Oil change then cold start rattle 3 days in a row. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter bloc
- Start date
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From the perspective of 'doing it right' I agree. I think we all treat our trucks as prized objects rather than appliances and look for opportunities to perfect them. However, many of us started our 200 journey with 100k on the clock. My guess is that the risk of inducing a rear main, cam tower, or other leak would be greater than the risk of a stuck valve. If ignorant bliss = non-leaking truck past 200k then I'm all in.
Have no idea if there is data to support my theory, just my perception. I've just not read of many sludge-induced 3UR (or 2UZ or 1GR) failures. Especially with 5k OCI on quality synthetics. We do, however see leaks being a problem. If the argument is to start with a new, clean engine and keep it clean then I'd be more inclined to agree. But with 137k on the clock I'm just not crazy about 'fixing' something that's not necessarily broken. At least not broken from the perspective of reliability or cost for the duration that I will own the vehicle. The risk : reward ratio seems off on this one to me. I do appreciate the detailed response. Good stuff.Now if Toyota goes with small displacement turbos then I think the argument for cleanliness may tip the scales. I had an expensive turbo failure in an Outback XT due to sludge in the banjo bolt filter. Now that was a particularly poor design and common failure point, however turbos in general are highly intolerant of oiling problems. Sludge that develops elsewhere can easily become an embolism (to use a medical analogy) that blocks flow to those small tight-tolerance bearings.
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Taco2Cruiser
Crazy American Off Road
One thing to keep in mind is that a sealant, used for assembling of parts like cam towers or timing chain covers has nothing to do with engine oils. Clean or dirty. If you get a leak, it’s because the sealant itself failed for a number of reasons.From the perspective of 'doing it right' I agree. I think we all treat our trucks as prized objects rather than appliances and look for opportunities to perfect them. However, many of us started our 200 journey with 100k on the clock. My guess is that the risk of inducing a rear main, cam tower, or other leak would be greater than the risk of a stuck valve. If ignorant bliss = non-leaking truck past 200k then I'm all in.
Now if Toyota goes with small displacement turbos then I think the argument for cleanliness may tip the scales. I had an expensive turbo failure in an Outback XT due to sludge in the banjo bolt filter. Now that was a particularly poor design and common failure point, however turbos in general are highly intolerant of oiling problems. Sludge that develops elsewhere can easily become an embolism (to use a medical analogy) that blocks flow to those small tight-tolerance bearings.
What you’re referring to is seals, like you’re rear main of your example or valve seals. Those, could leak if you clean away a “false seal.”
I don’t hold it against you or anybody. but for me, who finds working on these things enjoyable and has this ridiculous need to have any machine “perfect,” it made me do that with 130k on my motor to each their own.
Now, cold start rattle. Sucks right....
This is very interesting... I have a 2008 tundra 5.7 and about 2 years ago it developed this dreaded valve clap / rattle at cold start up in the summer for a short time and more pronounced / very loud and lasting longer during colder Fall / Winter months in Chicagoland (sometimes as long as 5-7 minutes after start up and the only way to make it go away was to drive and warm the engine up to normal temperature upon which the noise would go away)
I was always using the same formula of oil (Mobil 1 Synthetic 5w-20 or 0w-20 and original Toyota oil filter).
Being a little scared that the engine will go "kablamo" I started looking at options (it started happening around 185k on the clock)
I started watching youtube videos on timing chain / tensioner replacements etc. and came across some videos running seafoam with oil and flushing the engine oil out after 100-150 miles, but being a bit more experienced in wrenching than an average guy I didn't want to believe it would make any difference however...
After a while I said "screw it" and bought a few seafoam bottles and run the engine with it in oil for about 120 miles right before the oil change thinking "it is probably not going to make things worse"
To my surprise after the oil change the rattling at startup stopped immediately and has not come back with current milage at 213k... crazy right?
Don't take this advice as the solution to your problem as I don't have any idea if it will help in your case, but it DID in mine, and it might be worth it to try at your own risk.
I was always using the same formula of oil (Mobil 1 Synthetic 5w-20 or 0w-20 and original Toyota oil filter).
