[ages944]

Originally Posted by msinfo_us

Quote:
Originally Posted by 335I talian Stallion NJ
My E92 is ticking....

Now this is strange ! You've got 335, right? I think this is first report of ticking in 335. At least first a see on the forum. Are you shure you are talking about same ticking noise we are here. Listen to the audio clip posted in this thread. Does your ticking noise sound the same?

I'd agree. Listen to the audio clip. However, if the N54 uses the same valve lifters as the N52 does, then it seems logical that his car could tick too.

msinfo_us:
wow, I didn't realize that your car's been looked at 3x already. Crikey! If it were me, I would be talking lemon law at this point. Still, you can't really get mad at the dealership. From everything I've heard and read about this issue, it sounds like the problem is that the company that makes these parts (ie valve lifters) for BMW is not making them to specification, or that they are not building them with enough quality to hold specification for any length of time. Hopefully the reports of BMW changing its supplier for these parts is true, and that our engines stay noise free.

[msinfo_us]

Originally Posted by ages944

I'd agree. Listen to the audio clip. However, if the N54 uses the same valve lifters as the N52 does, then it seems logical that his car could tick too.

msinfo_us:
wow, I didn't realize that your car's been looked at 3x already. Crikey! If it were me, I would be talking lemon law at this point. Still, you can't really get mad at the dealership. From everything I've heard and read about this issue, it sounds like the problem is that the company that makes these parts (ie valve lifters) for BMW is not making them to specification, or that they are not building them with enough quality to hold specification for any length of time. Hopefully the reports of BMW changing its supplier for these parts is true, and that our engines stay noise free.

I would not say I am mad at the dealership -- I do understand that they are not the ones who made the bad parts and they are courteous and trying to help. I was a little bit tipped off when they were trying to give me back my car un-repaired just because while in their shop ticking noise disappeared on its own -- problem is still there and they know it. As far as the lemon law goes it might come to that but I hope not. Other than ticking noise (well actually rattling noise and some problems with panoramic roof that should be fixed at this point) I love the car and already put some $$ into HuperOptic tint and 3M clear bra. On another hand my experience with this car is somewhat mixed -- I LOVE driving it but in 6 month I have the car it spent month and half at the dealer. So, I really don't know. I really hope they can fix it for good and I can just leave all bad experience in the past and enjoy my ride for years until it is time to buy next BMW with 0-60 in under 3 second at the rate they are engineering this beasts.

[ages944]

Originally Posted by msinfo_us

I was a little bit tipped off when they were trying to give me back my car un-repaired just because while in their shop ticking noise disappeared on its own -- problem is still there and they know it.

... you're absolutely right about that. I'd be mad at them for that too. Forgot about that in my previous post.

[msinfo_us]

Originally Posted by ages944

... you're absolutely right about that. I'd be mad at them for that too. Forgot about that in my previous post.

They even had BMW to look at my engine and can't find anything wrong. Yet, it is ticking and this time aound ticking noise does not always disappear while driving liike it did before an absolutely gets worse with time. So, while noise sounds the same the situation is worse than before. And if for a second we just look at it from an overall picture long term effect of ticking noise is kind of begin to make sense. I think something in my engine forses lifters to brake/get out of specs. Hopefully additional testing next week will identify the root cause.

[ages944]

I've had a similar thought to what you just said. It's kind of like the other side of the coin. Either the lifters are bad, or the engine is off and making the lifters go out of spec. If so, hopefully the diagnostics will identify it.

[rkg]

just curious ... I have about 4,500 miles on my car after an ED delivery this past April. I am now noticing the lifter noise more often since it has become colder (around 32F). Has anyone noticed the same?

Those that have gone to the dealer with this problem, have most just believed you up front and just planned on replacing the lifters? If the temps get into the 40+F range, my lifter noise is very intermittent.

[msinfo_us]

[QUOTE=rkg]Those that have gone to the dealer with this problem, have most just believed you up front and just planned on replacing the lifters? QUOTE] I don't think so. There is a normal lifter noise and there is ticking noise. A lot of people confuse them. Plus as much as we think (at least some of us do) we know all about our cars we are not profesionals (not all of us) and if dealer were to rely on our dignostics and take everybody at their word and impression only they'd be wasting a lot of time and $$. So, I think you have two options here if you want to bring your car for repare: best if you can show them noise while you are there or give them directions/explain when and how on how to replicate it. Just my $0.02. GL

[rkg]

I definitely have a ticking noise caused by the lifters. It is the same noise and problem I have had on race cars (351 V8's) that required new hydraulic lifters to rectify the problem ... now the fun part, getting the problem reproduced for the dealer without murphy's law kicking in.

I am just wondering if BMW is keeping this like a hidden recall whereby only replacement is done if a customer complains about it.

