2015 Toyota Tundra 5.7 engine noise

[Astro14]

It sounds like a chain tensioner rattle to me, too, though I have never had that rattle. I just went over 85,000 miles on the Tundra. it has had a steady diet of Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, and I just switched it to HPL 0W30 Euro. No good reason for the Euro vs. other varieties, other than making shop inventory simpler for me.

IF this can be fixed by oil, or it was caused by oil, then I would go with something that has a high ester content to try and loosen up the tensioner, by, hopefully, dissolving any deposits that are causing the problem.

Valvoline Restore and Protect, HPL, or Mobil 1 ESP.

As far as the performance of the truck goes? The truck has plenty of power, but the engine likes to rev. It’s not like most trucks where the engine makes a lot of torque down low, on the contrary, it makes a lot of torque higher up in the RPM band.

You have to cane it a bit to get it to move. Once you do, it moves. Personally, I think it has a nice growl to it when you get on it, but that’s subjective.

When you put it in tow/haul mode, it revs pretty far up, but I barely noticed a 6000 pound trailer behind me in terms of acceleration.

Just last week.

 

[liberty2701]

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.

Thanks, I will give that a try l.

 

[edyvw]

Thanks, I will give that a try l.

I use Castrol Edge 0W30 (my preference as it is full SAPS oil and 3UR is not DI engine) and you can get it for $37 in AAP or AZ plus filter.

 

[6.7 CTD]

Uploaded the audio of my old Tundra. Listen to the entire clip, you can hear the noise start to subside as it warms up. This was taken in February a few years ago.

 

[Astro14]

Uploaded the audio of my old Tundra. Listen to the entire clip, you can hear the noise start to subside as it warms up. This was taken in February a few years ago.

Boy, that’s loud! That would drive me crazy and I would be searching for the cause.

Don’t rule out an exhaust leak, which often goes away as the manifolds heat and seal up the gap.

Got a stethoscope?

 

[6.7 CTD]

Boy, that’s loud! That would drive me crazy and I would be searching for the cause.

Don’t rule out an exhaust leak, which often goes away as the manifolds heat and seal up the gap.

Got a stethoscope?

Haha yeah it was annoying. This was pre HPL use which quieted it a good bit. I sold the truck a while ago but it def was not an exhaust leak; however, that was an initial possibility. I spent hours removing manifold heat shields and listening to it only to conclude that I’m 99.9% certain it was the chain tensioner that is notoriously problematic.

 

[edyvw]

Uploaded the audio of my old Tundra. Listen to the entire clip, you can hear the noise start to subside as it warms up. This was taken in February a few years ago.

ha, to me that does not sound like 5.7.

 

[6.7 CTD]

ha, to me that does not sound like 5.7.

It is most certainly a 5.7 from my previous Tundra. Im not sure if you’re insinuating this is not a 5.7, or that it sounds so awful you’re shocked that it’s a 5.7

 

[Hohn]

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.

Is that a VVTI engine? My is250 had a recall for cam phasers because they would make a hideous rattle until oil pressure came up.

I’d say it’s probably cam phasers.

PS; over the years of using the better oils I use, the cam phasers rattle eventually disappeared. I bought the car with 107k on it. When I sold it just after Christmas, it had 184k on it 10 years later and never made the phaser rattle sound anymore.

 

[Hohn]

ha, to me that does not sound like 5.7.

Well, to me at sounds like it NOT a cam phasers rattle. It’s too quiet and subtle to be that. Cam phasers noise will have you looking for a rod protruding from the block.

I’m thinking tensioner and/or chain. Remember, a lot of these tensioners operate off oil pressure so if over time you get some gunk in them they are slow to activate and fully tension the chain.

Sensitivity to oil pressure would also explain why it’s worse at idle but not so much at higher rpm.

I’d recommend trying some 5w-30 VRP and see what happens. It will likely free up any sticking in the tensioner piston and the slightly higher viscosity should help idle oil pressure.

 

[burbguy82]

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.

I would say the change in oil brand is circumstantial to the issue, but could be wrong. International manuals show this engine can run on anything from 0w20 to 15w40 or maybe 20w50, I dont remember.

 

[edyvw]

It is most certainly a 5.7 from my previous Tundra. Im not sure if you’re insinuating this is not a 5.7, or that it sounds so awful you’re shocked that it’s a 5.7

It definitely does not sound like my 5.7. That was my point.

 

[Bill7]

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.

I haven't heard of Toyota's smaller 4 cylinder engines having the cold startup rattle, but it seems more common in it's V-6's and 8 cylinder engines. Just an observation from reading a lot of posts on the subject. Would anyone know if Toyota 4 cylinder engines are exempt from the cold startup rattle from engine issue?

 

[PWMDMD]

It sounds like a chain tensioner rattle to me, too, though I have never had that rattle. I just went over 85,000 miles on the Tundra. it has had a steady diet of Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, and I just switched it to HPL 0W30 Euro. No good reason for the Euro vs. other varieties, other than making shop inventory simpler for me.

IF this can be fixed by oil, or it was caused by oil, then I would go with something that has a high ester content to try and loosen up the tensioner, by, hopefully, dissolving any deposits that are causing the problem.

Valvoline Restore and Protect, HPL, or Mobil 1 ESP.

As far as the performance of the truck goes? The truck has plenty of power, but the engine likes to rev. It’s not like most trucks where the engine makes a lot of torque down low, on the contrary, it makes a lot of torque higher up in the RPM band.

You have to cane it a bit to get it to move. Once you do, it moves. Personally, I think it has a nice growl to it when you get on it, but that’s subjective.

When you put it in tow/haul mode, it revs pretty far up, but I barely noticed a 6000 pound trailer behind me in terms of acceleration.

Just last week.

View attachment 263327

I think part of it too is how tip-in is programmed. I was initially disappointed with the 5.7 for being lazy off the line and I always felt like I had to really push the pedal to get it to move. I've been using a Pedal Commander for the last 5 years and while it doesn't change any performance measures in reality, now less pedal equals more go-go and so psychologically I think it's tricked my brain into thinking it has more getty-up off the line. I too really love this engine and I think it sounds great.

OP...my 2020 just hit 60k miles and no startup rattles on a diet of high quality oils including Mobil ESP and Valvoline R&P every 5k miles.