Should I be worried....2022 - 2.7L 4wd

Hello,

New 2022 Tacoma SR 2.7L. Checked oil at about 500 miles and really had a hard time finding oil on dipstick between dots. Oil so thin plus bad eyesight made it hard to be 100%. Took it to dealership to make sure. They had to look a couple times also and said it was fine just that 0w20 hard to see on new engine.

I have been breaking it in very easy. At 1000 miles really had to really get on gas for the 1st time since purchase to merge and heard a metallic rattle, like a heat shield or crackle. Once I let up, noise gone. I could repeat the noise only on VERY hard acceleration not normal driving. When repeating sound days later not nearly as loud as 1st experience. I took to dealer for 1st oil change at 1200 miles and they said everything tight on heat shield. Dealer said it was normal sound from engine break in.

After oil change, truck still does it but not nearly as bad. That is what I don't understand.

Should I be worried it was being run on very low oil? Or is it because the 1st time it made noise engine was hot from 2 hour drive in 97F heat causing heat shield to flex?

Really love TW forum, thanks for any insight.

 

Hey Phil,

I wouldn’t be worried. Check for rocks getting caught up on the heat shield once in a while…happened to me in my 2.4L and my wife’s 2.7L

these smaller 4-bangers can sound a bit metallic at times because if they way they rev. If you want to use the best oil (from some of my testing) go with Amsoil. A little expensive unless you do a 6-month subscription for $25, then oil is cheaper by 25%.

I have found my engines to run far better and have cleaner oil after long durations.

food for thought…

 

You can scuff up the dipstick as it will be easier to read, you can also let the truck rest awhile so the oil drains down out of the dipstick tube.

 

do your own oil change next time, drain thoroughly and refill with 5.8 quarts of oil, that'll get you exactly to full without overfilling it for the 4 banger with filter change

I established that amount on the first couple of oil changes, and I never bother to check engine oil level in subsequent oil changes

 

Lightly sand the lower end of the dipstick with fine sandpaper between the marks seems to be a common recommendation for making it easier to determine the oil level.
Perhaps the 'rattle' is the result of 'pinging' - what grade of gasoline are you feeding it?

 

Those engines are bulletproof.
Come back in the year 2052 and post images of the odometer ...

 

Regular 87...I was thinking pre-detonation when it 1st happened because it was so hot, but I can repeat rattle on a cold engine.

 

That was the plan but I read on here the filters are installed way to tight at factory so I figured I would let dealer do 1st one. I plan on doing future oil changes myself with the exception of the 2 free ones from Toyota Care. One odd thing is that the manual says 10k oil change interval but dealer reminder sticker is 5k. I plan on going 5k route as I plan to keep truck along time.

 

Oil changes are 10k
“Maintenance” is every 5k aka rotate tires and check fluids

 

it was very tight, I tried changing the oil at the first 500 miles, drained the oil and then found out I couldn't loosen the factory oil filter at all. I proceeded just with fresh oil and let it get to 1500 miles and bought specialty oil filter wrench just for that size Toyota filter and managed to get it off later

 

Welcome to the forum

With good care these trucks don't really wear out -- they rust out. If you are in a location where rust is an issue take an afternoon and do a good Cosmoline job on the underside, check and touch up every Fall.

https://www.cosmolinedirect.com/cosmoline-rp-342-heavy-spray-military-grade-rust-preventive/

 

I'd be more worried about the anemic power the engine puts out for such a heavy truck.
I guess if worried about not being able to read the dipstick, you could always anodize it blue or black.

 

give it a few full throttle passes to get the rings to fully seat. make sure everything is up to operating temp before you do this. you already have 1000 miles on it so it's perfectly safe.

 

At 1000 miles its more than safe. If something was put together wrong, or a defective part, you want it to fail early.

 

No. I love where there is no salt or snow. They last forever.

 

I envy you for the no snow, however you folks have a lot more bugs, snakes & creepy crawlies down your way than we do up here in the rust belt.

 

Yes we do. Gotta have a bug guy here. But . No salt no snow. Better trade off.

 

I'm afraid of snakes.

 

Idk, its a crap shoot, either pay for the a/c, or the heating oil. At least we have snowmobiles up here to enjoy the winter.