[msinfo_us]

Originally Posted by rkg

I am just wondering if BMW is keeping this like a hidden recall whereby only replacement is done if a customer complains about it.

From what I saw so far most of dealers try to convince customers "it is normal" or "it is not an issue" or "go on drive your car harder it will go away" or simular crap. But if your dealer is good he'll listen to you and follow your instructions to reproduce the noise and will try to fix it. At least my dealer did.

[msinfo_us]

Well, I got my car back today .... un-repaired. With the exception of one time last week they could not reproduce the ticking noise. We've spent over an hour together (they volunteered to stay overtime -- which was really nice) with a few mechanics, foreman and service manager trying to get it to tick and of course Murphy law would not be tricked. Best we've got is a very light tapping noise but no ticking. We end up comparing and discussing different tapping noises. We've checked three or four cars. Two had tapping noise, one 328 no noise what's so ever and one 325 no tapping noise either. They say that tapping noise and ticking noise are not related and that tapping noise is normal (even so clearly some cars do have it and some don't). But related or not tapping noise was not my concern and ticking noise is still un-repaired. So, from what I've got they need ticking noise to be there pretty consistently to troubleshoot. I understand their reasoning but at the same time we all know problem is still there and I'll have to wait for it to get worse than do it all over again. So, the question that I have is: - Even when ticking will be there more or less consistently and they attempt to repair it for a forth time which is again going to take up to a month there is still no guarantee that it won't be back again. My car was in the shop for a month and half already in six month since I bought it, three (counting this time is four) times they already tried to fix it -- how much is enough? Should I continue trying to get it fixed in hope that next time is the last or just give up and start talking about other alternatives? What would you do?

PS I just thought of one more question. What do you think is fair/what would you do when I get a call from BMW NA to rate their service? On one hand they were courteous and even stayed overtime with me to troubleshoot and on another hand they heard the noise (ones but still), I left a recording of the ticking noise for them as well and they did not repair it. So, if I say I am satisfied I would be lying but if I rate them low they might loose their bonus or something. What do you think I should do?

Also I discovered something else. Just was going thru the paperwork and was like what the hack. I picked my car from dealer yesterday 11/1/06 but paper said 10/26/06. Service manager left me a VM at 5:45pm (15 minutes before they close) on 10/26 saying he can no longer reproduce the noise. I spoke with him next morning and he agreed to continue to diagnose the problem. So I went back to check the dates on previous papers and it began to make sense -- 25 days before plus 3 days now (based on his dates) total 28 days -- 2 days under 30 day lemon law policy for NY and most likely a red flag for him at BMW NA.

[NoMods]

i just experienced the same problem tonight for the first time, it was 31F outside, the car was cold and the ticking sound and pitch changed accordingly to my engine rpms, then after it was warmed up or about 4 miles of driving, it disappeared...

[msinfo_us]

Originally Posted by armoredsaint

i just experienced the same problem tonight for the first time, it was 31F outside, the car was cold and the ticking sound and pitch changed accordingly to my engine rpms, then after it was warmed up or about 4 miles of driving, it disappeared...

Sorry to hear it. If I were you I'd drive it for awhile to see if it gets worse or not befrore jumping to any conclusions. Might be a good idea to start a log doc on when and under what conditions it happens for every time it does. It will be very helpful if you have to bring your car to the dealer. There are reports of ticking noise disappearing on its own -- there is hope it will in your car. GL

[NoMods]

Originally Posted by msinfo_us

Sorry to hear it. If I were you I'd drive it for awhile to see if it gets worse or not befrore jumping to any conclusions. Might be a good idea to start a log doc on when and under what conditions it happens for every time it does. It will be very helpful if you have to bring your car to the dealer. There are reports of ticking noise disappearing on its own -- there is hope it will in your car. GL

it certainly disappeared after it was warmed up, i wasn't too worried about it, because the car hasn't been driven in 5 days either. i know, i know...but i have a company car with free gas and free personal miles too

[msinfo_us]

