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New car gas engine first start of the day noise -normal or not?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by FRCornelis, Jun 26, 2022.

  1. FRCornelis

    FRCornelis Junior Member

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    For those of you with new Prius, low miles, or just overall experience…

    Since day one, on my 2022 with 4 miles at delivery I do notice a ticking noise when the gas engine first starts after being sitting all night, the noise will disappear after 2 or so seconds of course, this is similar to the valve train noise you hear after an oil /filter change which is basically a dry start while the oil is pumped to the head.

    If I’m already driving, let’s say I’m pulling of my garage and driving down the street to the main road which is about 1/4 of a mile until the street light, the car is usually in electric only so when the gas engine finally kicks in for the first time, noise/rattling is not very noticeable due to the overall road/driving noise.
    However,
    If I’m sitting on my garage in “READY” mode and then the gas engine starts, usually by me operating the climate control is when I do notice the most. It’s rough for my taste. Now I know this would be the case for any conventional gas engine car where I wouldn't pay much attention, and needles to say the tickling noise will not be heard again despite how many times the car switches between EV and GAS.
    I’m in California with triple digit weather, the car is garaged so it’s not like a cold weather starting condition either.
    My question. Does anybody else relates to this? Did you guys note/hear the same as I do in a new car?
    I thought that the 0w-16 oil combined with the anti-drain valve on the oil filter will mitigate this but it’s audible enough to catch my attention.
    If someone else has this “condition” it would easy my mind, or should I take it for a checkup?
    (oil level checks normal)

    Appreciated,
    -FC
     
  2. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    All cars do that. And 0w-16 will do it more than just about any other oil since it's about the thinnest you can buy.

    Still, unless you disassemble the engine and wipe down all the bearing surfaces, it's not a dry start. Even the first start at the factory is not dry since they engine is assembled with assembly lube on the bearing surfaces. Changing the oil doesn't remove the oil from those surfaces; it just lets most of it out of the sump. Even the empty oil filter isn't empty long enough to lose the bearing lubrication.
     
  3. FuelMiser

    FuelMiser Senior Member

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    I would say it's normal. In addition to this objectionable cold startup clatter, some people also notice/comment on the lurching that takes place when the ICE fires up. It's just the nature of the beast.
     
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  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I think if I had a 4th gen I'd stick with 0W20. I'm REALLY sceptical of their motivations on this switch (to 0W16), and even 0W20 is very thin.
     
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  5. FRCornelis

    FRCornelis Junior Member

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    Right, I'm guess to, but... same thing happened back in the days when Honda and Ford started using 5w-20 instead of 5w-30, all the controversy and CAFE reasons, people were skeptical, I would be happy with 0-20 like my 3gen takes but I don't want to void no warranty, who knows. Manual states that if 16w is not available, 20 can be used but it must be replaced at the next oil change.

    -FC
     
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  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    unless it's not available again at the next oil change :p
     
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  7. FRCornelis

    FRCornelis Junior Member

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    LoL !
     
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  8. Pulse07

    Pulse07 Active Member

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    Can confirm, I was sitting with the A/C on and suddenly thought someone hit me from behind, but was just the engine firing up.

    Two dealers near me still use 0W20 when I took it in for service for my Toyota Care.
     
    #8 Pulse07, Jun 27, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2022
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  9. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    My guess is - if that's still the original oil filter - that your anti-drain-back valve/flap on the oil filter isn't perfect. It's either leaking oil back overnight, or messed up in some other way. I experienced this when switching to a Mobil 1 oil filter for the first 2,500 miles or so. Only now in thinking about it did that go away, so that may have been an anti-drainback flap that was too stiff and needed to be broken in(?).

    My last oil change was with the newest version of the Toyota OEM filter, and I didn't have that ticking sound at all from mile one with it.

    ----------------

    When you've changed enough oil filters, you eventually start seeing manufacturing tolerances that aren't ideal. Since I've seen it before, I'm guessing that it can happen with Toyota OEM filters as well.
     
