[SOLVED] Metallic rattle? I’ve been hunting for days

Hello all,

I’ve had something new happen with the Tacoma lately, I’ve searched this forum extensively but I haven’t found anything that’s close to what I’m experiencing.

A little back history, I just got back from a 1300 mile trip and she was stellar on trip, there and back. About 50 miles into being back I started getting this metallic fluttering/scraping noise from the front in. I’ll provide the details below

2012 DCSB PreRunner

-Doesn’t seem to match engine speed

-Cannot he heard below 1k RPMs

-Can be heard lightly with windows down, specifically driver side.

-Passing concrete barriers or other cars it is extremely pronounced

-Checked heat shields and all were in place and nowhere close to loose.

-Oil level is not full, nowhere near low. Oil looks good, within 1000 miles of next oil change.

What has me most concerned is hearing it bounce off cars and walls while I drive at speed. Cannot seem to replicate in neutral or park. ANY tips would be awesome. (I also checked my tire weights to make sure it was banging around)

Thanks Tacoma World!

 

Always making sound or only sometimes?

Did you tap on exhaust pipe with rubber mallet to check for rattling sounds (engine off & cold)?

I've had a pebble rattling against sheetmetal cause awful sounds before.

 

Brake pad audible wear indicators?

Loose brake rotors shield?

 

It consistently makes this sound while driving and doesn’t seem to get any faster after 1500 rpms. I haven’t tapped the exhaust but I have gotten under the truck and looked for broken straps or heat shields that were loose. I’ll give that a go. I also haven’t checked the rotor shield so I’ll give that a look to. It just sounds almost like starved lifters or like an exhaust manifold is loose. I’ll report back! Thanks for the tips to check.

 

Rock or nut/bolt trapped and bouncing around on a skid plate or heat shield?

 

Just a thought but could it be your wheel bearing if it is more noticeable on one side?

 

Good evening everyone,

Spent some time checking the things mentioned. The rotor shield didn’t seem to be hitting anything, or loose for that matter. Tapping the exhaust didn’t yield any noise I could associate with what I’m hearing. I’d have to get a floor jack to test a bearing, which I’ll be doing soon since I cant seem to locate a thing that’s loose or caught. I’m also gonna to in early for an oil change. And see if that helps at all. Has anyone had incredibly noise lifters like they’re starved for oil? Maybe need adjustment? Truck has 118, I’m second owner bought at 114k

 

Does it make the noise if you rev to 2-3k RPM in park/neutral or only when moving?

 

With that milage, have you checked/lubed the drive shaft U-joints? Do you notice any vibration that occurred with the noise?

 

It does seem speed depended. Above 1500 rpms. Doesn’t matter if engine is hot or cold. I have tried to rev in neutral and park to 2k and cannot replicate. No vibrations associated with it. It drives normal, feels normal. The noise ceases when coming to a stop and i can only hear it, consistently, when I’m to speed.

My biggest audible noise is passing cars or driving against trees or concrete barriers I can hear it clear as day. As well with the windows down over the wind and radio. Very lightly, but I definitely notice it. It is a new noise, definitely not just the taco tick.

 

If it varies a little with speed, could maybe be a u-joint on driveshaft. Can't grease them on prerunner. No grease fittings. Had one seize at around 100,000 miles in my prerunner. Made an odd tapping or chirping mostly in reverse as it died.

 

Well it seems that you have a rotational noise. That would point to u-joints, brake or wheel bearing or rear wheel or pinion bearing. If you can safely run it up on jack stands or better a lift, that would help determine the source. It may help to have someone else drive it in a parking lot while you stand safely to the side and listen to pinpoint the source. It will sometimes be very clearly from a specific wheel front or rear.

 

For wheel bearings, when those went on my prerunner, it made a cyclic vibration at 45-60 mph. On a jack with front tires suspended, there was no play/wiggle but it sounded like sand paper scuffing as I spun wheel by hand.

 

I know you wrote heat shields are not the source, does that include the heat shields around the cats?

 

Check air input tube at passenger side. The plastic end of the tube has Styrofoam around it to prevent rattling but it wears and produces a rattle. This is the tube that feeds your airbox

 

I had a similar noise only audible while moving. My wheel bearings were shot. 143k miles.

 

Thanks everyone, i will definitely get the truck on a lift or jack it up and inspect the bearing and brakes the best I can.

Do y’all believe that an issue with these components would make a sound like a bad lifting. A tick, or rhythmic noise? I can try tomorrow to get a lil video and see what ya think.

I’ll also check the breather tube. I would be SHOCKED if that was creating this noise.

 

Hard to say. I've chased noises before and found the causes to be random unexpected things often enough. Also gave up on some things saying "when whatever it is really breaks, i'll know what to fix".

Oil change is easy enough. May as well see if that makes a difference. Look at the oil after draining. See if anything looks or smells odd with it.
My 2005 had a TSB for ticking due to exhaust manifold but a 2012 shouldn't fall under that.

Random thought. Look for missing nuts, bolts, plastic pins, etc. Maybe some cover is just loose enough to contact a moving parts once a bit of air or mechanical load hits it.

 

Hey all!

An update. I got the truck on a jack yesterday, and inspected the wheel. No play shaking the wheel but I got the wheel spinning as fast as i could by hand and could lightly hear the metal/sandpaper sound in its rotations. It started to rain so i didn’t get the wheel off. But I’m leaning toward bearing, rotor, or brakes.

Thanks for all the advice! When I get some more time I’ll update with the end result!

 

I had a similar issue awhile back and it ended up being my brake pads were rattling in the caliper. I put some CRC Disc Brake Quiet (the red "glue" stuff) on the backs of the pads and the problem went away.