2019 tacoma 3.5V6 ( 2GR- FKS) TAPPING NOISE

For those that said this motor does not have lifters! And also said the tapping noise is normal!! Yes this motor does have lifters and they are caller cam followers( small with rounded tops / lifters).
2- 2019 tacomas came into a LI , NY , toyota tech school while my friend which is a Boces teacher was their learning new systems.. on LI, they both had the same complaint( Loud Tapping noise on passenger side of motor). They took valve cover off and determined the middle cylinder on passenger side, while being milled at factory the cam follower sleeves were bored over specs! Causing the followers to slap side to side as they move up and down also creating more play between the the rockers and the cam! Leading them to believe there is probably over 100, 000 - 300,000 vehicles with the same issue that Toyota will not acknowledge. Strictly because of cost and would rather wait till there are breakdowns and deal with each one as it occurs! Mean while toyota came up with a TSP - R&R for the vacuum boost pump noise. To supposedly satisfy their customers that come to them with this complaint. (Loud tapping noise!) Which it actually does not make a tapping noise. And the only way to hear the vacuum boost pump is with an engine thesthiscope! The fuel injector cleaner has its own specific sound when at idle which comes on for few seconds and turns off! Common sense in this situation is as the revs go up and down so does the tapping noise and the higher the revs the louder the tapping!
The bad cam follower will cost 1000,s to repair on one vehicle compared to under 100.00 for the vacuum boost pump. Which they told me they replaced on mine and they didn't. I marked the one on my motor before I brought it in,, and the same one was still on my motor after I left dealer. After them telling me they replaced the vacuum bost pump verbally and on paper.This how dealerships operate!!! Also this is for the people that are not mechanics and are not familiar with motors and the sounds each and every part on a motor makes when working or not working properly. Also for those people that keep responding with thats normal (comment). Don't comment if you do not know what is really the problem, your just making a bad situation worse. End Note: I was certified mechanic back in 1980. And have worked on more cars than could never count. For me, this was and is driving me crazy knowing what the problem is and going back and forth to the dealer and being told by a person that had no mechanical past experience is very disturbing to say the least. I've had 2 toyota mechanics already walk up to my truck and react( oh shit that's bad. You need a new head!). And tell me toyota if they were to fix the problem they would just replace the head. Said to my self, they must know that the sleeves are out of spec? Instead of just taking cam off and replacing the follower? Which would not solve the problem. Only replacing the head with new one with updated sleeve borings will solve this problem. I've read so many posts about this, and some responds are just dumb. For those dumb stupid responses, I hope to he'll you don't ever work on mine or any one I knows vehicles. Lack of knowledge is a crime when it comes to vehicle repairs! If you don't know do your research and learn, before opening your mouth and don't know what your talking about!! Please! Better not to say anything if you don't know then to say something to mislead someone looking for advice and help! Goodluckbto all of you that have the same issue. Remember our tapping noise is not normal on a new gasoline engine!!! Don't forget that! These are not diesel motors!! The part shown is specific to the 2GR- FKS / 3.5 V6. This the part along with the valve train in line. That is rapping loud. If you replace this part it will not fix the loud tapping noise. A new head needs to be replaced with the right follower sleeve bored correctly. This no speculation, or an assumption. This was done and fixed the loud tapping nouse!! There is too many details to list in this a post! this was just to make toyota owners that have the 2GR-FKS in their tacoma aware that this problem has been diagnosed and repaired. That simple. The vacuum pump replacement will not stop the loud tapping noise in the production #"s that the heads were bored over specs! Take with a grain of salt, 2 that I know of have been repaired qnd mine is in process! For those that have not done this repair don't speculate until you have done this repair yourself! I feel bad the people that are so stubborn to ignore just common sense in this matter. Don't waste your time with your immature comments. I just delete them. In a few days my toyota won't be tapping loud as I drive it, and that is all that matters! Can't wait to put all the upgrades I have for my Tacoma!!!

 

What drugs are you on?

