Doublebase

I don’t know if I’d bother with an engine flush, if it doesn’t work it’d clean between the piston and cylinder wall. Probably making it worse. Unless you’re thinking the rings are stuck in the lands and it will free them up, BUT as the noise goes away when the engine is heated, that wouldn’t be the case. I don’t think any sort of magically oil is going to help...Amsoil, PUP. TGMO, Mobil1 EP. It’s piston slap, there really is nothing to do about it, just drive it. It should be fine for a long time. Annoying that it’s haplening to you but at least you know it shouldn’t be something worth fixing...because to fix it would mean replacing the engine.

I own a 2GR-FE engine (a 2016) and it’s pretty quiet, but I also have a lot less miles (86,000). I don’t know if there have been substantial internal changes between the engines, everything I’ve read said they’re basically the same. Although mine called for 0W20, which I’m not all that thrilled about...was seriously considering bumping it up to 5W30 at my next oil change.

carbanak

Yeah I figured, engine flush was to try and clean out the rest of the oil passages and see what happens. I'm going to get rid of it though. My Corolla was quieter than this which IMO is unacceptable. Even my Fiesta which is an econobox has no such issues. It's only accentuated by the ES being a better riding and better insulated car in general.

I'm thinking of either switching to a 2011 or a 2016, but it's really concerning that corporate never acknowledged the problem or what they did on subsequent years to fix it. If I spend 30+k on a CPO 16 and it ends up developing the same noise, they would lose all sense of brand loyalty I have. 5th gens had quite a few other problems as well, the VVti gear rattle, oil line which would burst, leaking valve cover gaskets, leaking timing covers. Without knowing what they actually did to the engine to make it sound normal, there's really no confidence. People were saying it's due to how short the piston skirts are and the oval shape and that it's normal, but then why don't other modern engines have the same issue?

I'm a Toyota loyalist, but I wouldn't know what alternatives there are in terms of quiet, soft riding, reliability even if I wanted to switch brands.

The switching of oil viscosity also concerns me, no way to tell which oil is the best to use if you're concerned solely with reliability and not minute fuel economy or emissions improvements. Really tough to tell.

Hayk

iTrader: (1)

I don’t think a 2016 would develop a strange noise like that with regular oil maintenance. The issue seems very much isolated to older model years. I don’t have the noise you’re describing on a 2010 with 83k miles.

Wilson2000

Generally speaking, thicker oil will fill the "bigger clearance" you speak of, assuming that's the issue. However, since we can't analyze the noise, or its source, over the internet, we're shooting in the dark for a cure. That said, it wouldn't hurt to experiment with thicker oil at the next regular change interval.

Wilson2000

Unless you have an issue, such as noise, I'd stick to the manufacturer's recommended weight.