I posted about this before but now I have made my trip to the dealer. When I start my truck (2003 4Runner - V8) after it has been sitting for a long time particularly overnight it makes a very loud valve clatter like noise almost like it had no oil. I have changed the oil at every interval and use Mobil One - I have a Toyota filter on there. After I drive about 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile it runs smooth as can be. Yesterday the noise was so loud my wife could hear it inside the house! I took it to Toyota and left it over night so they could start it cold. They claim they did not hear anything but said this is a common problem caused by carbon buildup on the top of the pistons from regular fuel and after the car warms up it burns off the carbon and all is OK. This just doesn't ring true to me somehow! have changed both the oil and the filter. I almost suspect a tranny thing because it is loudest when I first put it into gear. But if I just let it run for a few minutes in park and then drive off, there is no noise. I can not drive it to the dealer when it is making the noise because as I said if i drive it it quits. I am planning a summer trip in a few weeks and don't want to make it worse. I have always used regular (Chevron or Exxon) with no problems. I am not a gear head at all so I am stumped! What do you guys think?
Jim

 

run some fuel injector cleaner and a product called seafoam, this should help knock out any carbon buildup you have

 

Where can I buy that Seafoam?
Jim

 

since you live in milton wv...and i used to date a chic from there...haha...you can get it at advance in either barboursville or teays valley! easy enough huh! nice nic...herd...marshall huh! my ex cheered there years ago...

 

You read something on the internet, not evening knowing what shape or form that something is, and already ready to pour/stick/bolt it in your engine

 

gotta read the instructions carefully on the can! if not followed can cause hydrolocking...the word even sounds bad huh! sometimes a ping can sound somewhat similar to valves. or you just might need a valve adjustment. get a second opinion from another dealer and if it turns up to be something a little more than carbon then i would go back to that other dealer that told you it was just carbon...and cram the maintenance receipt in his face! dealerships suck...one thing i have found to work really good with plus gas around here is stuff made by prestone. its octane booster and injector cleaner. i was pinging every now and then...would mess with timing and cleaning plugs and regapping...finally got that stuff and it actually worked better than seafoam...in the tank that is. seafoam did the trick thru the pcv the best!

 

Well, the seafoam sounded harmless. I guess you will try anything when your baby is sick! I will try the injector cleaner and a tank of a different brand and different octane just so I can tell the dealer I did. Then off to another dealer (about 40 miles or so) for a 2nd opinion. Thanks for all the help guys.
Callmej75 - Yep, that's where the nick came from. Go Herd! I most likely had the chic from Milton as a student. I have taught there since 1975 and have one year to retire - and I want my Runner to get well!

 

yeh...nothin like a sick toy! kinda sets you to depression...

 

You are right, it does sound kind of cute, I heard it makes a good salad dressing too.

What I'm confused about is how do you rationalize the theory about carbon buildup? When exactly does it build up? While parked overnight? Then burns off? Then builds up again? That theory is border lining nonsense from the details you provided.

 

I'm stuck here in Huntington, WV near you. I'd say give Seafoam a shot. Which dealer did you go to for an eval - St. Albans or Huntington??

There is a service manager in Huntington that is VERY knowledgable regarding 4Runners - he is the only mechanic that I trust my Runner with.

Send me a PM or an Email and I'll fill you in.
Andrew

 

but I bought the truck in Charleston at Bert Wolfe. I will send you an e-mail for the details on the good guys! Thanks,
Jim

 

I think the dealer fed you a line. An 03 with carbon build up from sitting over night...every night?...Not likely, older people that stay in the lower RPM's get carbon build up and its never blown out...after like a year of driving....

I would take it back to them and tell him to fix it. Find out your lemon laws, if its anything like MD's its a lemon if it has the same problem 7 times. Tell them this is their 2nd and only have 5 more to go before they are going to buy it back...

Although valvetrain noise is relatively common in alot of vehicles until the oil circulates you should be hearing through the walls on your house imo, esp. not on an 03....you shoulda bought a chevy heheh

 

4RUNR:
Dang dude - must you rip the newbie apart?
If you want to get kicks like that why don't you just hang out over at Pirate?

 

I don't rip newbs apart. I merely suggested that acting on everything you read on the internet is not the brightest of ideas.

Seems the original poster is not willing to question the dealer's diagnosis, is not listening to anyone else, and is resolute to the idea of pouring some seafoam into his engine. It's his engine. All the more power to him.

 

I agree with you on your points.
I'm just saying that we could probably be a bit more edifying in our approach.

But hey you have your style, he has his, I have mine.

Please disregard the ripping of newbie comment - maybe it's just the internet.

 

As the afformentioned Ripped Newb let me say I was not offended - he had a valid point - what was I thinking? Tacoma Dude thanks for the comments but I DID say something stupid I guess. Like I said, I am not a gearhead at all but I wouldn't have dumped in the Seafoam (are you sure it's not C-Foam?) without some research - but I could have and the reminder could have saved my engine. Anyway, tnx to all for their help. It is getting better but waht seemed to help the most was just flooring the crap out of it on the Interstate as I got on a couple of times. I bet the guy behind me in the PTCruiser droptop with the BuyAmerican stickers hated that sulfur smell!

Jim