Originally Posted by msinfo_us

Well, I got my car back today .... un-repaired. With the exception of one time last week they could not reproduce the ticking noise. We've spent over an hour together (they volunteered to stay overtime -- which was really nice) with a few mechanics, foreman and service manager trying to get it to tick and of course Murphy law would not be tricked. Best we've got is a very light tapping noise but no ticking. We end up comparing and discussing different tapping noises. We've checked three or four cars. Two had tapping noise, one 328 no noise what's so ever and one 325 no tapping noise either. They say that tapping noise and ticking noise are not related and that tapping noise is normal (even so clearly some cars do have it and some don't). But related or not tapping noise was not my concern and ticking noise is still un-repaired. So, from what I've got they need ticking noise to be there pretty consistently to troubleshoot. I understand their reasoning but at the same time we all know problem is still there and I'll have to wait for it to get worse than do it all over again. So, the question that I have is: - Even when ticking will be there more or less consistently and they attempt to repair it for a forth time which is again going to take up to a month there is still no guarantee that it won't be back again. My car was in the shop for a month and half already in six month since I bought it, three (counting this time is four) times they already tried to fix it -- how much is enough?
Also I discovered something else. Just was going thru the paperwork and was like what the hack. I picked my car from dealer yesterday 11/1/06 but paper said 10/26/06. Service manager left me a VM at 5:45pm (15 minutes before they close) on 10/26 saying he can no longer reproduce the noise. I spoke with him next morning and he agreed to continue to diagnose the problem. So I went back to check the dates on previous papers and it began to make sense -- 25 days before plus 3 days now (based on his dates) total 28 days -- 2 days under 30 day lemon law policy for NY and most likely a red flag for him at BMW NA.

Well ... ticking saga continues on. I came from four day business trip, took my car to my parents house (less than 2 miles) came back and it was ticking louder than ever. It was to the point that when my wife was pulling in to the driveway she stopped and asked me what is broken AGAIN in my car (she heard it ticking inside her car with closed windows and her car running!!!) -- very embarrassing I got to say. I left a message for my SA and let him hear the sound. I am getting fed up with this ticking noise. :mad:

-- just venting ...

PS I still did not receive a corrected invoice from SA.

[rkg]

I have been logging my lifter ticking noise since my car (4700 miles) is going to the dealer on Nov 20th for this issue. Basically, I sporadically get the noise on cold starts in the morning (garage around 40F+) or if the car warms up and then sits for a few hours ... it is then ticks for a few miles or so until full warmup.

My SA did not admit to this being a problem, but sure made it sound like this is not the first he has heard of it and will let me know the outcome ... we shall see.

[msinfo_us]

Found this on bimmerfest "but imagine if somebody's lifter had seized into the head, and the ticking noise was the rocker arm coming heavily into contact, until one day the rocker arm bent itself out of alignment and no longer came into contact with the lifter..... the person would now have damaged lifters AND rockers to replace....". Sounds like he is right on. On my second repare attempt they replaced all lifters and ticking was still there. Than they repalced lifters, rods and rockers and ticking stopped only to retun a month later. What else is there that can damage lifters?

[ages944]

Originally Posted by msinfo_us

Found this on bimmerfest "but imagine if somebody's lifter had seized into the head, and the ticking noise was the rocker arm coming heavily into contact, until one day the rocker arm bent itself out of alignment and no longer came into contact with the lifter..... the person would now have damaged lifters AND rockers to replace....". Sounds like he is right on. On my second repare attempt they replaced all lifters and ticking was still there. Than they repalced lifters, rods and rockers and ticking stopped only to retun a month later. What else is there that can damage lifters?

did they check your camshafts? I think I remember reading about others with this issue whose cars' camshafts ended up being replaced.

[msinfo_us]

I think you are right. I remember reading it too. They checked camshafts for unusual wear and found none but they've never replaced it. Could be last peice of the pazel. Thank you.

[msinfo_us]

Ages944, to you point above ... found this guy on bimmerfest who "had the ticking noise on my 325i after only 2months - it went into the shop and they replaced the camshaft and the valve lifters - it was off the road for 14 days waiting on parts." This was done mid Feb 2006 seems he is fine ever since.

[ages944]

Originally Posted by msinfo_us

Ages944, to you point above ... found this guy on bimmerfest who "had the ticking noise on my 325i after only 2months - it went into the shop and they replaced the camshaft and the valve lifters - it was off the road for 14 days waiting on parts." This was done mid Feb 2006 seems he is fine ever since.

Yeah, seems prudent to make your dealership check your cams if the noise ever comes back.

[jveneski]

Went to my dealer with the ticking problem. Tehey were not able to locate a service bulletin on the problem. They contacted BMW of N America after they were able to duplicate the noise. Replaced 2 lifter springs that they felt were machined inproperly. Cleared up x 4 days, then I heard the noise again, but less pronounced. They were not able to duplicate. As the weather get colder, i expect the problem to surface again. Have not heard it in a week.

Let me know how you make out.

John

[bmwexecutive]

Originally Posted by armoredsaint

i just experienced the same problem tonight for the first time, it was 31F outside, the car was cold and the ticking sound and pitch changed accordingly to my engine rpms, then after it was warmed up or about 4 miles of driving, it disappeared...

Weird. I just experienced this problem tonight as well. Probably brought about because of the cold. It's 50 degrees in Central Florida nowadays. I drove a mile down the road to a FedEx drop box and when I got out I heard the ticking sound you guys speak of. I was listening to it for about 15 seconds when it all of a sudden went away. Hopefully it doesn't come back...