Noisy Engine?

[NViejeP]

It took me awhile to realize how noisy my 4runner's engine is, especially when you first turn it on and it sounds like its sucking air into the engine for the first minute and a half.

This is my first car so I thought maybe it s just because its a truck/suv. The only other car I've driven is my dad's mercedes. And thats really quiet sedan. However, I drove my friends land rover for a short while and noticed that its very quiet.

Is this normal? Are 4runner naturally noisy?

 

[Jeff Kleb]

While I never would think of my 4Runner as having a "noisy" engine, it is a bit louder than a typical passenger car when I first fire it up in the morning. However, it sure feels quiet after it is warmed up and I am maneuvering through traffic. It is fairly quite unless you stomp down on it and get the crescendo of RPMs up a bit.
:awais:

Comparing it (your 4Runner) to a Mercedes is probably not quite valid, though. Maybe you should compare how the 4Runner sounds to something like a Pathfinder, Explorer, Blazer, etc., etc.

I remember a childhood friend of mine whose family had a diesel Mercedes sedan of 1979 or 1980 vintage. It was very noisy (obviously) on the outside, but was very, very quiet when you were seated in the interior. Loud? Yeah, but probably quieter than other diesel-powered cars of the same era (VW Rabbit, Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight, Chevy Caprice, Cadillac deVille, etc., etc.) that were enough to wake the dead!

You say yours is a 2000 model, so it probably won't sound like my 4th Generation 2005 SR5.......but I know there are plenty of 3rd Generation 4Runner owners who are going to chime in on this subject. I have never heard anyone complain about the T4R being too loud.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy your 4Runner and that you learn a lot from reading these forums. I know you can find just about anything here.
:bigok:

-- My 2005 SR5 4x4 parked at Home Depot recently --

 

[Thai]

Normal. My old 2002 4runner was loud too. And not all Mercedes have quiet engines. My engine roars big time...just see the videos in the link in my signature and you will hear it. I just don't hear it inside the cabin.

 

[Uneek]

As stated, perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. You mentioned that it's only the first minute and half or so. Most modern day engines have their ECU programmed by design to rev up a bit higher when the engine is cold after start up to build oil pressure and get oil up to the valves. If you watch the tach, you'll notice the RPMs are higher and then it'll slowly drop.

 

[Northof49]

My Tacoma has the same engine as your 4R.....the fan definetly makes a good racket when it starts up and that's perfectly normal. I actually like the 3.4L's sounds.....it sounds tough, which most 6 cyls don't.

 

[NViejeP]

Haha cool. thanks guys