5.7 Engine knock at idle

Knock knock...who's there?

Hello all!!

I'm a long time lurker and first time poster. Appreciate all the info in here and have researched quite a bit. This has been covered before, but I haven't been able to find a solid answer. Some say it's 'normal'. Some say it's not. This is my 3rd Tundra with the same engine(long story) and none of the others have sounded like this. I took it to a dealer once last year. We compared it to a new vehicle(same model, same year) they had on the lot and they agreed it didn't sound 'normal'. Supposedly, they made some recordings, sent it to corporate ,documented it, and told me to keep an ear out if it gets worse. It has. I have another appointment this Thursday at a different dealer who has been nothing short of fantastic in the past, so I'm hoping for the best.

Truck has 12.5k miles on it and has been serviced regularly. First oil change at 1k, then 5k, 10k, you get the idea. The sound appears to be more prominent on the passenger side behind the tire, both between the tire and wheel well, and under the frame on that same side, but I can hear it in the cab just fine. It happens most of the time and is easy to reproduce, but there are rare cases where it sounds ok. On a cold start(sub freezing), I can't hear it until the idle settles. Once the engine begins to warm, it steadily gets worse. When the engine is warm after driving for over 30 minutes, it still does it at idle. When I approach a stop and the engine shifts down and rests at idle, the thing sounds like a diesel. It appears to get worse when I shift into Drive from Park, but is still plenty loud in park.

I'm 3/4 through a tank with Techron added and am probably going to run another tank though with Techron added when I fill it again after the appointment in a few days. I made some videos today and was hoping the forum could provide some ideas that I could suggest to the tech when we drive it together and hopefully aid in their hunt for a solution.

I couldn't upload a video so here's a YouTube link.
https://youtu.be/tIuXb8yMoN0

Thanks in advance!

 

I think I hear two different noises. To me the knocking “diesel” sound seems more apparent on the drivers side in your video. I have this noise at 134k on my 07. I would say my engine is quieter than yours overall. The passenger side in your video sounds more like normal valve noise to me.

I don’t think the knocking noise is normal, maybe it is . I am planning on to have my timing chain tensioner and the cam towers done at the same time... when I’m ready to part with a few thousand bucks.

 

That you for the reply.

I hear the two sounds, for sure. I've had Toyota's most of my life and they tend to be a bit clickety clacky, but this one sounds strange to me, especially compared to the last two with the same engine-those ones really purred. This truck shifts rough as well, in comparison.

Yikes! That is a pretty penny to spend. Is that type if work typical of tundras at your mileage?

 

I wouldn’t say typical. My cam towers are leaking and I believe that diesel noise is the main timing tensioner not working correctly. The timing cover is removed for the original method of fixing the cam tower leaks. So kinda related. I’m just guessing on the cost 2-3000. Thing is, it will probably still run forever as is - but it will break my mind.

 

Sometimes its difficult to diagnose a noise from just a vid, but I think that sounds pretty normal to me. Knocks are usually most prevalent under load. My 19 sounds exactly the same as yours. I had a vid, but just remembered I deleted YouTube and switched over to Rumble.

 

This is exactly the case for me.

 

Call me crazy, but this sounds normal... sounds like mine..... at idle... if the battery is dying, it will emit a weird strocking clacking tacking sound, like mine usually does when the battery is dying.... almost like a knocking sound.... with the cold weather get your battery checked and ensure its good... before you drop some bling on an unnecessary engine rebuild or sell it all together.. hope this helps you out..

 

Forgive my ignorance, but how does the condition of the battery have anything to do with the sound of an already running engine, that may or may not have internal or external noises ?

 

Mine sounds like this also. I wouldn’t lose sleep over it

 

My 2021 also has a diesel like sound. It seems to be less noticeable after warming.


Here is a vid. Its about drive modes, but you can clearly hear the diesel sound.

Toyota Tundra Auto LSD Explained Once and For ALL + 4wd, 2wd, VSC and Stability Control Explained! - YouTube

I’m not going to worry about it.


Here is youtube vid I found. Not sure if it’s the same part making the noise in my truck. Maybe my diesel sound will be really loud after 100 –k miles.

TOYOTA TUNDRA 5.7L ENGINE RATTLE. FIXED! - YouTube
Edit: After the work in the vid was done, the loud noise is gone, but I think I can still hear the faint diesel sound. So, maybe not the same thing.


Meh, not worried.

 

Does sound weird to be honest... it does emit a weird running sound when the battery is dying.... most of the times Iblisten closely because I have a feeling that it may be on its last legs, lol, at 227k miles, so I really pay attention to the sounds it emits and a dying battery usually scares the shit out of me because it makes weird noises like it shuts down systems right before it just stalls..... I've run down my batteries pretty constantly so, I'm sort of familiar it.... it was doing it today... if it repeats the noises tomorrow I will take a vid and post it for your viewing pleasure and comparison, vs it running fine...

 

Sorry, still makes no sense, but I still await your vid.

