2020 sr cold start rattle

Vbaraj3625

New Member

I have a 2020 sr tacoma 2.7L 4 cylinder. It does this noise on cold start. Not every cold start but quite often. Does anyone know what it could be and how to fix it? The truck has 80,000 miles on it. The noise goes away after around 30 seconds after a cold start. Once the engine is hot the noise doesn’t come back. Any help is greatly appreciated
 
The weather is cooling. So, at start the engine oil will be a bit heavier viscosity. Just give the engine a moment to pump the oil around.

When I get in the truck at 6:15 am, I start the engine, fasten seat belt adjust radio volume. When the little red man who is blowing bubbles on the dash board goes out, then I shift into R (for race) and back out of the garage. This "routine" takes roughly15-20 seconds post start for the bubble blowing warning light to go out.

I have heard the cause is in the VVT control system.

Frankly, I'd check the oil level and be sure the recommend oil viscosity has been used.
 
Actually been told on these 4 bangers, you need to run a high quality 0w-20 synthetic oil, that meets ILSAC GF-5 standards, and change it every 5k miles, or sooner, otherwise they tend to build sludge as they work harder in these mid size trucks than a v6....Told a heavier viscosity solves nothing.
 
@tacojoel. The heavier viscosity I'm referencing is due to temperature changes that impact the viscosity.

I would not recommend a heavier oil for an oil change. Only use the viscosity recommended in the Owner's Manual, or conveniently printed on the oil fill cap.
 
Thats what was recommended in my post #5. A friend of mine that works as a tech at a local toyota dealer has said to me never use a cheap oil in those 2.7 engines and change it regularly. The vvt system has tiny oiling passageways that over time using cheap oil, and letting it go too long between oil changes will cause sludge to build up partially fouling these oil passageways eventually causing this rattle till enough oil gets up in there.
 
Thats what was recommended in my post #5. A friend of mine that works as a tech at a local toyota dealer has said to me never use a cheap oil in those 2.7 engines and change it regularly. The vvt system has tiny oiling passageways that over time using cheap oil, and letting it go too long between oil changes will cause sludge to build up partially fouling these oil passageways eventually causing this rattle till enough oil gets up in there.

I use high quality oil and filter. Lighter viscosity so it circulates faster especially in cold temps but it still rattles like a ***** on a cold start. Not sure what the previous owner used but I had the oil pan dropped to check for sludge and there wasn’t any. I didn’t check anywhere else though is there a way to clean or check the VVT system?
 
Only way I know is to pull it apart if gunk'd, or buggered up. Some older vvt-i systems were just a bad design causing the rattle until repaired. Solenoids can go bad to depending what vvt-i system it has. I'm sure if you do a search on YouTube they with expose the vvt-i system on these 2.7 engines whether oil controlled, or electronic. At any rate the problem needs fixing asap, or you can end up with catastrophic engine failure.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top