 

Do like I did, mine used to sound like a mini diesel. Couldn’t tell what was lifter, valve tap or piston slap noise.
One of my best friends who had a BMW 3 series side by side sounded alarmed and said, what that heck is all that noise on your truck?

I said, well it’s a new model, perfectly normal characteristic of the truck. Jump in, I’ll show you how good it runs, it won't fall apart when I let the hammer down.

And so I drove the chit out of it, but changed the oil every 5K, used 87 top tier name brand (Shell) drove it at 80mph every chance I got and 60k miles later driving it home tonight I just noticed…

No crickets tonight?? Where’s my crickets and mini diesel motor go? All quite as mouse tonight.

As for tomorrow? IDK I tell you, but I’m not loosing sleep over it

 

Ouch. Funny thing is that I just took mine in and they claim it’s the same pump noise. They did show me the tsb and it included a audio. It sounded spot on. Mechanic said he’s personally replaced a couple and the sound remains.

I found a YouTube video has the similar noise.
https://youtu.be/QbmsXB_fGKM

 

I’ve mentioned in my above post I recently took it in under warranty, they couldn’t replicate. I drove it around the block brought it in the shop and two Toyota Mechanics approached and said they didn’t hear that before. Then they proceeded to diagnose it with the boost pump. Ever since it left the dealer about a week ago, it hasn’t been as loud.

 

Mine was never as loud as the video posted above, that is loud and would have caused me to do some diagnostics work. There is a cleaning cycle now and then, thus my joke about sounding like a mini diesel.
But mine is overall quieter now than when it was new so I don't think we can confuse the two, the boost pump in the video definitely is knocking its ass off.

 

Man I would not let it bother me that bad where you need 2 threads going on about the same thing.

It’s a Toyota you can probably trade it for something else and not lose.

Pick something that does not have DI or possibly a gas or Diesel engine, say a Tesla or similar and you will be left with just the noise from your thoughts.

 

OP - Your exactly right - same exact situation on my 2023 and has been in shop 3 weeks and getting basically almost new engine due to damage it caused. Hydraulic lash adjuster beat the hell out of aluminum socket in head (cam side) and then that caused cam follower to get beat to heck and that debris made it into bearings and caused some minor scoring.

See my original post with video of noise: https://www.tacomaworld.com/posts/29155576/

https://youtu.be/kYUgvZlq4hA?si=p9zkibV96_Xmgy4s

 

How many miles on your vehicle, and at what mileage did it start? You posted in the other thread that it went away when warm; did it behave differently over time where it made noise all the time, or didn't change with temp? Did you notice it clattering in low gear deceleration?

If you wouldn't mind, lease share your repair order, and any photos of the damage if you have them.

Thank you
Mike

 

Don't do drugs!

 

It started around 3500 miles at least what I heard during idle mostly after previously warmed up and restarted - really at idle mostly.
Took it in at around 4100 when it became more consistent with every startup. Still at dealer on day 21 - see notes in original thread on everything being replaced.

 

not reading this shit lol

 

I'll post the full repair order when it is complete - no conjecture here - only sharing facts to date.

 

Truck repair complete:

 

Is the noise constant or just happen for a minute or two after a cold startup?

 

Thanks for the followup.

It’s constantly there although difficult to hear over the wind, tire, and other engine noises when at speed. You can plainly hear it clacking away under these conditions: in park throttling to about 1100, and on deceleration at lower speeds like backing down a long drive, slowing for a speed hump, or placing it in a low gear and driving at that 11-1500 rpm. Even with the windows up and A/C on.
When you listen through a bar you can hear the exhaust valve(s) on one specific cylinder that are producing the noise.

 

So if the lash adjuster was the issue of the noise, how shutting down the cylinder 1 was affecting the noise? The oil pressure is still maintained by remaining working cylinders and cam shafts still spinning.

 

I was wondering the same thing.

 

I thought it was odd as well but this is all the information I received from service. Car was sold immediately after picking up vehicle as mentioned so this is all the information I have.