 

Hope it's something simple like this! This truck was a dealer trade, but purchased new with around 160 miles on it. It sat on the lot for a while I think, and sometimes struggled to start a bit. I noticed that when it was new but was told it was normal.

 

I hope it's normal, but still drives me nuts, especially since the last two didn't do this. I can't hear the sound under load.

I no longer need a truck this large and am seriously thinking about trading in for a tacoma (my first love), but have heard mixed reviews on the new generation Taco. However, debating on how much I'll miss that V8 and all the space inside the cab. The wife likes her "throne" (passenger seat) in the Tundra, and we've done a lot of miles across the country and back in one, so she's partial to the comforts of the navigator position in the tundra. Buuuut, the tacoma's MPG, offroad capabilities, and ease of parking are definitely in the + column(not that the tundra is TOO bad to park, but definitely larger), and it isn't the wife's daily driver. Decisions decisions....

We'll see what the dealer says. If my other two sounded the same I'd be fine and probably wouldn't have noticed. Now that I have though, I can't un notice. The 2016 really purred in comparison. I also bought it with 34 miles on it and broke it in properly. Maybe the additional mileage on this truck prior to me getting it allowed for people to beat on it resulting in a louder engine due to not being properly broken in?

 

Ok... this is an older video I took when I was dumbfounded by my battery dying... didn't go side to side, but mainly towards the front of the truck... again if it does it again I will swing side to side to get additional sounds if you would like..

https://rumble.com/vdbec3-engine-noise.html
..

 

That sounds perfectly normal to me.

Y'all should listen to BMW engine sounds, the high pressure fuel pump tick is probably 10x louder.

 

Can you try and make another recording on the driver and passenger sides and have your phone the same distance from the engine. Get past any inside fender liners, etc... anything in the path between the noise source and what your phone picks up can really change the "noise quality" that you hear. Some thoughts for you...I've heard some piston skirt slap that can have symptoms similar to what you describe. When cold you have the max clearance between the piston and block. At idle, very little load is on the piston and you can hear an audible noise from the impact. As things warm up the clearance tightens up and the noise can go away. Putting more load on the engine also dampens the noise. My advice is follow all of the service guidelines exactly and to the book. Don't mess with aftermarket fluids, additives, etc...Keep documenting what you hear and keep documenting it with the dealership. If it is this, it's a very high mileage concern but annoying to hear the clatter. Powertrain warranty fortunately covers you long enough where you should know if its a problem before that runs out. There are lots of other items it could be too. We'll see what your new recording sounds like if you can make one. Good luck!

 

If you and I are talking about the same sound, then to me it sounds more like a diesel running at idle. My 2020 does it, my stepfather's 2021 TRD Pro does it as well. Every single 3rd Gen Tundra I've seen does it.

I wonder if it has to do with ECU mapping from Toyota, like if they make it run leaner at idle to boost catalytic converter efficiency and limit fuel consumption.

If you had what would be considered real engine knock, like a bad bearing, it would sound like someone smacking the engine block with a hammer at the same interval as the diesel sounds you captured on video.

 

Glad I am not the only one. My 2017 Crewmax 5.7 sounds “exactly” the same but no acceleration or performance issues at all.

 

I dont really hear anything that sounds like its a problem. the truck is a little loud but to be honest, this is a noisy vehicle in alot of respects. My engine was pretty noisy and tractor like when i first got it. I changed to 5W-30 oil and it sounds much quieter and like a "normal" car. What oil do you use?

 

Thread is a year old, but it’s been discussed for a while now. I switched to 5w-30. F$@k the EPA/CAFE standards. Noise is gone and have more oil pressure.

 

Ya know, all the plumbing for the exhaust is on the passenger side...did you check and see if anything is amiss underneath the cab??

I am thinking "once it warms up it is better/ok" well, that could be a cold exhaust system etc.

Just spitballin' here...but might be worth a look

 

My 21 sounds just like that also.

 

Sounds normal to me. Well normal for a Tundra. I noticed the desiel clatter sound, and the lifter noise when I first test dove my 2021. Yours sounds just like mine.

 

There is no engine "noise". Normal sounds to me. Noise is like a loud hammering sound you can hear from 5 houses down, that is Noise.

 

Seriously dude you have a '21 as well, with the same noise and it doesn't concern you at all?

 

Yeah no. Its not the battery dying

 

Sounds just like mine does. It's done it since new. Dealer said it was normal.. whatever that is worth. I just drive it..

 

My '21 does it also. It's louder in the cab now after I cut a hole in the inner fender

 

My 21 sounds like its gonna bloIw itself apart. Seriously its kinda concerning, I put the juice to it on my way to AZ this weekend and when we got there it sounded like the crank shaft was gonna explode out the oil pan...sounds like valve rattle at times as well. Not just the cams and valves doing their thing when I got the hood up but noticeable valve rattle when fuel is given at lower rpm and power is needed...I'm not 100% convinced these things are totally healthy hearing sounds like I'm hearing, but it bad ass having a loud as hell engine and explaining all the reasons it's so much louder than all the other engines in tbe parking lot.