Engine cranking/startup noise (merged threads)
#151
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Location: Ontario, Canada
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An update:
Well after emailing off the link to my sound byte, a few weeks back, to Lexus (Canada), I got a call from a generic Lexus “customer representative” last week ,,,,, and from the local service manager today. He agreed the sound was not normal but had NO suggestion as to what it was.
Dropped the car off tonight and they will try and reproduce the noise over the next few days, starting it every few hours. They need a TECH to witness the sound before any work will be done …… makes sense.
KC
Well after emailing off the link to my sound byte, a few weeks back, to Lexus (Canada), I got a call from a generic Lexus “customer representative” last week ,,,,, and from the local service manager today. He agreed the sound was not normal but had NO suggestion as to what it was.
Dropped the car off tonight and they will try and reproduce the noise over the next few days, starting it every few hours. They need a TECH to witness the sound before any work will be done …… makes sense.
KC
The IS350 spent a day and a half at the dealer being started every hour or two ….. no unusual sound detected. No too much of a surprise to me since I told them it only occurred every 15-20 starts.
They have heard the sound byte though, and for the first time speculated it might be a valve train “actuator” issue …. of which there are 4 per engine (all different part numbers, 1 per intake/exhaust, per bank).
This is the first time I have heard the term “actuator” used, so the service manager may just be using the term in a general sense to describe the “camp gear”.
Until the sound appears on a regular basis I’m not too worried about it, and now that its on my service record any failures I may experience over the next few years will be an issue they failed to resolve under warranty.
In a way I am kind of relieved as I don’t really want to have these guys strip the top off the engine, replace one unit, only to have another start to make noise a year down the road (or find they have pulled the wrong one now). I won’t press them till I get the noise every day (or 4-6 starts ??).
KC
#152
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KC
#155
Actually I got a RX400H, while they search for my engine noise, kinda fun, electric torque is AWESOME!
#156
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
I have never heard of camp gears. What are they? Is this a misspelling of cam gears?
My understanding of this fault/failure is the VVTi control valve is failing (for some reason or another) and this is the root cause of the noise until the engine's oil pressure comes up to standard. It is difficult to access these valves, and replacing them requires removing more parts than you would like it to just to be able to remove and replace these electro-mechanical control pieces.
#157
There's no timing belt in the 2GR or 4GR series engines. They have multiple timing chain tensioners, but they do not use oil pressure exclusively for their tensioning action, so it really can't be the tensioners.
I have never heard of camp gears. What are they? Is this a misspelling of cam gears?
My understanding of this fault/failure is the VVTi control valve is failing (for some reason or another) and this is the root cause of the noise until the engine's oil pressure comes up to standard. It is difficult to access these valves, and replacing them requires removing more parts than you would like it to just to be able to remove and replace these electro-mechanical control pieces.
I have never heard of camp gears. What are they? Is this a misspelling of cam gears?
My understanding of this fault/failure is the VVTi control valve is failing (for some reason or another) and this is the root cause of the noise until the engine's oil pressure comes up to standard. It is difficult to access these valves, and replacing them requires removing more parts than you would like it to just to be able to remove and replace these electro-mechanical control pieces.
Curious, what then is meant when the diagnosis is an "actuator" problem?
#158
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
The oil control valve (or OCV) operates the cam gear. The cam gear contains an "actuator" that allows the cam timing to be variable. What I read in the TSIB was there is a lock in the cam gear that is supposed to hold the "actuator" part in a fixed position until the engine's oil pressure is up to standard. In some of the engines the lock is not working correctly and this allows the actuator to float freely until oil pressure comes up and makes a clattering sound until oil pressure is up to normal. Apparently the failures are intermittent and not "hard" failures.
Whether this will affect the service life of the engine is unknown, but it will definitely affect engine performance and emissions control during cold cycle.
I can understand why this may not occur all the time, and why it's more likely on first start of the day after the oil has had some time to drain back into the pan. I do not know anything about rates of occurrence, and the last time I looked for this TSIB, I couldn't find it. If I knew where it was, I'd post the number.
Whether this will affect the service life of the engine is unknown, but it will definitely affect engine performance and emissions control during cold cycle.
I can understand why this may not occur all the time, and why it's more likely on first start of the day after the oil has had some time to drain back into the pan. I do not know anything about rates of occurrence, and the last time I looked for this TSIB, I couldn't find it. If I knew where it was, I'd post the number.
#159
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: MS
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There's no timing belt in the 2GR or 4GR series engines. They have multiple timing chain tensioners, but they do not use oil pressure exclusively for their tensioning action, so it really can't be the tensioners.
I have never heard of camp gears. What are they? Is this a misspelling of cam gears?
My understanding of this fault/failure is the VVTi control valve is failing (for some reason or another) and this is the root cause of the noise until the engine's oil pressure comes up to standard. It is difficult to access these valves, and replacing them requires removing more parts than you would like it to just to be able to remove and replace these electro-mechanical control pieces.
I have never heard of camp gears. What are they? Is this a misspelling of cam gears?
My understanding of this fault/failure is the VVTi control valve is failing (for some reason or another) and this is the root cause of the noise until the engine's oil pressure comes up to standard. It is difficult to access these valves, and replacing them requires removing more parts than you would like it to just to be able to remove and replace these electro-mechanical control pieces.
+100000000000
I had both my intake and exhaust VVTI controlers changed, and some cam junk and no more sound. The car IMO drivers better. Be sure if you take your car in for this service that they change both. I have had no issues, and even inspected the engine when they were done. All was great... Now if I could get my car out of the shop for other BS warranty reasons I'd be happy.
#161
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MN
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2006 IS 350, 12k
I recently got this noise after having my oil changed by Lexus.
I brought it back in to Lexus and they are unable to duplicate the issue.
I am glad to see I am not alone. Thank god for this board. If anyone hears anything from Lexus in regards to a solution. Please let me know.
Thank you in advance.
I recently got this noise after having my oil changed by Lexus.
I brought it back in to Lexus and they are unable to duplicate the issue.
I am glad to see I am not alone. Thank god for this board. If anyone hears anything from Lexus in regards to a solution. Please let me know.
Thank you in advance.
#163
Driver
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Ontario, Canada
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Its best to record it and play it back here looking for comments from members .... most mp3 players also record so if you use your mp3 jack u likely have a ready made recording option right there!
KC
.......... Sound Link ..... for those of you not sure of the sound it can be heard from the 5 second mark to about the 6 second mark!!
KC
Last edited by caudlek; 06-20-07 at 02:40 PM.