2007 LS460

Hi guys,
This is my first post here and I'm looking for a bit of guidance. My car is creating a concerning noise but I'll explain it from the beginning. My car died about 2 months ago but hasn't been fixed since it wasn't being used. The battery was extremely low and couldn't hold a charge, so I replaced it. Hooked it up, pressed the ignition button, and the engine stopped immediately as it fired up. When I started it the second time, the car had some pretty harsh vibrations coming through the entire car but that calmed down fairly quickly. After the third time, a noise started. This noise is a distinct rattle/click/clack coming from above the engine and I can't find the issue. Said noise quiets after a brief idle but even after the car is warm, it instantly gets louder and stays loud after any gas is given. I attached a small video that has the sound (The car is fully warmed up in the video).

Welcoming all advice. Thanks.

 

Have you checked engine oil level? I also recommend removing the serpentine belt to see if its a front of engine pulley. Does the rattle rise with engine RPM?

 

Could be a timing chain issue, tensioner or something. At least it isn’t a knock

 

In addition to the above said, I believe, it was a recall for faulty valve springs. Was it done for your car?

 

While it may be more pronounced with the engine covers removed, I don't really hear anything unusual, just the somewhat normal sewing machine-like sound from the high pressure fuel pumps/injectors (usually louder on the driver's side). If the same 2 month old fuel is still in the car, in all likelihood the ethanol has already started to break down and could be the cause of the initial difficulty in starting. And it possibly could be the reason for the louder than usual ticking noise.

Since COVID-19, many vehicles have been driven far less than they usually are, and it seems like many have not added some type of fuel stabilizer for these extended periods of fuel storage. Once the ethanol begins to break down, a fuel stabilizer probably will not help much, but I would consider some type of fuel additive/treatment. Periodically, I prefer to add Royal Purple Max-Clean to my vehicles. I also use Seafoam and Stabil in many of my motors, not just for automobile use.

 

I was thinking the same exact thing. It's got the covers off and it would be more pronounced. My 2007 made this type noise and my 2014 does as well.

 

Ditto here. My '11 sounds the same and Lexus will probably tell you it's the fuel injectors. That's what they told me and that they all do it. My MB does the same but there's enuf insulation so that you don't hear it.

 

Thanks for posting this because I was just going to make a post for our LS. I've got a similar sound too (maybe even a bit louder).

I took the covers off and the driver's side air cleaner box too, so that I could possible get a better look at it and do a bit of investigation on it. I took a long handled screwdriver and put it on the injectors to listen and they sounded normal (too loud to be injectors). I did it to the intake too and it sounded like it was coming from that area, but I'm kind of a little lost. Next, I might take some soapy water and squirt it around on the intake to see if it makes some bubbles. I changed the serpentine belt and the idler and tensioner pullies too just to eliminate those (and do some preventative maintenance since ours has 113k miles).

I'm due for an oil change and Hope that maybe that might stop it.

Any suggestions would be Greatly Appreciated!

By the way JustADude, I Apologize for hijacking your thread.