Noise From Engine?

[TM8000]

Has somebody who drives GX470 ever experienced bigger engine noise?

I don't know if this noise coming from the engine or from somewhere else

but my car(2003 GX470) is very quiet when I start the engine but this noise

starts after I drive for a while.

My experience is as follows:-

After driving on highway for a while(like 20-30 miles), once stopping

at the light after getting out of highway, then I hear bigger noise as if I drive

in low gear when starting again though the shift changes normal. Lexus service

person said it is absolutely normal and no transmission or engine problem found.....

There's also a smell like something burnt only when I drive a little rough(at higher

RPM).

Are these things normal for 2003 GX470?

[denslexusgx470]

Yes it may sound noisy. I notice that with mine when the temp is really high either from the environment or from the engine itself. Now what is this smell? Does it smell like sulfur? Brakes? Describe where you smell it from. ;)

[TM8000]

Thanks for your comment, denslexusgx470. I understand that

the vehicle gets noisy when the temperature gets higher, which

is normal for GX470....

Smell like something burnt comes from the rear part. Lexus dealer

told me that it smells when you drive up the hill by accelerating,

which is also normal for this vehicle.

If these two things are just normal for GX470, I have to get used

to that....though these are a little bit uncomfortable.

[denslexusgx470]

Thanks for your comment, denslexusgx470. I understand that

the vehicle gets noisy when the temperature gets higher, which

is normal for GX470....

Smell like something burnt comes from the rear part. Lexus dealer

told me that it smells when you drive up the hill by accelerating,

which is also normal for this vehicle.

If these two things are just normal for GX470, I have to get used

to that....though these are a little bit uncomfortable.

Well did you get that advice from the dealership that told you that you have a VVT-i engine in your GX but actually you don't?

[TM8000]

Yes. service consultant of Lexus' dealership told me so. He also told me

that this is because of VVT-i though mine is 2003 which he even

checked it. I am getting confused. Do you think that I should again

bring my vehicle to this dealership for 1)noise and 2)smell to be

checked up?

[The G Man]

The smell is most likely sulfur, from un burn gasoline when accelerating hard. Wasn’t there a sulfur TSB out to change the catalytic converter. You might want to check into that. The noise you hear from the engine is most like your clutch fan, when its on, its noisy, feels like you are driving on low gear.

Good Luck

[TM8000]

Thank you so much for your advice, The G Man!

I have just received a comment from the dealer. The service

consultant said that he will install a new catalyst and recalibrate

to my car's ECM, which will reduce sulfur dioxide odor. He also

stated that the noise seems to be coming from engine fan....

I will bring my GX470 to the dealer for a new catalyst to solve

odor problem, but do I have to just get used to the noise from

engine fan(clutch fan)? It sounds like so, doesn't it.

[denslexusgx470]

I knew it had to be a sulfur smell once you said it was coming from the back. I've had that happen a couple times, but mine's not "smelling" very consistently so I haven't brought it in yet. As for the sound, I'm not sure if it is normal or not.

[strindl]

I recall that sulfur smell coming from the catalyst was fairly common back in the mid to late 70's when they first put those on vehicles. I havn't had that problem on any of my vehicles since then though. I thought that was gone for good.

[The G Man]

With the lower EPA sulfur standard for gasoline, that surfur smell should be a thing of the pass pretty soon.

[TM8000]

Thank you for all of your comments. I still have not receive a call

from Lexus dealership for a new Catalyst. Also, updated driveshaft

is a loooong back order... They said that my name is on their list

and all I have to do is just to wait for these parts......