well, its a possibility that it can be the oil. the car never made the noise before the 5k service. i dont remember when it started though. i doubt it has to do with using non-synthetic vs. synthetic though.

i do plan on swapping to synthetic... but by that time, the dealer better have figured out what the hell is wrong.

 

Any reason you aren't following Lexus' viscosity recommendation? Owner's manual and oil cap say 5W30, TSB006-06 revised that to 5W20.

 

You guys are all aware the valvetrain uses hydraulic lash adjusters, right?

If they're draining down, they have to pump up (but they should not drain down.) If the oil is a little heavy it might take a moment longer than if it is lighter.

 

Sounds like the catalytic converter heating up.........normal condition

 

I come from the motorcycle world, and with what you guys are describing, it sounds like a hydraulic cam-chain tensioner. I don't even know if this car has a hydraulic tensioner, but more than likely it does.

Often time with hydraulic tensioners, the oil will seep out of the tensioner and it takes a few seconds to pump back up after starting. No harm at all to anything, it's just a little noisey for a few seconds.

I have a new Kawasaki ZX14 with a hydraulic tensioner and it makes a racket for about 1 second after start-up, then it's as quiet as a church mouse.

 

I have never heard a cat make noise on warm up. Cool off, lots of times, never on warm up.

 

Then you've never owned a C-230 Kompressor. Every morning on start up the cat would snap, crackle and pop for about a minute. Horrible sounding noise unless you know what it is and even than it's not pleasing to the ear. Actually I seldom heard the cracking noises on shut down but always on the first start of the day. Nature of the beast I guess...

 

It's not hydraulic, it's a spring loaded rachet mechanism. There is no shortage of chains whipping around in there, but they've got slippers and dampers enough for a couple of bikes easy. If its the cam chains, there's something wrong. I'm still betting on the lifters sinking slightly and clattering until oil gets to the top end. Especially when the guy is running 10w instead of the recommended 5w.

Oh yeah, I'm very familiar with bikes and cam chain tensioning schemes for all kinds of cam chains. This engine has single row rollers with one long stretch across the two heads and two short ones between the cams in each head.

 

I got you...I bet you're right then about the lifters. I'm suprised this motor doesn't have a hydraulic tensioner, but hey, I suppose Toyota knows best.

So this motor has three chains? One main from the crank to each bank, then one smaller chain in each head to operate the cams? Then the intake cams are hydraulicly timed right, but the exhaust cam timing does not alter? I'd like to see the parts diagrams of this motors, you know of any place online that has it? No particlular reason other than being a gearhead and being pretty much amazed at much how power this motor makes.

 

no my car is 100% stock! But im worried if this is a real conern. Its hard to duplicate the problem with the dealer, so i dont really want to waste my time.

 

When did the recommended oil change from 10w30 to 5w30? Right on top of my oil cap and in the manual it says to use 10w30 for getting the most efficiency out of the engine.

 

yea, i know what you mean. this morning... it didnt make the sound. i would really prefer for it to be a cosntant thing. that way the dealer wont BS with me. im gonna have them keep the car for a few days and only start it up in the morning if it doesnt do it when i get there. that or make a recording or something.

 

It never changed from 10w30 to 5w30. Perhaps you need to clean your glasses before peering at that oil cap.

The change from 5w30 to 5w20 was in TSB EG006-06 issued March 29, 2006.

 

I don't think my glasses need cleaning, but my memory on the other hand just may need some dusting off. LOL I just checked and I have been using 5w30 as it states on the oil cap. This is the first time I heard of the TSB to switch to 5w20, so I'll ask my dealership about it and see what they say. Thanks for the useful info Bichon.

BTW can you send me a link to that TSB? The only think I could find was this and it's about Excessive Sulfur Odor. http://www.alldata.com/tsb/Toyota/11...-06/index.html

 

Here is the link:
http://www.alldata.com/tsb/Lexus/114...G006-06/6.html

I confirmed the change by writing to customer support on the Lexus website. My dealer wasn't helpful with this- they are still using (and recommending) 5W-30.