2015 Toyota Tundra 5.7 engine noise

[liberty2701]

My truck has 60 k miles. I just noticed for the first time a 2 second engine rattle on a cold startup only when the outside temp is below 20 f. Currently using Max life HM 5w30. Prior to max life it has been either 0w20 or 5w30 supertech full synthetic. Is it the oil or engine design? I read many other posts with a similar noise but no reference to the oil being the issue.

 

[panthermike]

I believe these motors *can* have timing chain tensioners go bad. Was it sitting for while?

 

[liberty2701]

I believe these motors *can* have timing chain tensioners go bad. Was it sitting for while?

No more than a couple of days.

 

[panthermike]

Could be normal, if you were using 0w20 typically when it's that cold; it would flow easier at <20

 

[6.7 CTD]

Had a 2014 Tundra Limited with the 5.7 that had an awful rattle, at idle, during warmup. It would subside as soon as I started driving. The noise completely went away after the engine was warm. It was definitely the timing chain tensioner but I never fixed it. I sold the truck with over 180k miles on it and noticed the noise somewhere around 145k? It quieted a lot once I started using HPL 5w30 and it previously had and diet of Mobil 1 high mileage 5w30 and an oci or two of 10w30 high mileage.

 

[edyvw]

My truck has 60 k miles. I just noticed for the first time a 2 second engine rattle on a cold startup only when the outside temp is below 20 f. Currently using Max life HM 5w30. Prior to max life it has been either 0w20 or 5w30 supertech full synthetic. Is it the oil or engine design? I read many other posts with a similar noise but no reference to the oil being the issue.

Why HM oil?
I have the same engine with 70k on it, and I started it several times at -10 degrees. No noise. I switched to Castrol Edge 0W30 (Euro stuff, so thicker at operating temperature) from whatever the Honda dealership put in before I bought car (probably 0W20) and the engine is as smooth as it can be with this 0W30. With Honda oil at 4500rpms I would have a noise like lifters would walk away from the engine. With this Castrol, it is smooth throughout the whole rpm bend.
If you want to stick to ILSAC GF oils, and 5W30, I would go something like Mobil1 5W30, or Pennzoil Platinum. Pennzoil has particularly good cold performance as it is GTL oil.

 

[liberty2701]

Why HM oil?
I have the same engine with 70k on it, and I started it several times at -10 degrees. No noise. I switched to Castrol Edge 0W30 (Euro stuff, so thicker at operating temperature) from whatever the Honda dealership put in before I bought car (probably 0W20) and the engine is as smooth as it can be with this 0W30. With Honda oil at 4500rpms I would have a noise like lifters would walk away from the engine. With this Castrol, it is smooth throughout the whole rpm bend.
If you want to stick to ILSAC GF oils, and 5W30, I would go something like Mobil1 5W30, or Pennzoil Platinum. Pennzoil has particularly good cold performance as it is GTL oil.

 

[liberty2701]

The HM oil was a sale at $15 a jug. Maybe I will go back to 0w20 and see what happens.

 

[supton]

I wonder if it's just normal cam phasor noise. I swear my old Camry would clatter at cold start, and I think others complained about the 2AR-FE doing that, yet it was not known as a failure mode. Just a noisy startup issue.

Don't rule out something else. I think on my old CRV a similar startup noise might actually be the serpentine tensioner. I could be wrong, but it's in the same area.

 

[PWMDMD]

Could be normal, if you were using 0w20 typically when it's that cold; it would flow easier at <20

Would it? I believe there's no way to know this is true given the information in the post. It has been stated here many times by people who know more than me that some 5ws flow more easily than 0ws at certain temperatures.

 

[panthermike]

Would it? I believe there's no way to know this is true given the information in the post. It has been stated here many times by people who know more than me that some 5ws flow more easily than 0ws at certain temperatures.

Purely guesswork; sometimes these things *can* be related to oil/filter. But it can also be from tensioners, as I mentioned in my first response

 

[edyvw]

Would it? I believe there's no way to know this is true given the information in the post. It has been stated here many times by people who know more than me that some 5ws flow more easily than 0ws at certain temperatures.

