So i have a 2008 scion tc with 186k miles and a few months ago i noticed when its cold outside and i first start my car in the mornings i hear a tapping coming from the right side of the car, opposite side of transmission. It began to get louder and sounds more rough but it goes away after like 10-15 minutes of the car running. Kinda thinking its a rod but im not sure.

 

Awe
..the sweet sound of hydraulic timing tensioners...... Don't worry about it until your engine blows up.....you got a few years...... One of my kids has been driving there car with the same situation for the past 4 years and has had no problems...... Other than being noisy for the first 10 or 15 seconds

 

please don't make the mistakes I made. I spent months replacing valve train components until i finally poured enough diesel into the empty crankcase, then drained it to see the telltale flakes of disintegrating rod bearings.