Camry LE 08 V6 Cold Start engine tapping

[carNewbie]

I had my Camry for only a month, and the engine has already been emitting this audible tapping noise driving right after cold start. As the temperature normalizes between hot and cold, the noise gradually quiets. Is this a problem for any of you 08 Camry V6 owners?

The Toyota service department is telling me that this is "normal". Asking the service guy why this sound never occurred in any past Toyota's, including the Camry's, he replied that the new engine for the Camry 07 and 08 is designed in a way where it will normally emit this tapping noise. This sounds a little too hard to believe. I even drove a Toyota manager's Camry SE 07 V6 and the tapping noise was constant when driving, even after cold start. His car only had 5000 miles. The manager even claims that there is noise from the engine, and he doesn't know why there is. With my mileage at around 2600, I hope I don't develop those problems!

If this is something occurring amongst all the Camry 08s, I would be quite surprised that no one has complained about such noise. I hope some of you can pay close attention to the tapping noise, if there is one.

Thanks, and I hope to hear some responses from you guys.

[tam2tundra]

Same noises in Toyota tundras. They have been going 250,000 miles with no problems. I think it is the clearance between the cam lobes nad the valve stems. when engine cold the clearance is greatest and emits loudiest tapping noise, when engine warms up noise is reduced. that is what happens in my tundra.

[BoloMK33]

I have an early production model of te 07 Camry and I also the tapping until the V6 warms. I've had the dirty oil analysis performed and everything was normal...no metals or other fluids to speak of.

I have almost 38K on my car now....