At 20f, no difference.
But there are substantially better oils out there.

 

[edyvw]

The HM oil was a sale at $15 a jug. Maybe I will go back to 0w20 and see what happens.

Forget sale. You can stay with 5W30 as at 20f there is really no difference. But run something like M1 EP, Castrol Edge, Valvoline Advance etc. See if that makes a difference. If you want 0W20, Mobil1 ESP 0W20 X2 is readily available in Wal Mart. Castrol Edge EP 0W20 is another good one.

 

[Ursatdx]

2011 Tundra 5.7. 140k. My truck has been making the cold engine noise since new.
Sounds diesel-like for a few minutes until warm.
Letting it warm up a few minutes eliminates the issue.
Only recently I was hearing a much louder metallic sound for 1-2 seconds on startup.
Turns out the cat shield had 2 rusted fasteners that were easily replaced.
0w20 (any major) up until last change. Currently 5w30 M1 and no noticeable change in engine noise.

 

[D60]

These motors do that. Always LH. My buddy's '15 does it -- it drives him nuts. You can fix it by.....replacing the tensioner?....I think? But it's a lot of work.

And yeah, it doesn't seem to affect longevity although it's not technically right and shouldn't make that noise.

CCN even mentioned it in the controversial head video. Saying he always saw HG problems on the left and mentioned the timing chain noise is always on the left (he was not suggesting the two were directly related).

I've suggested it is a closet thing the REALLY big fan bois don't like to talk about. But again, it doesn't seem to affect longevity so one could argue it's a nothingburger

 

[panthermike]

These motors do that. Always LH. My buddy's '15 does it -- it drives him nuts. You can fix it by.....replacing the tensioner?....I think? But it's a lot of work.

And yeah, it doesn't seem to affect longevity although it's not technically right and shouldn't make that noise.

CCN even mentioned it in the controversial head video. Saying he always saw HG problems on the left and mentioned the timing chain noise is always on the left (he was not suggesting the two were directly related).

I've suggested it is a closet thing the REALLY big fan bois don't like to talk about. But again, it doesn't seem to affect longevity so one could argue it's a nothingburger

Agreed on the sound, my old Crown Vic had tensioner rattle for a long time with no issues.

I like the 5.7 overall, good motor with lot's of high mileage examples but have noticed as these motors age we are seeing an uptick in head gasket failures.

 

[D60]

Agreed on the sound, my old Crown Vic had tensioner rattle for a long time with no issues.

I like the 5.7 overall, good motor with lot's of high mileage examples but have noticed as these motors age we are seeing an uptick in head gasket failures.

I haven't spent any considerable time behind them but have test driven/bedded brakes on a '15 and '16 both with the 5.7. It seems kinda lethargic and really noisy which increases the perception of "working hard but doing very little" and these had 4.30s. Kinda surprised Toyota didn't try a little harder at managing NVH.

No doubt very durable motors but they don't seem particularly quick. Now, I daily a Ford 2V 4.6 so I know all about durable + slow and that's fine.

I know all the Toyota guys are gonna want to hang me. Bummer.

 

[liberty2701]

Forget sale. You can stay with 5W30 as at 20f there is really no difference. But run something like M1 EP, Castrol Edge, Valvoline Advance etc. See if that makes a difference. If you want 0W20, Mobil1 ESP 0W20 X2 is readily available in Wal Mart. Castrol Edge EP 0W20 is another good one.

I do get -10 f temperature but I only notice the noise when it hits 20 or colder.

 

[CT Rob]

Idk my 17 flat gets up and goes and always has since the day i got it. I don't baby it either. coming up on 95k and still smooth and the day i bought it with 100 miles on it.

 

[edyvw]

I do get -10 f temperature but I only notice the noise when it hits 20 or colder.

As I said, stick to top of the line stuff. If you want thicker oil, Mobil1 ESP 0W30 is going to be much better than anything ILSAC GF. It is a bit thicker, considering an HTHS of 3.5, but it has the toughest approvals, loaded with PAO and a bit of esters and it goes for $27 for 5qt at local Wal mart.