Lexusloud

We go away for 6 months each year. When we came back last year, I went to start the IS350(I had just changed the oil before we left) and it sounded horrible! knocking, dieseling, sputtering barely idling... Then as it continued idling it started to come around R and then ran fine. Really scared me as I thought it was gonna seize. so this time I wonder if I can pull a fuse or something to keep it from starting while the motor turns over to at least get oil throughout the motor before firing it? Can anyone think of why it would do that? By the way, our 1998 Tacoma 2.4, did the same thing when we started it up after six months... I believe I will pull the coil wires on it and turn it over... My other thought is to leave them a quart down and when I come back pour a quart of oil in and at least there would be some oil in the top end? Thanks for any imput

firestart9

good question subbed for answers.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

OP, I'm not following the logic of leaving it low on oil/adding oil. Any oil added, dumps into the pan. I would not purposely leave it low on oil.

I won't get much love for this but we let our seasonal sand rail sit for 9 months, and there is product we used that helps. It's STP. I pulled two engines apart that were put in storage, one for a year, the other for 3 years. Our engine had STP in it and pistons, journals, reciprocating parts had oil film on them after 3 years. My uncles engine of 1 year in the shed did not.

It won't stop the clatter of a dry VVT-i starved of oil (2021 RAV4 did that after 5 weeks), but at least, it's not metal to metal.

Lexusloud

Thanks for the reply, I think only being down a quart or so wouldn't have a issue starting up with. The quart added would still flow over some of the upper engine area, especially if I could squirt it around the underside of the valve cover area. I have mixed feelings about STP and other additives. I have seen in depth tests on these products on youtube which didn't seem to promote additives. But a film would be nice. I will keep that in mind for future use.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

Pouring oil over the limited area of one side of the engine does not pump up lifters or fill the VVT-i assblies which are the two types of components making all the noise.

Do search for stuck lifter and listen on yt. They have to pump up to queit down. What brand of oil are you using?

GL

Lexusloud

Supertech 5/30 full synthetic

Gville350

iTrader: (10)

Leaving it low on oil will not help, nor doing a fill-up right before start-up.

My father used to swear by Dura Lube for things just like this scenario. He was a mechanical engineer and electrical engineer; so he knew things. LOL!

nosurprise

iTrader: (1)

I wonder if you can install a remote start and start the car once a week. It's kinda overkill if you don't need to use remote start otherwise.

Lexusloud

It's a thought depending on how much it cost. It would work with WIFI?

nosurprise

iTrader: (1)

It normally works with a cellular network that you need to pay for. You can probably do some kind of DIY if you want it to work with wifi.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

Just hire the local teenager to run it around the block every three weeks!

They do make engine oil primers for this reason. They're electric oil pumps that pressurize the system before startup. That said, both the VVT-I and lifters still require rotation for all oil feeds to align, so it is somewhat hit or miss if this would work.

Do a search for "electric engine oil priming pump" and engine oil accumulator which depending on the model may be a better fit and less costly experiment if it has an air assist. With these, the engine fills the accumulator using its own oil pressure, then you seal a valve keeping oil in a cylinder under pressure. Before starting, the valve is opened applying pressurized oil. With air assist, it can maintain higher pressure.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

Also, the benefit of an accumulator vs an external oil pump is dealing with engine oil volume. Once the engine is running, the engines oil pump fills the accumulator and your oil level returns to normal once set.

Install 1.5 qt accum.
Start engine, fill accum. Close valve.
Adjust engine oil level (add 1.5 qts).
Drive with no changes.

Park vehicle. 6 months later, return. Open hood. Open accumulator valve, prime engine. Close valve and start engine. Open valve to fill accumulator once engine stabilizes, thrn close valve.
Repeat cycle.

MikeFig82

iTrader: (13)

I'm no expert on this. Just asking a question. Pull the sparks, and squirt oil into the cylinders, and turn crank shaft will help any?

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

Honestly I would think not and I say this as it takes many cycles (open/close) and heat to free collapsed hydraulic lifters.
Basically from an engine off standpoint, a percentage of valves are held open by the cams profile. Valve spring pressure is acting on the hydraulic lifters forcing them to bleed off oil and these lifters collapse under the load of the spring (hydraulic lifters eliminate need for valve lash adjustments). Then as the engine runs, ports to the lifter open/close per cycle allowing oil in and they pump up and the engine noise diminishes. Usually very slowly like 4 to 10 minutes with heat of running engine applied. During this time they make a lot of noise and can cause engine misfires.

IMO the wear from turning a cold engine at cranking speeds is worse than the noise from the valve train. Now after typing this, I'm pretty sure an accumulator won't automatically fix this issue, all of the other reciprocating components will live a better life tho!

Edit - technically these are hydraulic valve lash adjusters not lifters. Each is buried in the head to the left of the colored springs. In the cutaway view here, an oil passage feed hole is visible.

Yodog

LiquiMoly it!!!