I know this is a old thread but I searched and found it. I have a 2008 ES350 with 115,000 miles. I noticed that the engine is loud and the idle is high. It appears from reading these posts that it is normal. I also hear what sounds like a engine knock ( don't know if its piston slap) and that valve clatter spoken of. The engine runs fine but I was curious. I noticed none of this when test driving the vehicle. It was warm when I purchased it so that might have something to do with me now noticing the sounds in cold weather. I test drove a ES300 before getting this car and that engine was soo quiet that I didn't realize the salesman had the car running. The ES350 I have has a loud engine.

 

The 2GR-FE is a whiney and loud engine, when cold you hear piston slaping around, it is like that by design and you are not able to do anything about it.

When hot the idle should be at around 650 on Park or Neutral, 600-620 on D or R. When you turn it on it revs high but the rpms come down gradually and again, that is normal.

I would recommend you to clean the throttle body, MAF, to replace the spark plugs (because of the mileage) and to reset the adaptations.

 

Thanks for the response. Another issue I noticed that someone mentioned above. He said when he turned his engine on, his whole engine makes a jingling noise. I can hear my do it when I push the button and the engine turns off. Its like a jingling of coins in your pocket noise. I do have a belt noise coming from the pulley area that needs to be addressed. I was thinking the jingling noise was related until I read the other poster comment on it with his engine.

 

That jigling can come from the idler bearings.

 

That makes sense. That could be the source of my whining noise I hear at idle. It goes away on acceleration.

 

You need to remove the serpentine belt and to spin all the pulleys with hand so you will hear which one makes noise.

 

Many times a "whining noise" is related to the power steering pump/fluid/belt. Start by changing the fluid with a good synthetic. Also, Toyota V6 engines were quieter when they previously had timing belts. Now they have timing chains which are inherently louder, but the up side is you don't have to change them (theoretically). For your valve train noise, you can try running a thicker oil like 10W-30, and additives designed for quieting engines.