a scary sound sometimes even when you prime them.

the light oil doesn’t help. The 5w-30 5.7s were a wee bit quieter

 

Toyota engines are not noisy. If so you have a problem.

 

I’m on my 2nd, 3rd gen 5.7 both from the lot have this sound. If you’re in a drive through you really can hear the clacking “diesel” noise.

 

If you have a 5.7 you have a problem.

 

Assuming this completely normal but I would be interested in a definite answer as well

 

This...the 4.0 on the 4runner is really noisy.

 

My Cremax was 11 years old so I don’t know if it’s the same issue as newer ones. Each time I’ve had these noises it has turned out to be loose heat shields where fasteners cheap corroded after multiple Winters with salt on the roads.

It was worse when cold or when I turned the wheel a certain way because there was more vibration on startup, would be less when starting warm or once it warmed up.

 

Agreed, if you think the Tundra is loud, you ought to own a 4.0 4runner. Our 17 Limited is loud and has been since 1.4 miles! We have 78k trouble free mikes on it.

When I started using Rotella Gas Truck 0w-20 instead of Mobil 1 AFE, it almost completely quieted both engines. Have been using it for about 15k miles in both vehicles and almost all noise is competely gone.

 

I am still leaning toward mine being the AC compressor.

I have turned the AC off, turned off truck, then I let it sit for 24+ hours and crank it up, no noise. Then when I hit the AC on button it immediately makes the rattle for a second or two before getting quiet. To me it seems that if it was the variable valve timing it would still make noise on startup whether AC was on or off and mine doesn't do that. If AC is turned off when I crank no noise, it makes noise when I turn AC on.

 

I think you are good. There have been reports that the ac compressor was noisy. I wouldn’t go complain to Toyota and mention the vvt. I wouldn’t want them tearing a new engine apart when it’s most likely the ac compressor. If that goes out you can easily get it replaced under warranty.

 

Yeah that's what I was thinking. I talked to the service rep i work with at the dealership and when I bring it in for 15K service they are going to give me a loaner and keep truck overnight to try and replicate problem.

 

have them keep it for a week or more if you can. I have not heard that sound in a while on my pickup. Mine has been sitting since last Sunday Maybe it will make the sound when I start it up today? Ill record it with my mobile device!

Also if you read the whole thread it seems people are talking about two different noises! The "Diesel" sound is not the sound I think the OP and myself are talking about. The "deiseling" sound is pretty common in VVT engines. The 5.4 Triton engine is a notorious "diesel" sounding engine. The sound the OP is talking about(i think?) is a short term sound right at startup. To me it almost sounds like a screetching/rattle noise that lasts just a split second. almost like a belt mixed with a metalic noise.

 

2019 Tundra TRD off-road crew max, 24,400 miles. For the first time, it sat for two days and I heard the same sound for like 2 seconds. No a/c on. And it was like 50 degrees out. I’ve been down this road before with my 2009 corolla and my wife’s 2014 Honda CRV sure sounds like the VVT. It’s sits and the oil drains back causing the noise. I sure hope it’s not going to be an issue. I really don’t want them pulling the front end of my engine apart already! It’s going in for it’s 25,000 Toyota care on Monday and It will sit there for two days hoping they will hear the sound. Probably won’t make the noise, with my luck! From all that I’ve researched, the vvt rattle noise will not hurt the engine, it’s just a nuisance. But after paying $45,000 I don’t want any annoying noise!

 

I am 99.9% sure from oil bleeding out of hydraulic lifters allowing lash/clearance to develop between lifters and camshaft on start-up. Translation we don't like the noise but it has zero adverse affect on engine over it life. In other words other parts of engine will wear out long before the excess lash on start up will cause issues. Before 1972 all engines had solid lifters, you set the lash/clearnace between the pushrod and rocker arm every 8-10K miles or when they got super noisy. With solid lifters you had to account for pushrod growth as the engine warmed so you had clearance between pushrod and rocker arms or lifters when cold and the clearance was taken up as the engine warmed. If their wasn't any clearance when the engine reached temperature the valve would be held open. So every time you started you muscle car it would clatter until the engine warmed or about 10 minutes. Hydraulic lifter take up the clearance automatically so you never need to adjust.

So with our engine the oil bleeds down because no back flow preventer in oil filter? who knows, but it does happen for whatever reason. Toyota didn't want design a back flow preventer so we can hear the rattle now. We hear the rattle due to the clearance between the lifters and valves stem when the oil bleeds out of the lifters over time. So assume our engines rattle for 2 seconds every day. Old solid lifter cars rattled for 10 minutes or 600 seconds every start-up. In other words one cold start on a solid lifter car sees the same wear as ours see at 300 starts assuming yours rattles 2 seconds. Mines about 1/2 second if it sits a week.

Other thread mention VVT pulley. WRONG. The VVT stands for variable valve timing. Pretty cool it simulates changing the profile of your cams for the best of both worlds torque low, power high rpms. My 2001 Lexus has it. It is modulated by oil pressure. NOTE STICK WITH OEM RECOMMEDED OIL VISCOSITY!! If not you change the profile of your cam vs what the OEM found optimium. Heavier oil is higher oil pressure so the VVT thinks you are going 50 mph when you are going 20 mph because you have higher oil pressure with the heavier oil. The only way VVT pulley goes bad is it leaks EXTERNALLY all over your timing belt. They have to leak internally or they couldn't modulate your cams. Another thing bearing clearances are designed for a certain oil viscosity. You put a 20W50 in our engines bearing will be starved. For example old rod bearings probably had .006" clearnace good for 10W40. New engines have .002" clearance so the heavier oil can pass through and keep the bearing cool.

