Fluttering Engine Noise

H

hotelseven

New member
Hello all. I just purchased a 2003 4 Runner V6 Sport and have noticed that there is a fluttering / clicking noise coming from the engine. It is very noticeable when you pass another car or ride by a wall of some sort, however it is always present. I took it to the dealer and they were of no help. They said to keep driving it and bring it back if it got worse. Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, do you know what it is?

Its really frustrating to pay $40,000 + for a vehicle and have an annoyance like that....

Thanks.
 
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hotelseven,

First, try to drive other V6 4Runners to see if this is common on other '03 4Runners. I know that the newer V6 engines from Toyota (RX330) are not afraid to let you hear their engine noises. Could it be the valve closing/opening or something??

Sorry, can't help you, but you should definitely drive other '03 V6 4Runners to see if they have it too.
 
I have the same issue. 2003 V6 limited. I think it may just be the normal engine noise. It is irritating and there isn't a time I drive it that it does not bother me. Really sounds bad compared to other engines. I use premium fuel only.

Let me know if you find out anything else. Maybe you could get teh dealer to let you drive another one to see if it is common.
 
Had the same problem .. the guy told me that it was the injectors, and then showed me 3 more 4runner like mine and they did it as well, after the engine idle died down it got louder.
 
TiTaniuM4Runner said:
Had the same problem .. the guy told me that it was the injectors, and then showed me 3 more 4runner like mine and they did it as well, after the engine idle died down it got louder.
Click to expand...

I was told a very similar thing concerning a Honda CRV. I was told the "clicking" noise was the fuel injectors opening and closing. They told me they are magnetic.

Toyota and Honda must use a similar design of injector.

(I've never heard a similar noise from my 17 year old, fuel injected VW ;) )
 
I've got this occurring too

and it's only been noticed recently on my '01 with 50k miles (more on this below).

Sounds like valve flutter to me and I don't know what could be causing it b/c these valves shouldn't need adjusting and I run good gas in the truck.

I notice that it typically happens down low in the RPM range and when I'm under load (up a hill or pulling hard away from a light, etc). I notice it when headed up a particular road close to home that - surprise - hugs a wall on the right hand aside of the road. This is the only place I hear it and it appears to be the echo I'm hearing off the wall, so who knows HOW long it's been doing this.

That said, I wish we had something more definitive in terms of an explanation because I used to associate these kinds of noises with valve work, timing work and engine ping...

Other ideas? :confused:
 
Engine Fluttering Noise

Thank God someone else has heard this problem! I knew it didn't sound right.
I just bought a 2003 V6 4Runner Sport and have the exact same problem. Lower RPM, just after and during lower acceleration you hear it. Once you get up to 65 mph, you can't hear anything over the wind noise anyway. Dealer was useless! Try higher octane gas was all that I was told! Gee, thanks!

At least it's good to hear that others have the same sound. At least it's consistent and we all know it's not an isolated problem with our individual vehicles.


Other than that, I love it.
 
Yeah, I suppose

a person could spend an inordinate amount of time and money trying to solve all isuues, but this doesn't seem to get any worse, the truck appears to run just fine and I'm not getting big detonation or anything so I'm just going to leave it be.

It's a Toyota - it'll go 200k miles no matter how pristine you keep it, as long as you're changing fluids and rubber consumables.

Different story if this were a '63 Ferrari or something...
 
I have the same on my 2003 4WD Sport Editon. Just notice it with the windows down and riding near a curb/wall/etc...I was thinking exhaust leak, since it seems to occur when loading engine...
I guess the fuel injector explanation is good, but I think at my 3k service, I will have them make sure there is no exhaust leak...
 
First post here...I've had my V6 '03 SE 4Runner for about six months (8K miles) and I noticed the engine ticking noise within a week of purchasing it.

It makes the ticking noise from the engine compartment during accelaration (from dead stop, driving up a hill, etc.) As mentioned by many of you, it is more noticeable if driving near a wall (makes sense).

I had the dealer look it, their response was pretty much the same. They said to bring back if it gets noticably worse. Changing to higher or lower octane fuel doesn't help.

Seems like it is normal and inherent to the engine design.

It helps that others noticed the same. I guess I'm not crazy afterall. One of my concerns with buying a new generation vehicle was being a lab rat!
 
Hey guys,

I have a 2003 sport v8 w/ 4wd. I have recently noticed a slight "pulsing" or "fluttering" noice in the engine compartment at around 55-65 mph...... I have concluded that my particular noise is a driveshaft problem either at a u-joint or an imbalance in the driveshaft itself. While stopped, try shifting into neutral (keeping your foot on the brake of course) and reving your engine to the same rpm that you normally experience the so called "fluttering" or "pulsation"...you may just see that it's not in the engine after all. The new lexus gx470 has owners everywhere complaining about these wierd harmonics at slower highway speeds (55-70 mph). Unfortunately, Lexus/Toyota is aware of the problem but they don't have a solution as of yet. To be continued.......


Utah_saint:)
 
I know that this thread is kinda old, but I was just wondering if anyone has heard of a solution to the clicking noise.
 
I have the same ticking noise under hard acceleration, and if I pull up to a wall. I was told by the dealer that all the V6's do it and they blamed the design of the exhaust manifold/header. THis was before my sulpher TSB was performed... I still have the ticking after the suposedly tightend up the whole exhaust for me.
oh well
 
has anyone heard this ticking AFTER they install aftermarket headers???

also, this ticking seems to come from the driver side .... does anyone else only notice this on the driver side????

anyone?
 
I have not heard anything concerning this problem. I have a 2003 and it still does it. However, it seems that the engine doesn't pick up speed as it should. It will be going into the shop again but expecting nothing to be fixed. Was contemplating on trading it in for a 2005 but unsure if this will help it as I am affraid that it will do it again.
 
clicking noise

I started having this same problem a few weeks ago on my 2001 SR5 Supercharged. It is a really lound annoying clicking noise that sounds like it is coming from the rear side of the engine. I haven't had it looked at yet, and it is worrying me quite a bit. The truck seems to drive like normal, with no indications of a problem, that's why I haven't been too worried yet. I have read all of the threads on this so far, and some say it's nothing, bad gas, just a V6 problem, another said it had something to do with a loose air deflector installed at the factory. Has anyone found the problem for this yet, or how to make it go away? I have to drive my truck to another country to move soon (Europe) and don't want to do it with a truck that has a problem. The only external moving part that I know of that comes from the rear of the engine is the driveshaft. My truck does it at idle (the loudest), so I know it isn't that. I thought maybe something hitting a pulley, belt, or the fan, but the noise is definitely not coming from the front. If anyone has any info, please let me know before I have to get f***ed over by the outrageous labor costs at the dealerships here. Thanks.
 
Mine does not do it while idling. It only does it when you hit the gas hard, as if you would be going up a hill or starting off from a stop sign or light. It doesn't sound like we have the same thing happening.
 
My truck doesn't just do it when you give it gas, in fact that's when it goes away. It gets loudest at idle, especially in neutral and park. It does go away from time to time though. I had it on a lift this weekend, and it sounds to me like valve clatter. I saw someone else mentioned that these valves no not require adjusting. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.
 
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