2007 Camry SE V6 Engine cold start knocking/tapping

[tazgator]

Hey guys !

Any further feedback and/or input on the 2GR-FE Engine having a light tapping/knocking after a cold start?

Generally it goes away after a few minutes... started noticing it after 12,000 miles mark on the ODO... after reading a few posts, I have a feeling it is something I am going to have to learn to live with? apparently the Lexus ES350 has a similar issue... as far as I can tell it has nothing to do with the Gas octane level or the quaility of the gas... went back to premium gas, even filling up with "top tier" gas in Chevron with it's Techron gas additives... in fact even tried the Techron fuel cleaner additive for a couple of gas tank fills...

At the 15K service call, I mentioned it, and the engine is apparently running at factory specification... why does this not surprise me. I intend to bring it up again in the next service call or sooner, to get it documented. Should I try a different oil perhaps even synthetic ? or is this tapping/light knocking a Toyota engine thing?... those that live in the Northern colder states most notice it even more? To be honest regardless of what Consumer Report and a few internet posts are saying, I've been over the moon with this model Camry, having traded in a '05 Camry SE V6... Purchased in Aug. '06 perhaps I've been fortuante in terms of the transmission flares, body integrity issues ?, audio, etc. but this car ROCKS !! great bang for the buck... but for a V6 and being Toyota I would not expect to hear any engine tapping/knocking no matter how light and that it goes away after a few minutes when the engine gets warmed up ... any feedback welcome...

[marc780]

It depends on where the tapping is coming from in the engine. Tapping in the top part is valve noise and might be normal. Tapping in the bottom end when cold may be piston slap that goes away as the engine gets warm and the piston changes shape. May or may not also be "normal" depending on what toyota says about it.

Not alot than can be done without a warranty complaint, TSB or recall, about all there is to try is use a different engine oil that the engine might like and might make the noise go away, and forget about the noise as much as you can. Also i would formally document any complaints made with the dealer, in case the noise gets worse during the warranty period, you may get a new engine out of it eventually if the noise isn't normal after all.

[2GR_4AG]

It's probably the normal noise of fuel injectors.I've had people complaining of similar noises coming from Cayenne S's at work....I know Porsche and Toyota are in different league but to me "injectors" are nothing but solenoids that just click away for years to come...

[geoff5093]

I know exactly what you're talking about, it seems to happen when it's below freezing, and I hear a similar sound when it turns over.

[tazgator]

Thanks guys.... appreciate the input.... as I do more searches on the topic, I can tell I am not alone with this... hopefully there is a solution, apart from having to live with it, and it be deemed as "normal"... if in the end it is "normal" .... will admit, I am not impressed with this aspect of Toyota's V6... as some others have commented, it is when the audio system kicks in to drown it out....

[TRD VVTi]

Originally Posted by tazgator

Thanks guys.... appreciate the input.... as I do more searches on the topic, I can tell I am not alone with this... hopefully there is a solution, apart from having to live with it, and it be deemed as "normal"... if in the end it is "normal" .... will admit, I am not impressed with this aspect of Toyota's V6... as some others have commented, it is when the audio system kicks in to drown it out....

It not uncommon at all, and is probably normal.

Drop it off at the dealer overnight so that they can cold start it and verify that it's OK.

My 2AZ-FE is noisy when it's cold also. Most of GM's engines are also noisy when it's cold. It's fairly common for many manufacturers. Trying to make a normal noise better, just ends up in a headache for everyone.

Running premium fuel will probably just make it worse. Premium burns slower and leaves more deposits/carbon in the combustion chamber. Carbon buildup will sometimes make noise when the engine is cold. There are some engines by other manufacturers that actually sound like they are going to blow up when they're cold due to carbon buildup. I understand that you probably believe the extra octane will quiet the engine, but the octane will not help at all on a cold engine that isn't seeing spark knock/pre-ignition.

Do not stray from the factory recommended oils and viscosities. You'll just make more problems.

[skyxliner]

is this the same as your car kinda jolting as your cold start accelerating slowly?

