High Engine Revs on startup

When I start my new '06 Tacoma with the 4 litre (2.7 litre) engine, the engine starts and revs around 2K. This seems awfully high to me. Any other vehicle I have driven starts revinng from a cold start at around 1200 rpm. Like all vehicles, the Tacoma soon slows down to around 750 rpm. It is just the initial high revving that gets me concerned. The engine seems to be "racing", something I was told should not be done on a cold engine!!

I checked with the Toyota dealer's service department and was assured that this initial high revving is "normal". I was informed that during the winter the intial revving will be even higher. This concerns me even more !

While the high revving does see the engine warm up quicker, my concern is that a cold start is hard on any engine (cold oil to hamper lubrication, tight rings in cyclinders, etc.) I would gladly trade off a lower initial revving for longer engine life.

Can the engine computer be adjusted so that the startup/initail warmup revolutions are lower (around 1200 rpm)?? I would adjust my initial idling time so that it was a little longer before driving away. I never just get in and accelerate quickly - I wait around 30 seconds and then drive slowly for a few minutes, as most technical experts advise.

Comments and suggestions appreciated. Steve

 

Steve,
First of all, welcome to TW . You haven’t updated your additional information. To understand the problem, we need to know where the cow is from. Your state, if indicated would help determine environmental conditions your engine is operating under. I’m not an expert and neither do I own a Taco yet. Here’s my take on this;
1) 2K RPM, I would safely assume is with-in your engines break-in RPM parameters.
2) The high cold start-up RPM is due to your automatic choke doing probably what the Toyota engineers designed it to do.
3) The higher RPM is required to burn up the rich fuel mixture which in return helps bring your engine to optimum operating temperature sooner rather than later, should you adjust your engine management computer (EMC). The longer your engine takes to reach optimum operating temperature, its efficiency is diminished.
4) If you adjust your start-up idling speed, you will also have to adjust (weaken) your fuel mixture.
5) If you are bold enough to mess with your EMC, plan to kiss your Toyota warranty goodbye. If you are not happy with your dealer’s comments, check your truck in with another reputed dealership for a second opinion. Don’t mess with a good thing.
6) When I started what was not meant to be my brand new 06 Taco that was not started for about 24 hours, it idled high around 2K RPM at an outdoor temperature of about zero degrees C for about 2-3 minutes. Is that normal? I don’t know. Would I alter the factory setting of my EMC. I DON’T think so.
I hope you find this information useful. Having frequented this site, I’ve come to realize that Toyota owners are intelligent people making intelligent decisions. If you are serious about the well being of your engine, invest in an engine block heater (about $150) available from your Toyota dealer. Putting it on a timer to come on 2-3 hours before your engine start time should suffice. I’ve never used one myself, so I cannot vouch for it. Think about all of the above and do the right thing. Eat Steak.

 

Same issue with my 06 Tacoma 4 cyl. I talked to a service rep and he said bring it in for service. I took it in and after calling Toyota they were told that this is normal and designed to bring the engine up to operating temperature quickly to lower emission. Just drive it and it will be ok and not compromise the longevity of the auto........
I am old school and would prefer to have the 1100 rpm cold idle but what can you do? I have some friends that have well over 250k miles on their Toy's so I hope I can join them one day.

 

My 06 is the same at start up and I'm not comfortable with it. As a pilot the instrument we watch first at start up is oil presure and this takes a few seconds to come up. When you first start any engine that has been sitting oil has to work it's way back into it. The colder it is the longer it takes. My dealer will hear my concerns and I will have it in writting that I complained. You never know.

 

I'm with you one that. They did note on the service writeup that it was normal and I have my copy if anything goes wrong. I would just prefer that they adjust the rpm downward.

 

Interesting. Have you watched the oil pressure with synthetic oil. Does it come up sooner. If so, how soon in comparison to regular oil? Thanks

 

Ditto on our new 2007 2.7 liter 4x4.
Will be watching this thread for any more info .....

Thanks

 

I wish we had an oil pressure gage in the truck. I have never heard of using a synthetic in an aircraft engine. However with a warm engine the oil pressure comes up much quicker so it probally would with a synthetic. Just remember when you first start your engine it is metal to metal until the oil has a chance to coat things.

