reezekeys

I have a 2001 GS300 with around 120K miles. I posted a few threads down about possibly needing valve adjustment or more involved work. I stupidly ran the car with low oil for a while – as much as 1.5 qts down. Changed with Mobil 1 5W30 and a new filter a few days ago. This morning I was 1 quart down but I'm hoping that's just "settling." (I filled with about 5.5 quarts when I did the change which is a little under the full capacity).

The earliest appointment at a nearby dealer is Wednesday morning at 7:30AM (and that's only one of a very few open slots this whole week!). In the meantime I'm unsure of whether I should even be driving this car. I know this is a long shot and I'm certainly not expecting an exact diagnosis, but I'm hoping that someone with more knowledge of these things can listen to my engine on this video and can possibly tell me if this noise sounds "bad" or "REAL bad", as in my engine might have some serious issues. I already had one person tell me it's probably not a lifter as they make a more distinct "tapping" sound. As I see it, I'm in a spot – there is much labor involved in just diagnosing the problem which puts me on the hook for a very large bill. As I said in a previous post, I've been to one independent mechanic who said I needed a complete valve job at $3500 – but someone else here said that running the engine low on oil should not cause that kind of damage.

Many many thanks to anyone replying with any ideas! The video:

2GSKaizen

iTrader: (1)

In my opinion it doesn't sound like valves either. Sounds a little to low pitched and not "clicky" enough. It is hard to tell from a video vs. in person though. Running it low on oil shouldn't have done anything to the engine. The only harm from that comes from that is if it is severely low, and the oil actually sloshes away from the pickup tube in the oil pan while accelerating, braking, or making sharp turns. 2 quarts low probably isn't even enough to do that based on the design of the oil pan on the 2JZ. That sound could really be something like a harmonic balancer that is starting to come apart.

reezekeys

Thanks so much for your input. "Harmonic balancer coming apart", that sounds like I should be renting a car right now!

If it's something like a crankshaft bearing then I guess the engine is toast. I was so hoping it was one of the belt-driven items, a pulley, or alternator. Much better than the alternative.

2GSKaizen

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I really doubt it's a crank bearing, just because that is the first part of the engine that gets oil after it goes through the pump. When you changed the oil did you notice any metallic particles in the oil? They'd be copper in color if you chewed up a bearing. It honestly doesn't sound like that kind of internal problem. The sound your engine is making doesn't sound quite as "metallic" in nature and is much louder and less muffled than a rod or crank bearing. Shut off your engine, take a big screw driver or pry bar and stick it in between your harmonic balancer (the biggest pulley at the bottom) and your engine block and see if the pulley moves at all with a little prying. The pulley is 2 pieces. 1 bolts to the crankshaft, then a rubber insulator, then the outer ring that the serpentine belt rides on.The rubber breaks down over time, and the 2 metal pieces "chatter" against eachother. Only the outer part that drives the belt will seem to "bend" if you pry on it lightly. Be careful where you pry on because the plastic timing belt cover is right behind the pulley. If that balancer is bad, it won't take much force at all to move that outer ring! That's my best guess!!

reezekeys

Thanks so much, this is incredibly helpful. Not to mention I feel a little better that it might not be a car-killing diagnosis! There were no metallic particles in the oil. I will try your suggestion and post back, might be tomorrow though.

rofflehous

Sounds a lot like a water pump.
The vid below is my water pump going.

here is mine
order this and a front main seal while you have it all apart.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/97-05-Lexus-GS300-IS300-3-0L-DOHC-Timing-Belt-AISIN-Water-Pump-Kit-2JZGE-/300907204182?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item460f778e56&vxp=mtr

2GSKaizen

iTrader: (1)

Wow. Never heard a waterpump make that noise on a 2JZ, but that is damn near the same noise! Also a win for the OP, especially since the pump isn't run off the cam belt on this motor. (I stand corrected, it is behind the belt) This could def be it too! Either of these is gonna be WAY better than a motor.

reezekeys

Maybe the gods will smile on me! Thanks much for the encouragement. Fingers are crossed.

reezekeys

Update: cancelled the appointment at the Lexus dealer. I asked to have someone call me back before I went in and no-one did. Plus the noise has remained steady, not getting any worse. The car will be parked for four days anyway starting Thursday morning, so I will use that time to line up having the car seen by a few mechanics.

My wife had her Camry serviced at a Toyota dealer much closer than the Lexus dealer, so I figured I'd try them. Haven't heard for sure that they'll work on my car but it's a Toyota engine so I don't see why they wouldn't. My wife was happy with their work and their prices were comparable to our independent mechanic so those are two big pluses right there.

ttaylor993

You are absolutely right, the Toyota dealer should work just fine. Sounds like the water pump to me too.

GSGenesis

The first video from the OP doesn't sound anything like a water pump going out to me, I'll be damned if that's the case..... That's a deep noise man real odd.... Almost even sounds like your cats are clogged and the car isn't able to breathe.... Any lights? Any issues when driving? Can you tell ANY difference at all? Have you checked all your fluids? Temp? If this is the water pump dam its go to be on it's way to grenading because that's quite some noise. I just replaced mine just because I was doing the timing belt, got a OEM one, and mine is whining.... I'm afraid my replacment one was a defect!

GSGenesis

Sure does sound like it's coming from that water pump area though.... Also sounds like it's coming from the manifold area too though, can't tell obviously... Hope it works out though man. Could even be a pully get yourself a set of those, dam whatever tere called that doctors use to listen to your heart beat and what not, lol sorry can't recall, but they sell ones made for cars at like harbor frieght for pennies... Help you find the source of that noise real quick man

reezekeys

Just got back from the Toyota dealer. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry. The mechanic listened to my engine, said it was valves, NOT anything on the pulleys. He said it was likely due to running while low on oil (I did not tell him I had run the car down 1.5 quarts at that point). His advice was to do NOTHING except change the oil more frequently! He told me the cost of fixing was equivalent to a near-complete engine rebuild. He said the car would be fine to drive and I'll do OK as long as I change the oil every ~3K miles (right, full syn & filter every 3K?).

I guess my car is not gonna blow up soon. It drives fine - acceleration is good, temp meter is right in the middle, I've been checking oil and the level is full and not going down. Truth be told the noise is barely noticeable during normal driving, and inaudible when on the highway and masked by wind noise. The video kind of exaggerates things since my phone's mic was so close to the engine. Pull into a parking place or sit somewhere idling and it's very much apparent, if not super-loud. I'm kinda bummed that I might be living with this for the life of the car. But it's a 2001, it has 120K on it, I paid $5K for it two months ago and I'm not sure I can see spending $3500 (what one mechanic quoted for a full valve job) right now.

I really appreciate everyone's input in this thread. I'll probably go to a few more independent shops in the next week or two, listen to everyone's take on it, and then decide what to do.

offbad

iTrader: (5)

OCI for today's modern dino oil has far exceeded 3k
suffice to say, today's synthetic can go 2x as long as conventional.

maybe try an oil additive?
i've personally had good luck with Lucas and Bardahl, but ymmv obviously (no pun intended).

aliga

iTrader: (147)

throw in a used motor, i have them if you need. 500 for the motor plus labor.