Engine Knocking From Driver Side

I've read all the knocking threads that I can and haven't been able to find anyone who is having a similar problem as what I am so here I am posting a new thread.

Roughly a month ago I began hearing a loud knock from the driver's side of the engine bay on my 3.5. At first I attributed it to the "Tacoma Tick" and didn't pay any mind to it. Recently though the tick has become rather loud and sounds as if it's metal on metal.

I started it up to run into town late last week and the knocking was very noticeable. I took a video of the knock and drove it directly to my dealer to have the service department look at it.

The best way I can describe the tick is:

• metal on metal knocking sound at idle
• knocking increases with engine rpm
• continues while driving
• will only appear occasionally (every other day) and is difficult to replicate

Here's where my headache is starting. I took the truck in right after a trip to an off-road park so the truck was still dirty when it arrived in service. The truck being dirty along with the fact that I have a snorkel on it has caused the service department to state that the truck has been submerged in water. The truck has never been underwater, however they're trying to state that the mud being thrown under the engine bay shows that the water line made it up into the fan.

After returning today to speak with my tech, he advised me that Toyota Corporate was sending an adjuster in to look at it and make the determination on whether this will or will not be covered under warranty because the truck has signs that it has been "underwater".

The corporate representative was supposed to arrive today at 10:00 am, however at 9:30 they called and let me know that he wouldn't be able to make it because he was "too busy". However the tech advised me that I didn't need to be there in person and that I could just send them the video of the knocking so he could watch it.

I decided to make a trip back up to the dealer with a friend and his modded 2nd gen. I told the tech again that the truck has NEVER been underwater and that if it had moisture in the intake it would be showing more signs than an occasional knock. Me and my buddy then requested to go back and see the truck before anything was done to it. We got a video of the truck sitting in the shop and removed the air filter and inspected for mud/moisture in the box as well as the snorkel itself and the oil level on the dipstick. I also requested to be in person when the Corporate Representative came in to inspect the truck.

The dealership has been treating me rather poorly throughout the whole ordeal, will not provide a loaner vehicle and is trying to pin the engine problems on the modifications and the off road use. I continue to use the argument that the truck is marketed for on and off road use.

I'm mainly just posting this thread to vent and see if anyone else has encountered a knock like this. For now I'll keep the dealerships information private until they make a decision on whether they will or will not fix the truck under warranty. Will be following up shortly with a link to the video for reference.

Also, apologies if this post runs together. Trying to figure out the best way to explain everything.

 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/EJUJjd8nY78

 

Man, my first thought is head gasket. How does your coolant look and exhaust look?

I wonder if you have a head gasket leak on the left side between the cylinders

 

sounds like rod knock

my guess here is the dealer probably giving you their poor service treatment only because they don't really want this repair that may very well fall under possible warranty by toyota

how many miles does the truck have?

 

Honestly, I didn't get a chance to check it. I took it straight in to the service department being as it's still under warranty.

 

Truck currently has 34500 miles.

 

Oof. That sucks man. That is not going to be cheap.

Hate to say it, but you're probably at the mercy of the Toyota rep now. Be kind, honest, and extra polite, and maybe just maybe he'll warranty it out of the goodness of his heart. Be prepared for the worst though, which is taking their repair quote to other shops to see if you can get a better price.

For future knowledge, never bring a muddy truck to the dealer, not even for an oil change. It's spelled out in the paperwork that off road driving constitutes excessive wear and tear and the manufacturer has the ability to void coverage if they find out about it. It sucks, but all brands, all makes of vehicles have that language written in somewhere.

Best of luck.

 

That really just sounds like an exhaust leak to me in the video.

It's under warranty but... if you cracked the exhaust dragging it over rocks you might still get to write a check.

Good luck!

 

The only reason I don't think it's an exhaust leak is because the knock is not always there. It only appears every now and then.

 

Inconsistency like that is more likely IMO a crack that opens when temp or vibration, or idle speed change the dynamic than with a rod knock - which would only be quieter when cold. Plus, it's only on one side - rods you hear in the pan - center.

It could be lifter clatter on the left bank if you had the truck at angles that starved them for oil - but once they fill back up and pressurize they usually shut up.

An exhaust pipe / tube on the left head or down to the Y with a hairline crack, bent flange or similar is still my bet.

My wager is $0 though so... take it for all it's worth

 

Sure sounds like a spun rod bearing. I had similar experience with a 2014 wrx I owned. I beat the living hell out of that thing, with the plan of only keeping it for 3years. I was rev happy with it, and it didnt like me. Spun a bearing, metal fragments in the oil. Covered under warranty.. Service manager (car guy) told me it was my one time "oopsy" - $12,000 warranty job for the dealer. They loved me.

Similar experience with my wrx. Sounded like a ping, and was inconsistent. Good luck!

 

I don't feel like the truck was driven that hard. For 30k miles it was a highway only commuter. When I started work I got a patrol car to take home so it just sat at the house and was only taken out for groceries and to go wheel.

 

Did you happen to be spinning out in mud? I always assumed engines don't like over revs without load. Hence my wrx situation. Right after winter, a winter of many fun runs on snow tires.

 

Show up to the dealer in your uni and patrol car. I'd bet they take you more seriously.

 

Being as I'm 22 years old and look 17 in my street clothes, I'd bet you're probably right.

 

Unless they don’t like popo

Sounds like a rod to me...and I’d think they will cover it

 

Owners manual says that occasional engine knock sound is normal. And since you have also said that your engine doesn't always sound like this. Have you tried different gas?

 

There's nothing normal about what's going on with the OP's truck, and switching to premium ain't gonna fix it.

Good luck OP, let us know what happens.

 

For sure.

Sounds like a rod to me.

 

I appreciate all the input guys. I'll be headed back in the morning as they never called to update me tonight. The whole situation's stressing me out and really makes me second guess whether I should wheel the truck or not in the future. Will definitely be using a different dealer in the future.