 

I hear you and the thought hurts . That’s why I suggested in one of my posts that engines must have an oil circulating pump that can be started prior to engine start-up similar to industrial chillers however the concept doesn't fit with automobile engines. I plan on installing an oil temperature and oil pressure gauge as soon as my truck is delivered. I hope it’s not brain surgery . Can you tell me why auto manufacturers/dealers refuse to let us use synthetic oil?

 

I'm going to run royal purple in my 06 4cyl, I just went over 2800mi. I havent heard toyota say you can not use synthetic, just wait till after 2000mi initial break in. But hey I could be wrong, I usually am if you ask my wife.

 

My local dealer actually offers a synthetic oil change option.
What is Royal Purple?

Bob

 

Its just a brand of oil, supposed to be good with a good film strength and add package. As far as gauges go I am going to rely on the idiot lights. I bought a toyota for the reliability and dependability so I didn't have to watch gauges all the time like in my diesel. As far as the high rev on start up I feel and have been told it gets oil in the block quicker and that the 4cyl is a light duty small engine and the internal stresses on idle are minimal and will not effect longevity. Just remember guys this is only "my opinion" I am not an expert or a trained technician. I just don't want anyone taking what I say here as advice.

 

On the subject of hi idle rev's, mine goes to 1500 on a dead cold, over night start up. Before I posted that it was 1200 and I double checked this morning, part of this is for emission reasons and mine drops to what looks like 750-800 after about 3-4 miles at around 30 degs and of course a little faster if it was 50deg out.
I don't know if automatics use a higher initial high idle rpm.

 

http://www.royalpurple.com/prodsa/rpmoa.html

good oil from what i have read, use it in wifes honda. had a guy show me a clear tube with oil he claimed had been in his truck for 10,000 miles. it was dark but still purple in color.

 

Start-up hi revs(2200-2500rpm) have always been one of my concerns on my '06 Taco with 4cyl but under the current deep freeze(it was only 2F yesterday) in Chicagoland area, it's been around 1200-1400rpm. I don't know why it's lower under an extreme cold temperature but that may be something to do with the constantly revolving engine cooling fan. The engine tries to warm up but at the same time the fan sucks the cold air against the radiator to cool engine. What a contrary!. I heard that the hi revs are normal from my local dealer but it still concerns me a lot. That's one reason I've been using Mobil 1 full synthetic oil since the first oil change at 1500 miles to reduce the metal to metal contact at start-ups. Also I should mention that the engine clicking/knocking noise is terribly loud if I don't warm it up at least for 15 minutes. This noise sounds like my truck is dragging a chain.

 

Are you sure your fan comes on upon cold start up. Your fan thermostat may be defective or wired incorrectly. By the way, the fan’s purpose is to cool the radiator when the water temperature reaches a preset point. However, upon start up your coolant thermostat remains closed till the water reaches 170-185 degrees F. Only then does the water circulate through the radiator and the fan should still remain off at this point. The early fan start up does not have an adverse effect but needs to be addressed since you are burning more gas as a result. Have you considerd using a engine block heater?

 

I'm sure that my fan comes on as soon as I start the engine as I witness no matter how cold it is because the truck is rear wheel drive and the cooling fan is directly connected with the drive cam shaft like all the rear wheel drive cars and trucks out there. I wish it is controlled by thermostat like a front wheel drive passenger cars whose engines are placed side way and the fan is driven by a thermostatically controlled motor, not by the cam shafts although the Tacoma fan is on the clutch which controlls the speed of fan. But it never stops and keep revolving as long as the engine is running.

 

Really? I wonder for what purpose. I will check it on my truck since this is new to me. This is my first rear wheel drive ever. I guess I have a lot to learn.

 

What oil are you running?

 

I've been using the Mobil 1 full synthetic 5W30 with the genuine Toyota oil filter
(

$52 90915-YZZD1 Oil Filter 1 Case (QTY 10)

90915-YZZD1) since the first change at 1500 miles and I've just done the 3rd a few weeks ago. Now it has 7000 miles on it.