 

Nice right up MadMax. I had it at the dealer yesterday and it sat there for two and half days. Of course they heard no noise. It only happened to me once. I’m not to worried about it. I’ve got the power train warranty yet and if it gets worse I’ll worry about it then.

 

The noise you are hearing are the timing chain tensioners , seen it a handful of times on tundras and sequoias , the seal in the tensioners wear out , oil bleeds out over night , takes a second or 2 to build up pressure to apply proper amount of pressure on the timing chain , this results in a little chain rattle at start up .

 

Two threads on this subject. The 5.7L timing chain tensioner appears to have oil pressure supplied but also spring loaded. Assuming spring isn't broken this should eliminate tensioner noise on start-up. Mine has 980 miles and 3 weeks old so my spring isn't broken and the noise occurs for 1/2 second after sitting for days. So what changes in days? Oil bleads. Oil bleads out of lifter, clearance develops until repumps on start-up. Oil bleads out of tensioner spring maintains pressure. My noise is more metallic vs the tensioner failures noises i heard on you tube. I suggest we close this thread and keep on the other one.

 

I hear this on my 2019 sometimes after sitting a few days.

 

I have a 2004 Toyota Sequoia 157,000 miles. Bought in summer, second owner. Getting colder and noticed same sort of noise with mine. Has timing belt so nothing to do with chain. Also is the non VVTI. Mine is a ticking/mild rattle and quickly goes away after a few seconds. I thought maybe it was fuel injectors but only does when cold so either mild piston slap, or maybe more top end from oil taking time to working up to top of engine. Some have even mentioned cause to be possible crack in manifold. I am not worried about it because these engines are pretty bulletproof and Toyota engines do not like the cold, like you I'm just curious as to what it could be and whether there is something I could do to remedy, for example, using a certain oil!

 

I realize this is an old post. But how come it’s not repeatable?

My 2014 has made the rattle, clack it clatter whatever you want to call it about 3 times over the past 6months.

I’ve seen other threads about worn out chain tensioners? Although those seem to make noise for more than a few seconds.

when mine dies make noise it’s 1/2-1second long. Sounds like hell, then goes away. Last time it did it it only sat 12hrs or so. Today I started my truck first time in 2days and nothing.

Also notices the last 2 times it did it were about 2 days after an oil change, i’m sure that’s un related.

so the verdict is to not worry about it? I do have 165k miles i’ll try and capture it sometime. But it sounds a lot like the video others posted with the white truck.

 

I haven't noticed the noise in quite some time. Could be because I use my remote start most of the time.

 

FWIW...I haven't heard the noise other than that one time. Weird.

 

I can guarantee you it’s the Auto Climate Control. Mine does it occasionally. I wouldn’t worry about it. Minor nuisance that’ll be covered under warranty if it causes issues.

 

The AC without a doubt will make a noise on start-up if truck sits for a couple days. I have tested this 8 times. In addition if you start up after a couple days and don't turn on the AC compressor until the engine is warm (rpm low at idle) and turn on the ac it doesn't make noise. My guess is the high idle when you first start up causes belt to slip when ac is engaged. why it doesn't do this every day I don't know. you also have the valvterain noise. Funny my 20 year old Lexus gs300 as a variable displacement AC compressor works flawlessly. The clutch is engaged 100% of the time it doesn't cycle on and off like my 2021 Tundra....

 

Not trying to open a can of worms.. but you may want to check before you say statements like this.. its a known fact that timing chain engines are noisier than timing belts... also contribute to the noise as @empty_lord mentioned are the hydraulic lifters that Toyota went to.... this contributes to more noise from the engine overall but certainly at start up they will cause more noise for around maybe 2-5 seconds..cause the oil is drained from the part until it gets lubricated and then you are fine again..not a cause of concern but just something to note...

Its mostly happens because or one or more reason

1. When starting out in a colder morning (so I notice it mostly in winter where the truck is left out in the elements - not that I have a garage big enough to park the truck inside but this would be a good experiment)
2. When starting after 3-4+ days
3. Inclined drive way "MAY" cause it as well but the first 2 reasons contribute the most to it. (like if you have an inclined drive way but u start your truck regularly then you will not get this sound)
4. Lastly sometimes even if the above 2-3 things are true.. you may think you will hear this noise on startup with these conditions as true, but it purrs like a kitten - no noise nothing.. so lol that happens as well..

So the best way to ensure this is just a nuisance and not a real big problem with the truck is to change your oil every 5k miles or 6 months.

I am sure this annoys other Toyota owners who have owned timing belts and have had quiet engines but its just something to note..

 

Listening to some of the videos posted here...yeah that is definitely not the A/C clunk I hear. The noises in the videos sound like it could be piston slap, or lash adjuster bleeding down, or cam phaser knock (same issue...bleed down oil system). The timing chain noise heard when the issue is prevalent is mostly on high mile engines with some question on maintenance history. The noise is also muffled a bit.

If this was piston slap it'd occur on every single cold start and with less time in between starts. I'm voting lash adjuster bleed down or cam phaser knock.

 

Start at 9:09



https://youtu.be/l2OAHImTgA8

 

I made a post about this awhile back. Same situation as OP. If it sit longer than 24 plus. I get the rattle.