[bogdanmunt]

***This problem was solved by cleaning intake valves.***


I've had a weird tinking noise since last winter, but I thought it was the turbos. I checked the actuator arms and they are good. Pressure on the boost holds.

She has 85k miles+ and I recently changed the spark plugs with brand new ones. Two of the spark plugs were halfway covered in oil which is probably the valve cover gasket. Not ideal, but I plan on fixing it sometime this summer when I have some free time.

Any idea of what could cause this noise?

It does it on cold start for about 3-4 minutes and it tends to stop after that, or at least diminishes behind the engine roar.

[turbs]

It could be the hydrolic lifters??

Do you have any reason to know your head gasket mite be gone? Overheated before? Have you tried a compression test.

I would think it would be more likely that your rings have gone than you head gasket.

[pwr hungry]

Pretty sure he meant valve cover gasket. Interesting noise. Does it speed up if you raise the revs?

[iturbo_bmw]

fml this has been happening to my car every once in a while too. mine is not as loud as yours though. the noise fades in and out only at idle.

my 328i also had this similar noise. i found out on the 328i it is the hydrolic lifters. seems to be a problem with the n52. I think they replace them and the head if under warranty and this issue continues. but basically we prevent it on the n52 by not letting it idle as much. seems like the oil does not circulate all the way when its just in idle or if u make small trips and the oil doesnt warm up and lubricate all over. in the n52 we've kept the noise away but just going on a little highway cruise.

now idk if they have the same issue with the n54. i was going to post a video and ask just like u did. all i can say is try not let it idle too much or drive short lengths where it doesnt get to warm up lol

[bogdanmunt]

Originally Posted by turbs

It could be the hydrolic lifters??

Do you have any reason to know your head gasket mite be gone? Overheated before? Have you tried a compression test.

I would think it would be more likely that your rings have gone than you head gasket.

Sorry I meant the valve cover gasket

[bogdanmunt]

Originally Posted by pwr hungry

Pretty sure he meant valve cover gasket. Interesting noise. Does it speed up if you raise the revs?

It does not speed up as I raise the revs, it actually disappears all together. Or at least I do not hear it over the rest of the engine noise.

[bogdanmunt]

So do you guys think this is hydrolic lifters?

[shmorgan77]

That sounds like a 5 cylinder.

[FRMTL2_335i]

Did you find out what it was? I have same issue....

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1000416

[FRMTL2_335i]

This video is from the guy that sold me my car.

[bogdanmunt]

Originally Posted by FRMTL2_335i

Did you find out what it was? I have same issue....

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1000416

No not yet.

It seems to do it while the engine is cold. If I beat up the engine a bit it goes away for a couple of days. I think it's oil related for sure. Something's not getting lubricated properly.

[FRMTL2_335i]

I found out my issue, it was just the new clutch chatter. it went away, it comes back here and there though.
get a stethoscope and trace it down. thats what i did.

[bogdanmunt]

Originally Posted by FRMTL2_335i

I found out my issue, it was just the new clutch chatter. it went away, it comes back here and there though.
get a stethoscope and trace it down. thats what i did.

Yeah, mine's automatic though.. so no clutch, it has to be something else.. the noise yours made is similar but it has some slight differences too

[924er]

Originally Posted by bogdanmunt

I've had a weird tinking noise since last winter, but I thought it was the turbos. I checked the actuator arms and they are good. Pressure on the boost holds.

She has 85k miles+ and I recently changed the spark plugs with brand new ones. Two of the spark plugs were halfway covered in oil which is probably the valve cover gasket. Not ideal, but I plan on fixing it sometime this summer when I have some free time.

Any idea of what could cause this noise?

It does it on cold start for about 3-4 minutes and it tends to stop after that, or at least diminishes behind the engine roar.

I have the same exact noise and I hate it. It usually happens when I let my car idle for a few minutes after a long drive. Took it to bmw and they said it was a loud fuel evap valve and completely normal. I still hate it as it sounds abnormal. Yours is louder than mine u can even hear it on the exhaust note.

From what I read on these forums, all n54s do it

[924er]

Originally Posted by bogdanmunt

It does not speed up as I raise the revs, it actually disappears all together. Or at least I do not hear it over the rest of the engine noise.

They say if the sound disappears when u rev than it's related to the fuel evap valve or something like that

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

If the noise gets worse when you rev it's usually not a good sign.

If the noise goes away on a quick rev up and then sometimes comes back that's normal.

Although I never heard the fuel evap that loud.

[torrque]

Sounds like the evap valve; mine has the same cadence at idle, but nowhere near that loud.

[924er]

Yeah this is by far the loudest I have seen. I'll try to catch a clip of mine ticking like this. I know how to replicate it

[bogdanmunt]

Yeah like I said, it happens on cold starts and it diminishes after a while. Sometimes it goes away for a couple of days but it always comes back sooner or later.

[924er]

your good dude

[bogdanmunt]

I have fixed the problem.

I did an intake valve cleaning about 3 weeks ago and the problem has disappeared since then entirely.

Even after not driving it for almost a straight week, it did not appear again.

Now it makes sense why you could hear it resonate in the exhaust too. The car sounds like it is brand new now.