[tazgator]

Hey TRD VVTI,

Thanks for your take on all this.... in terms of the Premium vs Regular gas, will defintely keep what you have to say in mind... why realizing the whole gas question, is an ongoing raging debate on these forums.... I've been reading up on the posts on this topic... what's interesting is that my '05 SE with a 3.3L V6 specified premium gas in the owners manual (from what I can recollect), yet this 3.5L is supposedly fine with regular gas?, go figure.... and as far as I can tell is very similar, and correct me if I am mistaken almost identical to the Lexus ES350 engine, even in terms of the high compression ratio and which specifies premium gas... so I reckoned that the premium could really not do it much harm... in particular if I use a "Top tier" Gas such as Chevron with additonal detergents.... to help clean out any carbon deposits. I was even thinking of trying out Shell's V power premium for a spell, to see if it's any better.... for what it's worth I did try using regular gas for a few months to save $, and to see if I would indeed notice any performance difference... for the most part was doing ok, when I started noticing the light knocking/tapping .... that's when I eventually went back to premium gas... for some reason I dont believe the quality and/or octane of gas is the issue, but I could be mistaken.... eventually I was aiming to alternate half tank fill-up's between the 87 & the 93 octane which we get here in So. Florida. As for the oil, thanks for the caution, I don't intend to stray far if at all from the factory recommended oils and viscosities... just considering Mobil one synthethic, etc. By the way, nice cars you have there.... both of them...

[robob2]

Originally Posted by TRD VVTi

Do not stray from the factory recommended oils and viscosities. You'll just make more problems.

Just curious - what's your take on using 5-20 for the 2GR-FE per
EG018–06?

Thanks

[TRD_EarBanger]

Do not stray from the factory recommended oils and viscosities. You'll just make more problems.

I was giving serios thought to this before you even mentioned it, are you a mind reader? Now, i wont. Thanks.

[TRD VVTi]

Originally Posted by tazgator

what's interesting is that my '05 SE with a 3.3L V6 specified premium gas in the owners manual (from what I can recollect),

I wasn't aware that Toyota specified premium fuel for that application. If that's the case, you should follow that recommendation. Are you sure though?

Originally Posted by tazgator

considering Mobil one synthethic, etc.

I've had great luck for about 15 years using Mobil 1 in all my cars.

Originally Posted by tazgator

By the way, nice cars you have there.... both of them...

Thank you very much.

[centennialman]

Unless you consider 87 octane premium then yeah I guess one needs to put in premium grade gasoline if the lowest octane is 85 like it is in Colorado. While 87 is the lowest in California out here it's midgrade.

I always considered premium 91+. Did I miss something?

[tazgator]

Hey Centennialman,

Have you ever experienced any coldstart engine tapping / light knocking noise with your '07 SE's V6? occuring when one is accelerating and which goes away after a few minutes that the engine warms up... I realize being in Colorado, altitude may or may not play a factor? I started noticing this with mine after 12,000 miles.... at first, and after reading a few forum posts, I thought it was because I had been driving on 87 octane gas for a couple of months, when prior to that I had always religiously used Mobil's 93 octane.... but now that I am back to the higher octane, even switching to a supposed "top tier" gas which has additonal detergents added, Chevron gas... and went ahead and tried the Chevron Techron Plus fuel system cleaning additive for a couple of tank fills.... to deal with any possible carbon deposit build-ups, and there was no significant difference. Don't know why I've never noticed it before... apart from our weather in South Florida never truly gets that cold, so perhaps this was never occuring for majority of the year?.... or that the car's audio system was on most of the time, and I was not really paying attention for it....

At this point, I am considering trying Shell V-Power premium gas, which while I am reading is worthwhile for some, haiving 5 times the minimum required detergents... I am dubious it will truly make the difference... As well as thinking of switching to a synthethic oil such as Mobil one, etc.

One of the guys suggested I leave the car overnight at the dealership, so they can hear it in the morning... to be honest, it may be indeed be deemed as a "normal" engine sound to live with and some posts suggest, and the owners manual makes a reference as such on occasional "light knocking when accelerating and/or going up hill".... I just never expected it from a Toyota V-6, and never heard it before untill recently... whatever you can share is appreciated... thanks...

[centennialman]

No not that I'm aware of. I can't say for anyone else living out here or in any other cold area of the country but as far as knocking I can't recall my car doing so.