Being a little scared that the engine will go "kablamo" I started looking at options (it started happening around 185k on the clock)
I started watching youtube videos on timing chain / tensioner replacements etc. and came across some videos running seafoam with oil and flushing the engine oil out after 100-150 miles, but being a bit more experienced in wrenching than an average guy I didn't want to believe it would make any difference however...
After a while I said "screw it" and bought a few seafoam bottles and run the engine with it in oil for about 120 miles right before the oil change thinking "it is probably not going to make things worse"
To my surprise after the oil change the rattling at startup stopped immediately and has not come back with current milage at 213k... crazy right?
Don't take this advice as the solution to your problem as I don't have any idea if it will help in your case, but it DID in mine, and it might be worth it to try at your own risk.
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bloc
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #65
If nothing else it points to what the problem might be.. deposits in the tensioner keeping things from working correctly?
Taco do you remember how these things work? They look like they have a spring, assisted by oil pressure, with a ratchet assembly to move the “no oil pressure” position/stop in as the chains wear.
Very helpful info thanks for sharing gents. I have been getting intermittent clatter on cold start and occasionally on idle I have a 155K on my 08 model. I'm about to change the oil this weekend I've been using the Rotella 5W-30 with oem filter to see if it would help but no real change. I'm setting off for a 9 day Big Bend trip with some cruiser brothers and will try @99toylc experiment with the sea foam when I get back from the trip. I may try a little marvel mystery oil in this oil change to see if it might free up some deposits in the tensioner.
Glad I'm not the only one. Had one tensioner replaced in my 08 and it fixed it. I'm married to this MF'er now. Hopefully I can get another 200,000 miles out of it!
You go through a lot of Land Cruisers!
Curious if you ever tried the Seafoam trick? My wife has an LX570 2015 with only 56k... with this clacking rattle issue. It drives me crazy!!
Taco2Cruiser
Crazy American Off Road
Did you use the same oil as what came out?
Yes, my clacking is intermittent mostly from the drivers side. I ran half a can of seafoam in the gas tank and put the other half in the crankcase ran it around town running errands all day about 25 miles or so then went home and changed the oil. I'll report back if I hear the clacking again its not severe enough to take it down and replace the tensioners, guides and chain yet until it constantly does it. I read this guys description and believe this is also my issue.
"This was caused by a small leak in the timing chain tensioner on the driver side. Your dealer or other service tech can validate the cause on the driver side by observation through the oil filler location if they remove the filler tube and run the engine to see the tensioner action. The reason the sound comes and goes is due to fluctuations in oil pressure - higher pressure pushes the tensioner hard enough to prevent the chain slap. As soon as oil pressure goes down a little bit, the tensioner allows slack in the chain guide and causes slap."
So, about 3 weeks ago I did the sea foam trick in crankcase. Drove it for about 55 miles and changed the oil and filter. Noise stopped. It has been VERY cold in the last few weeks here and now it is warming up. Still no noise! Fingers crossed!
Great to hear
, same here fingers crossed I'm at 170K on my 08 if I could put off the tensioners, guides and chain another 30K I'd be happy. We had some unusually cold spells here in South Louisiana as well for two days in a row I kept getting air injection system fail codes thought the air injection system crapped out in the cold weather rush ordered the delete kit and after it warmed up the codes never returned and all is normal 
Yes, 0W-20.
If it helps make the decision easier, there's no real commitment other than another oil change away. To make it harder, there's another good choice in between with 0W-30.
5w30 would be convenient for me because one of the other vehicles uses it as well. I could buy the 5 gallon jug.
BTW, the noise mine is making has been reduced noticeably after the crank case sea foam even before the oil change. I just did the fuel tank and will do the intake before the oil change.
Taco2Cruiser
Crazy American Off Road
Don’t know if this helps, as I’m not talking about the viscosity, but the composition of the oil, but...
I had a recent customer say that they just started having a “cold start rattle.” They wanted me to replace the tensioners and what not. Too easy, done my fair share of them. But, I asked what oil he was using which was a nice boutique oil with a good amount of easters in it. I swapped him to a different oil, annndddd, no rattle apparently for the next year.
I don’t play brand favorites on anything, but this isn’t the first, second, or even fifth time this has worked. Just a thought before you go paying a guy like me almost $3k to get into you motor and replace parts.
32cls6speedmt
SILVER Star
I will dare and ask what brand?
What oil do you run/recommend?
