Any thoughts on this?

About one month ago and with 34,900 miles on the ODO my local Toyota dealer repaired the dreaded leaky timing cover on my 2017 3.5 v6.

Fast forward to today and 35,500 miles. I made a drive from Ft. Lauderdale to Ft. Myers, about 2 hours and 125 miles. I parked the truck and returned about 1.5 hours later. Pushed the start button and I hear for the very first time one hell of a rattling noise coming from the engine. I'm talking, no oil in the engine type of rattling. The rattling lasted for about 3 seconds and all was quiet.

Oil is fresh and on the high mark on the dip stick, no leaks that I can see.

I returned home and waited about 2 hours, pushed the start button and the rattling noise is back. This is a warm start noise issue only.

Can anyone advise might this rattling noise be a result of something that was not repaired correctly during the timing cover repair?

The truck goes back to the dealer on Tuesday.

Thanks for reading

 

I'd wait to hear back from the dealer. I haven't heard of this issue

 

That is disheartening. Hopefully nothing major. If I read your post correctly, it took 600 miles for the noise to show up?

 

Yes, 600 miles and without warning.

 

Wild guess here, but without hearing it I would say timing chain slap/slack? Hopefully they'll get it right for you

 

Not sure how the vvt works on this engine but the Corolla I have had the famous rattle on startup. Had to do with how the oil pressure engages the VVT. Replaced the unit on the end of the intake cam and never had another problem.

 

Is there an anti-drainback valve in the filter? I have not had one apart yet.

 

Is coming from the starter?
They had to pull the engine, right? Could be starter on the fly wheel rattling.
With the noise only lasting 3 seconds, that might be the solenoid retracting after the engine starts so the gears are no longer making contact.
I would pull the starter off and inspect for damage on the gear

 

Need a video, or more descriptive words to describe the noise haha.

 

clank clank, brrrrrrr, pzzzzip

 

Just dropped the truck at the dealer. Stay tuned for the diagnosis.

 

I forgot to update the results of the rattling noise on a warm start up.

During the process of reassembling the entire top of the engine after the timing cover reseal, the tech only finger tightened the two bolts that hold the bracket that bolts to the engine at the bottom and the air intake plenum at the top. This bracket is black in color and sits to the left of the battery and above the ac compressor and alternator. Luckily, it was just a simple fix and required no additional surgery to the engine.