Engine Valve Tick On 07 Es

[Rod in Southeast]

I have an 07 ES with 15k miles. The engine makes a very distinctive value tick noise until the engine has been running about 10 or 12 minutes. Has been serviced every 5k by Lexus dealer. I assume they are using only oil recommended by Lexus. I have considered asking them to use a 5w rather than a 10w oil.

Has anyone else experienced this engine noise?

[Ira d]

I have an 07 ES with 15k miles. The engine makes a very distinctive value tick noise until the engine has been running about 10 or 12 minutes. Has been serviced every 5k by Lexus dealer. I assume they are using only oil recommended by Lexus. I have considered asking them to use a 5w rather than a 10w oil.

Has anyone else experienced this engine noise?

Yes mine does it also and it is temp related, we keep our car in the garage 98% of the time

at night and when we do I dont hear the noise, However when we go out of town and the

car is not garaged and its cold out it will make the noise.

I read somewhere its a common problem on the 07 ES and is cause by a condition called

piston slap however I dont think there is a fix for it and I dont think its that serious.

[Rillo]

RX350 suffers similar noise - goes away after 5 minutes driving. Nothing to worry about.

[shepsan]

Good morning

My ES350 demonstrates that specific sound only when engine first started during cold months. The engine does not make that sound during the summer months.

Posts in various forums indicate that the noise is peculiar to Lexus and toyota models with this same engine. Since the tapping seems to be a product of this engine and does no harm, I can live with the tap, tap sound. Anyway, it only lasts for the first few minutes of driving.

[Lexusfreak]

Sonds like it's minor piston slap......agreed, nothing to worry about.

[likequiet]

I have an 07 ES with 15k miles. The engine makes a very distinctive value tick noise until the engine has been running about 10 or 12 minutes. Has been serviced every 5k by Lexus dealer. I assume they are using only oil recommended by Lexus. I have considered asking them to use a 5w rather than a 10w oil.

Has anyone else experienced this engine noise?

I have the same noise on cold start-up. Was told by Lexus tech that the noise is do to the direct-injection. Noise does cease when engine reaches operating temp..

[amf1932]

I have the same noise on cold start-up. Was told by Lexus tech that the noise is do to the direct-injection. Noise does cease when engine reaches operating temp..

Your Lexus tech misinformed you.....the engines used in ES350's DON"T use direct fuel injection!

[4Dogs]

.....Has anyone else experienced this engine noise?

Mine has only 3k miles and is doing the same noise. Quite annoying from an expensive car but the Lexus service advisor said it's normal. :chairshot:

Hope it goes away once the cold weather moves on.

[AZ08LexusES]

Here's a good article on the subject: http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jk/020320.htm. There are mixed feelings on whether it is serious or not or how long an engine should warm up for before the sound stops. There are different degrees of loudness, which I think might indicate the level of seriousness, but the most reasonable explanation for piston slap on a perfectly fine engine is that enough clearence in the cylinder has to be built-in in order to allow for piston expansion. Normally the cylinder block is of a different material than the piston itself, so they expand at different rates and amounts. While the engine warms up, the piston will expand and eventually reach the dimensions designed for there to be no piston slap.

Engine designers have to build in acceptable tolerances in order for there to be consistent quality manufacturing and engine operation where some sacrifices might have to be made. In this case, some minor piston slap is the sacrifice in order to not have an engine seize up because the clearance may have been too close. You can imagine what can happen if an engine overheats just a little bit if that clearance was not there.