Owl hoot noise from engine/turbo?

I've been trying to research this topic but I haven't really found an answer.
This morning when I cold started my 2025 SR5 (regular iForce), I heard a noise from the engine or turbo that sounded like an owl (like a faint hoot noise) while letting it warm up in the driveway for a couple minutes. I have heard everything from the wastegate, air intake or possibly the secondary air injection pump. Anybody else experience this or have a clue what it could be?

Thanks

 

An owl is nesting under your hood

Never heard an owl hoot from my truck - whooo knows?

 

.

I see what you did there

 

Crazy coincidence, but I have a 2025 Limited TRD (regular I-force) that also does this. Only happens in the “cold” temps like below 40. It’s been at the dealership the past couple of days for them to diagnose and they don’t know why it’s happening. So they are going to have a Toyota Field Tech come take a look at it too. Glad I am not the only one lol maybe it’s supposed too? I’ll keep this thread updated with what I hear. Would be interested if other 2025 or 2024 owners have had the same “issue” or noise.

 

This is what I gathered so far:
A "turbo wastegate owl sound" on a cold start usually refers to a rattling or chattering noise coming from the wastegate mechanism of your turbocharger, often described as sounding like an owl hooting, due to the metal components contracting and expanding unevenly at cold temperatures, causing the wastegate linkage to stick slightly and vibrate as the engine starts up; this is typically not a major concern but might indicate a need for lubrication in the wastegate linkage.

• The rattling noise produced by the loose wastegate linkage creates a hollow, somewhat high-pitched sound that can resemble an owl's hoot.
  In most cases, this cold start "owl sound" is not a major issue, especially if it disappears quickly as the engine warms up and the linkage becomes more lubricated

 

Extremely interesting, mine goes away once I start driving or once it warms up. But i'll pass this to Toyota here at the dealership level. Maybe its not a concern at all. But we will see!

 

Well let me know what they say! I’m dying to hear

 

Not marketing, more for his awareness of an intriguing issue. I'm personally interested in the findings for my own future reference should anything like this happen on my own truck. @TurboKits

 

Funny…somebody posted this on facebook today:
QUESTION: I recently bought a 2024 Tundra. Well, when I’m in the house in the morning I remote start the engine bc it’s 30degrees outside lol. But when I go outside it sounds like there’s an owl in my engine!!! Just “whooo whoo whoo”…… anyone seen this before?

 

This truck does not vent to the atmosphere from the waste gates like other turbo motors do. When the waste gate valves open the excess pressure is rerouted back into the intake on the compressor side and into the exhaust pipe behind the turbo on the exhaust turbine side. It won’t make the sounds your neighbors pumped up diesel truck does jumping off the throttle. This won’t be your Owl sound at warm up idle. I’d Love to hear it though!

 

Waste Gates are #4 and #3d

 

So are you saying this wouldn't be the cause for the noise?
It only does it when its colder (45-50 degrees or lower) and only when its idling on a cold start for a couple minutes, then it goes away completely.

 

I would have it at the dealer with the things that are popping up with these engines, the more info the dealers have the more helpful it is for everyone with the new trucks.


Give a Hoot Don't Pollute!!

 

The chamber in which the owl lives is clearly marked as "c".

 

Pop the hood and ask your engine how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.

 

No expert but I highly doubt it. When this engine isn’t under load those gates sit open anyway. The turbos just freewheel. The gates only close when the engine needs boost. Yet another way they eek mpg out of this motor. My radiator fan which is electrically clutched has sometimes been engaged for a minute or so on cold weather starts. Almost sounds like a faint siren at warm up idle until the clutch lets go. Other systems run on startup too that make noise as well to get the Cats lit up quickly to temperature.

 

This exact thing happened to me this morning. First real cold start since I’ve had it. Never heard anything like it before. My wife thought I was crazy when I told her about it.

 

Seems to be almost everybody I've spoken to with a 3rd Gen Tundra. Either that or they are inside the truck when they warm it up so they don't even notice it.

 

Hoot Hoot!

 

Mine has done this since day one in the winter. Up here where it gets real busted ass cold, I usually notice it when it is -5 Fahrenheit or less in temp. Asked dealer about it and the sound is normal and has something to do with the turbos and it being really cold. So, I think a few of you were onto this earlier but the owl sound is normal at extremely low temps.

 

Do these trucks have air injection pumps?

 

They do....which is also what I heard might cause the sound.

 

100% where it’s coming from

 

I have the same problem on my 2025 tundra. Took it to the dealer and they act like they can’t hear it. On another forum someone said it might be the radiator fan clutch. That’s where the sound is coming from

 

First I’ve heard that. Do you know where? I haven’t found or read about one. I’d like to know more.

 

I’ll have to look for it. I found it when I was researching this topic. Unless it was false information

 

Have you tried to record it, so you can watch them 'hear' it? I had similar issue with tech for wife's car, took me video and audio recording to believe the issue.

 

yeah I’ll definitely make a video for next time I take it in. Hopefully someone on here gets it figured out soon

 

The answer is always athree.

 

Just got my truck back yesterday from the engine replacement, I have the 'owl' noise now. The original engine didn't give a hoot.lol. I will monitor it and ask the Master Technician that did the job.