What's up with the V6 noise.

These V6 are well know for the lifter tick, but i have some intermitent "knock" "tap" "slap" sound, i will call it the Ta ta ta ta sound, remind me of a school bus. I hear it only at idle when warm (10-15 minute of operation) and 70-80% of the time it's very faint. Under good acceleration i can say i hear the lifter but the TRD exhaust roar and the BFG Ko2 (E rated) beating the road don't give any chance for the other sound to shine.

It's a 2012 trail-team TRD sport double cab with 215 000km (133500 miles). The oil change was done every 8000 km (5000 miles) at Toyota. I didn't talk to the last owner (bought from a independant dealer who bought it from Toyota) but i know he was a tech at Toyota and he exchanged for a highlander 2020. The truck was inspected twice ,by an independant mechanic and the dealer. The battery was due, worn drum brake and the front brake needed some cleanup. The sound didn't raised any flag, they all said that these engine are noisy and each one have is own "soul", some talk more. It's my first truck so it's all new for me.

No code, good acceleration (even with the overkill Ko2), oil level is stable and for my first full tank of 91 octane (no ethanol) it did 13.48 L /100 km (17.45 MPG) (maybe 30% highway 70% 30/45 mph city road) so i think this engine run good.

But i found sooo many video with the Taco tick but only a few with this "knock" sound, is this realy common ?

This is mine (crapy cell sound). The truck was parked for 2 month in the lot. I took a short trip maybe 10 km when i recorded the video, the ac was on so the ilde rpm change a bit. It's the loudest ta ta ta i have heard on this truck, it quieted down after many use. https://youtu.be/yu12qGeT83U

I found 2 other video with the same ta ta ta ta ta (knock) sound. (better sound quality).
https://youtu.be/EhpON-xDgLA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RsNkuxnGxs

The the air filter and oil was changed after the drive test at the dealer (the oil had 2000 km on it) the sound came back a bit but nothing like the first time i test drived the truck. I can say that after 300 miles the "knock" ta ta ta is still there.

I plan to do a partial flush of the tran and change the oil in both of the differential and the transfercase. I will install new spark plug and change the coolant too. One of my friend have a 2007 Tacoma and i will do another oil change with the same oil he use (don't remember if it's Mobil 1 or April synth) his engine is soo quiet so i will try to see if this quiet down.

So, many taco tick video but only a few "knock" "slap" "tap" video about this (well many video clearly have bend a rob or spun a bearing so i don't think i have this problem).
Comment on these 2 video link seem to be on the same side. It's normal, all 1GR-FE do that, i have this sound and i did 2xx xxx miles on it or i bought it new and it sounded like that.
Well i do maybe 10 000km (6000 miles) per year and i hope to keep the rust away for the next 15 year so this truck will probably never see 250 000 miles because big engine will be banned (or heavy taxed) and electric car will be mandatory where i live.

What's is the consensus for this sound?

Any of you can post a video with your engine sound?, i'm curious to hear it and maybe future owner of used Tacoma will see this post and compare all your sound and maybe help the mind to enjoy these chatty engine !

 

Sounds like the Tacoma tick in first video. It’s normal. Search Tacoma tick on here and you will find a ton of threads.

 

your second video. My 15 has done it since I bought it with 50k on it. I have 4 friends who who Toyotas and they all do it too. 2 second gen Tacomas, 1 3rd gen Tacoma, and a newer 4 runner. All low mileage and have the same noise. I have even heard a 4 cyl Camry make a similar noise. Sounds like rod knock but clearly it isn't.

 

Yes, mine makes the same noise. Sounds like a 1GR-FE.

 

Normal engine noise. Valves, injectors, sparkplugs.........many noise sources.

Ride a motorcycle. The engine is in the open, you are sitting on top of the engine. Every noise, vibration, tick......everything is heard or felt.