  10. FRCornelis

    FRCornelis Junior Member

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    Then Toyota is shipping new cars with bad oil filters causing excessive wear during break-in period?
     
  11. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    Is it happening to multiple new cars?
     
  12. FRCornelis

    FRCornelis Junior Member

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    Don't know but I'm chaning my oil and filter at 1k miles this coming weekend with the OEM filter from Toyota and see what's happens.
    On my 2015, I don't notice it as much but it has 0w20 not 16, or maybe the new car is quiet in general and the ticking is more noticiable, or at least I don't do the first start of that car so that might be it.
    Well see...

    It's interesting that your went away after the new OEM filter. DO you know how much you drove with the other filter that caused the startup noise?


    -FC
     
  13. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    I was trying to communicate that it was probably only the first 2,000 miles, possibly less, of the last oil filter - the Mobil 1 oil filter - that had the noise. I stopped noticing the noise, which means the noise stopped being a thing at start-up. I believe I had that filter on for about 6,500 or 7k miles. But your post reminded me that it did have that start-up rattle. Certainly did not have the noise with this new (I believe the part number is) 90915-YZZN Oil Filter

     
    #13 Mambo Dave, Jun 29, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2022
  14. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    @Doug McC ain't gonna be too happy if an actual Toyota dealership doesn't serve up ILSAC GF-6B :LOL:
     
  15. FRCornelis

    FRCornelis Junior Member

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    I beleive the 90915-YZZF2 which seems a bigger filter has been replaced by 90915YZZN1 at least it's what I got from the dealer.
    Also, that Amazon pirce comparted to what I paid at Toyota... ugh....
    -FC
     
  16. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

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    I agree with the consensus that it's probably normal sounds. I would caution against using 0W-20 if the car calls for 0W-16 because if, God forbid, you ever had a warranty issue using the incorrect oil could void a warranty. (The owner's manual states you can only use 0W-20 for one oil change and you must use 0W-16 on the next.) I don't notice any noise differences between my wife's 2017 (that calls for 0W-20) and my 2021 (that calls for 0W-16) except for the fact mine has the stupid UFO speaker and hers does not.
     
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  17. FRCornelis

    FRCornelis Junior Member

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    Thank you for your feedback, I feel the same way, mostly for warranty issues, you never know.
    You got me with the UFO speaker comment, I have a 2022 so whatever that is, I probably have it on mine too, now I'll have to figure what that is LoL.

    -FC
     
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  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    2021-prius-disable-virtual-engine-sound-aka-spaceship-hum.221965
     
  19. Doug McC

    Doug McC Active Member

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    Cute. I’m just old (and educated) enough to know what the word “must” means when it comes to contracts so if a dealership does do that WITHOUT my permission, I will be one VERY HAPPY customer when the smoke clears (and Toyota and the dealership will be VERY UNHAPPY). I didn’t write that into the contract, they did. AND Mambo Dave, remember my comments refer to a 2022, and my personal vehicle (and choice).
     
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  20. FRCornelis

    FRCornelis Junior Member

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    Now that you mention that, looking at my Toyota 0w16 branded oil, no where I can find ILSAC GF-6B printed on the label, but it claims to support API SP, SN PLUS, SN
    Isn’t ILSAC GF-B ** NOT ** compatible with previous applications like 5w30, 5w20, etc?
    Still my older oil bottles support the same applications as the 0w16 with the new API symbol?

    Is it possible to have 0w-16 oil that’s NOT ILSAC GF-6B but 6A instead?

    My bottle printed date is year 2020 if that matters, like… even when being w16 it didn’t get GF-6B certified.
    However, when looking at Mobil1, Castrol.. you do see ILSAC GF-6B printed on the back label.
    I’m sure I’m missing something, and I got it all wrong, so if someone can educate me, I appreciated it.

    Cheers,
    -FC