2004 Corolla- Noticeable Tapping On Warm Starts - Toyota Corolla, Chevy Prizm (1998-2008)

I have a 2004 Corolla with 15,000 miles. When i shut the car off after it warms up, and then restart the car like 10-20 minutes later, it has a rather pronounced tapping. Basically it sounds like it is running without any oil in the lifters , for about 30 seconds and then it goes away. The car has been doing this since new. I am wondering if this is a "normal" condition for the newer generation corollas or not, as I have a 99 corolla as well and it never makes any excessive noises when starting hot or cold. I realize that I do have a warranty, but was just wondering if this is common for the 2003-2005 model years, if so I will let it be.

Thanks in advance,

Dave

Haven't heard of that before, sounds like a protential problem - especially since the sound goes away after a little while. Could be a belt tensioner that is going bad - sometimes they make a tapping, clacking noise. But I'd take in - I wouldn't second guess anything if I still have the warranty on the car and let the dealership deal with it.

What brand of oil and filter are you using?

Kanling- I'm using Texaco Havoline 5w-30 oil. As for the filter, i have been using purolator.

The car made the same noise with genuine toyota filters and whatever oil the dealer was using as well.

I changed the original oil and filter at 1250 miles, and have been doing oil changes every 3k since then.

Fish- I may as well take it in...put that warranty to use.

It will be interesting to hear if others have had this same issue with the 2003-2005's as well

Thanks,

Dave

Dave, my wife drives an '03 and I have never noticed a problem like that... but I don't drive it often with hot starts, either.

Havoline 5W-30 is the right weight for the car, and that is generally considered one of the top conventional motor oils.

Purolator is also one of the better oil filters. Its bypass valve pressure is a bit higher than other brands, but that would only be a potential issue on cold starts.

I say take it in if you have the time to spend.

If you want to do some more experimentation, the only thing I could suggest (oil related) is to try a Wix, NAPA Gold, or Purolator Pure One filter. Those have a silicone anti-drainback valve, which in theory seals better at temperature extremes. The anti-drainback prevents oil from seeping excessively back into the oil pan so that the filter has oil in it even after the engine has been shut down for some time. I seriously doubt that this will make a difference on the Corolla though because the open-end up orientation of the filter on the engine will keep oil inside anyway and also because if the ADBV were the problem I would expect you would hear noise on cold starts too.

Mr. Ed

Dave,

I have an '04 with 21,000 miles. I've never heard the sound you describe.

Hi, I have an 05 CE automatic with the same problem. It only sounds bad on a warm startup.

Example: I run to the grocery store, buy a few items, return to the car, and try to start the car.

First symptom is it won't start right away. It actually takes longer to start warm, than when cold.

Second, when it does start, it sounds like a diesel motor or something. It is a noise that sounds like ticking

but I would also describe it as sounding almost out of time. Then after a few minutes it clears up and sounds normal. It has done this since brand new, and it now has 30,000 miles on it. I am just taking it as this is what the newer models act like.

friendly_jacek

No, it is not normal but I doubt if dealership would take time to investigate something this.

In my experience, most dealership mechanics are clueless and have standard responced ready like: could not duplicate the problem.

Are you sure your oil level is normal? If so, may be there is an internal oil passage blockage? Could it be stuck lifter? I guess seafoam would not hurt.

05 CE Owner- My situation is pretty much the same..Go into the grocery store...return to the car 15-20 minutes later....and i get the diesel noise...it lasts like 30-45 seconds or so. Mine too has done it since new. It sounds like all of the oil has emptied out of the lifters and they are pumping back up with oil...the only weird thing is that it only does it in instances like these...the car could sit overnight...or a week for that matter..and there is no noise on startup. On the hard starting issue...it only happens once in a great while (and only with the car warm). I will crank the car for about 2 seconds or so, but it wont start..i turn the key off and try to restart..and it starts immediately.

Friendly Jacek- The oil level is right at the top line after the car has sit for like 30 min. to an hour. I know what you mean about the dealer...you go there with a problem, and of course the car does not act up when the technician is looking at it.

Dave

Could also be piston slap - some vehicles, many from GM (Vortec), had issues with piston slap noises. Sometimes so bad, the engine sounds like a diesel - all the time.

Not much you can do about that, as piston slap is a normal byproduct of the internal combustion engine. Some cases there is some physical damage (scuffed pistons and cylinder walls - but those are extreme).

friendly_jacek

I thought about piston slap too, but by definition, it should be noticable on cold engine only. It would sound like diesel though. The initial description mentioned tapping rather than diesel sound. But you also mentioned belt tensioner noise above, that could be a great mimicker of piston slap.

For the record, my 03 sounded like diesel all the time for the first year. In second year, it subsided and after 20000 miles disappeared alltegether. I blamed that on engine brake-in. The engine is also quetier since the local dealer switched from 10W30 SL to 5W30 SM oil, not sure what brand.

To answer some of the posts, I check my oil level regularly and it is always at the right level. I use toyota oil filters, and AMSOIL XL 5W-30 oil. My engine starts and sounds normal on a cold start. And it also runs very quietly after a cold start, and even when it comes up to temp. it still runs very smoothly. It is just on a warm start, it will sound bad for 30 secs. to around a minute, then clear up. I haven't noticed any performance problems, even while is sounds bad. Other than this issue, I have not had any mech. problems so far, and I am extremely happy with the car. My first Toyota. I have had pontiac,dodge,subaru,honda, and chevrolet. None of them, except the honda have come close to the quality of this car.

I'd certainly let the dealer evaluate it just to get it documented on a work order (keep a copy).

Perhaps the oil pump is losing prime.