 

My Honda XR sounds just like a sewing machine which is exactly how it should sound. Strange but true.
Some of the newer DI engines have injectors that create truly raucous noise. Super high fuel pressure will do that.
If you aren't having any other problems (oil consumption, vibration, down on power/fuel range, etc) I would just run it.

 

What you are hearing is the sound of raw horsepower unleashed.

 

Tick is normal gets louder when oil is dirty, older cheap filter, sitting not run for awhile, etc.
The drivers side cat check the heat shield as they start to fall off and make alot of noise (note pass side does have one as no front driveshaft above it).
2 bolts and a large hose clamp hold that shield on and you may need a few larger washers as holes corrode out. Also above cat is flange donut gasket and if it leaks lots of exhaust noise.

 

Thanks for the tip i will check that

 

I drove a Pontiac montana 2004 the last 10 year. The 3.4l has no power and no sound but it did 22-24 MPG average, i did 1250 km with 7 people inside on a trip highway only with a single tank, no fuel warning light before the refil, it's very different.

I love the torque powerband of this engine, it's everywhere. When i need to merge no kick down needed. The Montana needed a good push on the gaz (1/2 throttle) to kick down the trans to merge or overtake. Did it once by habit with the taco.. I can say i don't need to do that anymore.

 

Hey there. I have the same thread! I am concerned as can be, and have no definitive answers.

here’s my video. Sound around 1:22.

have you heard anything or found anything out yet?


https://youtu.be/zcHQmg7vvBI

my thread:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...und-is-occurring-possible-piston-slap.720801/

 

1200 km latter i still have the same tick, the sound you have in the motor area is the same but the cat sound seem more "metalic" it sound like it's something loose inside. Try to tap both cat gently to see if something is broke inside. Some people use 2 hose clamp around the cat to squeeze it and it seem to stop the loose sound.

A week ago i was doing some gardening in front of my house and a Tacoma stopped at the intersection. I was maybe 15-20 meter of the truck and i can say his tick was way worse than mine. I'm sure he can hear it in his cab. I can't imagine what his motor sound like when it's freezing cold. It was a 2005-2011 model.

Tomorow mine is going to a spa day.
New coolant fluid, Transmission fluid change (using the cooler line method), brake flush, new center bearing, replace the front diff needle bearing with a clamshell bushing and i change the engine oil with the 5w30 signature Amsoil. (When i bought it the dealer put some Total quartz). I will see if this change the sound.

Next week i have the second vaccum pump recall, i think they change the pump and valve or something like this, some people said that the tick got less present after this. Well it's free so i just need to see.

 

Its not a tick people are questioning its the thump thump thump noise near the cat. nothing is wrong with your truck. I have heard countless Tacoma's and 4 runners do this(essentially the same motor). Even the new 3.5 in the 3rg gens do it. Some are louder then others. Most seem to think its just the resonance of the engine. You hear it in the cat area. people have removed the cats on their truck for performance reasons and the noise goes away.

Most people on here shoot replies and have no idea what they are talking about. If you had a bead rod bearing or a bottom end issue the engine would not run for very long.

 

none of the stuff you are doing is going to get rid of the noise.

 

I’d only be concerned if I didn’t hear those noises

 

I know complaining about it gets us nowhere. May as well drive it and just enjoy it for what it is. Unless someone actually disassembles their motor and identifies it. I think the most concerning thing is the fact that it sounds like metal on metal. Like something isn’t being lubricated. In my experience a rod knock / spun bearing will grow loud enough to hear in cab and under power. So, the mystery continues.

 

I just made a switch from Mobil1 5W-30 to Castrol 10W-30 synth blend because my tap sound was getting worse, especially with over 3000 miles the oil.
Maybe partly because I recently went to 4:56 gears and the engine running at a higher RPM and more revolutions per change. IDK.
Having done work on several engines that ran exclusively Mobile1 I didn't like the sludge build up I've seen, hence the move away from Mobil1.
Increased the weight to see if the tap would go away, and because I'm towing a 1400lb camper through 100° west Texas and southern New Mexico this week.
Long winded, sorry, but the tap is gone!