2006 Problems.......

Thank you all that have commented! Some ways I enjoy working on getting solutions to these problems, and some ways I'm dreading there are so many problems....

I was noticing today that when the ice engine would start up it would sound quite quiet and normal, but as the car warmed and the ice remains running, it would knock louder and louder. It would shut down and then start up quiet again....only knock loud if it stayed on for a few minutes. I'm using 10w-30 with the car now but you think the oil is getting too thin when it's warm and it's knocking louder and louder? Can this be a symptom of damage due to lack of oil going to the engine at one time? Someone told me to do a valve adjustment, but I don't think that's ticking valves...it's louder than that. It doesn't stop until the ice shuts down.

Also I bought a mirror from a guy that totaled his 2004 today. If anybody is looking, he has a recently Toyota replaced hybrid battery that's for sale. He said it was around $1000, but I'm sure it's negotiable. I think $1000 is not bad for a Toyota replacement and not a reconditioned/refurbished battery.

He's located in Anaheim CA

 

would this rod bearing knock require immediate attention or you think it will be ok to drive?

 

Yes I have to get to the bottom of the source of that knocking sound. I don't plan on fixing any of the major issues right away. I'm still working little by little correcting what I can do on the simpler things. I just don't want to be stranded somewhere, if you know what I mean.

 

good idea, let me see if I can get that done...

 

Had a little time to look into the noise of the 2006 today and had my mechanic listen to the loud knocking sound. He first thought the sound was coming from the belt pulley tensioner but then had it idle a bit longer and said it was definitely lifter noise from the engine.

I ran the engine on inspection mode to keep it idling. It can be heard the entire time except it did go away when the hybrid battery went down to 2 bars (purple) and the display showed the engine running to charge the battery. Not sure why this was the case as it was in inspection mode and the engine was running constantly. But either case, the sound did go away briefly, as if the engine speed actually had to increase to charge the battery. After the battery went back to blue bars, the idle seemed to have slowed and the lifter knocking returned.

I asked if there was a way to fix the problem and the answer from him was simple "no". Probably meant it would be best to leave it alone and deal with the noise.

 

This engine switched to synthetic oil at around the 100k mark, since then the oil consumption had started. I think this is where the engine got damaged because the oil level came down without anyone watching it. I have switched back to the 5w-30 dino oil. This should reduce the oil consumption but I don't have a solution for the noisy lifters. I may try some oil treatment but at this point I'm not even sure that would do any good.

 

Where is this filter located?

 

The used engines are fairly cheap, I'm thinking of let this engine drag out for as long as it can and then replace it.