08 Tacoma 4.0 engine noise… dealer says it’s normal.

So I took my truck in for a 200,000 mile service, sited the engine noise I’ve been hearing. It’s an 08 base model 4.0 auto. Dealer said sounds I’m hearing are normal? WTF? Lol video link below for the noise. Any ideas?

https://youtube.com/shorts/Fm-8c3HqKe0?feature=share

 

that does not sound normal. the 4.0 like to tick a little bit, but that sounds like a knock

 

Does not sound normal to me.
I’d get a second opinion

 

Sounds like a rattle from something loose. Wait until the engine cools, then make sure the following are tight/intact:

• All the heat shields on the underside of the cab. Common for the studs to rust through.
• All the skid plate bolts.
• Make sure skid plates aren't bent.
• The little heat shield separating the crossover pipe from the transfer case.
• All the exhaust hangers.

 

Tons of Tacomas sounds like that. Yours is a bit louder than most but most of them have a slight glug glug glug at idle. My 4.0 does it and so does the 3.5 in my work truck 3rd gen. 4.0 out of the 4 runners do it to. People that claim theirs don't do it, just haven't heard it yet. If you look around there are tons of threads on this.

 

Check your a.c. clutch, mine made a similar noise and when my alternator started going that rattled some too. Check all the idler and tensioner pulleys as well .

 

I asked about the idler and tensioner pulleys and they said they were good. I’ll have them look into the alternator and ac pulley. I honestly thought it was the ac pulley because I looked one day and it wasn’t spinning at all, like it was locked up but the belt was running over it still. Tech at Toyota said it’s supposed to do that.

 

have you.... i dunno, popped your head under the hood / truck yourself while its running?

 

Nice, so kind. Yes I have.

 

I don’t really have a helpful response but I can tell you my 13’ 4.0L has a tick tick sound and has always had this from what I recall. I’m at 199K and would drive it across country with no issues. But whatever you have going on is much louder and throaty sounding that what I’ve heard. My first Tacoma was a 2010 4cyl and it also had the typical tick noise, ran it till I had 125K before I sold it. Never heard what you have in your video. Good luck to you.

 

Sounds more like a vibration of something, check the motor mounts or exhaust or anything

 

I had a noise that drove me crazy for a while. It was the air intake vibrating at the passenger side where it goes thru the fender wall

 

If your a.c. is off and have the heater control blow on the floor, the compressor should not run. Then turn it on to see if clutch engages.Just an fyi I have changed all the idler/tens bearings and alt on 3 different 4.0 and they all had 100,000 -125,000 miles on . I'm in the North East though so that could be a factor too. Some one mentioned motor mount too, if your frame is rusty have seen frame side of mount extra rusty and crack.

 

T

this!
But yeah that’s not normal, a ticking sound is normal. Hard to tell the sound from that video inside the cab, try taking one under the truck or hood

 

Yeah my truck makes some noise but NOTHING like that. I don’t have anything to add other than saying good luck OP.

 

I had a similar noise in my 4runner with the same engine. Turned out to be tensioner pulley and only made the noise at idle. I used some long extensions through a funnel to make an amplifier. As soon as I touched the pulley bolt, the funnel amplified the noise to help diagnose. Be careful working around the drive belt. A safe way would be to hand turn them with the belt off.

I replaced all of the pulleys and WOW what a difference in noise.

 

A noise from the front of the engine most likely won't be heard in the footwell inside the truck.

Most people hear the noise coming from the cat converter area. Crawl under and have a listen.

In my opinion it's just the resonance of the engine being heard in the exhaust. many 4cyl toyota motors have this noise too.

 

That kind of sounds like the cracked transmission flex plate I have on my 2002 GMC. It's not a failure I have heard happen on a Toyota, but it sure sounds similar. Goes away just over idle, sounds like a knock at idle.

 

My 06 SR5 4.0L had this issue from 110k up until I sold it at 190k. It was first only apparent upon cold starts until fully warm. By the time I sold it I'd hear it when fully warm, below 1500rpm.

With a stethoscope it sounded internal to the engine block or bell housing. My best guess was piston slap or a cracked flex plate. No difference with the serpentine belt temporarily removed. Besides, all of the idlers, the tensioner, water pump and alternator were replaced over the years due to failure. No change in the knocking issue.

Of course it's impossible to talk to anyone about it because they are quick to say "It's a Toyota, they all tick!".

 

Sounds more like an exhaust leak, possibly at the head/manifold area.