[2006Waters]

Not sure if you've figured this out or not.

I work at a bmw dealership in North Carolina as a service porter and own a 2006 325i.

The metallic ticking noise is a very common issue among vehicles with the n52 engine. It is caused by the lifters collapsing and oil not reaching the top of the engine. At about 80,000 miles, I began hearing the noise on my car. This issue is not a problem and will not hurt your car, its just annoying to hear. Because I have an extended warranty, I chose to have the problem fixed. The job is 8+ labor hours.

The shop foreman advises people to run the car at a high RPM while going down the highway and it should shut the ticking up for a few weeks. Included in the job is a valve cover replacement. It runs about $1800 at a dealership.

[jeff2priorier]

Originally Posted by jeff2priorier

2009 328xi. I live in Canada. Had occasional ticking on start up, especially in very cold or humid weather. Ticking goes away once engine is warmed up and you drive off. Tried some oil additive but that didn't work either. For last 3 months (summer) I used high octane 94 (esso here in Canada has it) gas and the ticking has gone away. Once it gets really cold, if the ticking returns I'll put in 89 (mid level) octane and call it a failed experiment.

Update: was cold last few days and snowy... ticking noise was back

Back to mid-level 89 gas....

[rsicat]

hi guys, dumb question. is this ticking problem covered by mechanical insurance? most of you were saying that these lifters isn't an issue, and just annoying. but what if I want these to be replaced? thank you in advance

[raki]

Hi could anyone help diagnose ticking problem here?
e90 318i M Sport N46 engine with 51k miles.

First video start from cold, second when its warmed up.

[hassanov]

i think you should check with your dealer.

[g-cia35]

Hello all, I have had this tick for over a year now, I have a 2007 328I, 97K miles (warranty gone). Before it would tick for about 5 min then go away, it has gotten progressively worse over time. I used risoline for about 3 months and the tick would go away and then come back. I changed my oil last month and the tick would not go away at all, it was getting louder and louder as the days went. So I took it to a mechanic that specializes in BMWs and he troubleshot it down to my exhaust lifters which will cost me $2,500. I then asked the question "what if I just let them tick?" He said it will be fine for awhile but it will take a beating on your upper drivetrain components and will eventually fail. They also found that my belt is almost off of my tensioner and requires to be replaced. Hopefully the tick will completely be gone once fixed by next Tues..

[g-cia35]

Addition to my previous post yesterday. They disassembled my car and they found more damage. I need the cams replaced, seems like the previous owner changed the oil 15,000 miles like BMW recommends. I have all the maint docs from when they bough it brand new. They said sludge damaged (scarred pretty bad) them and needs replaced. Who the F--k changes oil at 15k intervals. I am pretty ticked that my bill is over 3,000 now lifters and now this . Pic attached.

[whenasked]

I had lifters changed a while back during my CPO and I think it is more than two years now since the repair. I can hear the ticking again. What are my options? Has there been a recall on this?

[jmatt3685]

Originally Posted by PhaseP

If talking about N52, just try not to leave the car idling, or running only at low rpms when it is cold, and then shutdown. In my experience this is the situation that causes the ticking start the next time you start the engine.

....

This has been my experience 06 325 e90, and very sure of it with my vehicle after 8 years.

I'm running a 6 330 e90 and have noticed the same thing. It's been <20* here and my drive to school is about... half a mile. So I am worried that I'm being too rough on the car and never giving it a chance to warm up. I just turned 100k and am wondering about the long-term health of the car... how has yours been holding up?

I'm thinking I'll end up doing the ATF oil change flush for a few changes and make sure I put in 0w40 (I don't know what the previous owner used).

[PhaseP]

I'm running a 6 330 e90 and have noticed the same thing. It's been <20* here and my drive to school is about... half a mile. So I am worried that I'm being too rough on the car and never giving it a chance to warm up. I just turned 100k and am wondering about the long-term health of the car... how has yours been holding up?

I'm thinking I'll end up doing the ATF oil change flush for a few changes and make sure I put in 0w40 (I don't know what the previous owner used).

I have a long commute, and I have the ticking only if I leave it idling when cold and shutdown or start after a short trip with low rpms as I wrote before. So I get the ticking rarely. Even for idling, if I run the engine 3K for a while before shutting down it prevents the ticking next time. I don't have any problems with engine, about 90K miles now.

I suggest using manual mode sometimes and try to keep the rpms high during your commute.

Mobil 1 European Formula 0W40 or Castrol European Formula 0W40 are BMW LL-01 spec, cheaply available 5wt jugs at Walmart, don't think it would make any difference from BMW oil.

[CYL]

Hi, I have a N52B25 325 E92
I have got the ticking/tapping sound too.
Further to that, when I accelerate, there is about 1 sec length of rapid ticking/tapping sound....it is like "tak tak tak tak..."
Does anyone know what might be the problem?

I have checked online and it could be spark knock? Rob bearing? Heat shield? Pulley?
I really want to know before any serious damage to the engine...

Thanks.

[hubert4x]

Hi dudes. If i have to be honest i got E60 N53B30 (the same engine which was assambled in E90). My engine makes some metallic ticking which just makes me crazy. I would like to remove this sound but i have no idea which parts of my engine arouse it. I recorded it and you can see it under

. I will be really grateful if someone will explain me what's going on. In my country there is really small quantity of cars with N53B30 and no-one know is this.
Greetings from Poland
Ps. I'm really sorry for my english. I didnt use it for really long time time and this is the reason why I made lot of mistakes

[Sxanth]

Originally Posted by hubert4x

Hi dudes. If i have to be honest i got E60 N53B30 (the same engine which was assambled in E90). My engine makes some metallic ticking which just makes me crazy. I would like to remove this sound but i have no idea which parts of my engine arouse it. I recorded it and you can see it under. I will be really grateful if someone will explain me what's going on. In my country there is really small quantity of cars with N53B30 and no-one know is this.
Greetings from Poland
Ps. I'm really sorry for my english. I didnt use it for really long time time and this is the reason why I made lot of mistakes

The ticking noise of Hydraulic valve adjuster is a known problem with the N52 (3.0L) engine fitted with manufacturing date prior to November 2008. An occasional ticking or rattling noise from the HVA elements may occur during cold engine starts or frequent short-distance driving, recently known after the engines reach 50.000 miles. In these situations, the HVA elements may not yet have been supplied with sufficient amounts of air-free oil. This condition will not cause any damage to the engine, and usually remedies itself with a longer driving distance or operating times at full operating temperature. BMW dealers' first response is to perform HVA bleeding procedure, however this procedures seems not to resolve the matters. The second attempt to solve this problem is a replacement with improved HVA parts, however this procedures also does not fully address the problem. Finally, a newly designed cylinder head replacement solves the ticking noise problem for vehicles under warranty. Vehicles produced after November, 2008 have already been fitted with improved cylinder head that resolves this HVA problems.[

[dylan2412]

Thanks =)

[chris82]

Originally Posted by 2006Waters

Not sure if you've figured this out or not.

I work at a bmw dealership in North Carolina as a service porter and own a 2006 325i.

The metallic ticking noise is a very common issue among vehicles with the n52 engine. It is caused by the lifters collapsing and oil not reaching the top of the engine. At about 80,000 miles, I began hearing the noise on my car. This issue is not a problem and will not hurt your car, its just annoying to hear. Because I have an extended warranty, I chose to have the problem fixed. The job is 8+ labor hours.

The shop foreman advises people to run the car at a high RPM while going down the highway and it should shut the ticking up for a few weeks. Included in the job is a valve cover replacement. It runs about $1800 at a dealership.

I've resolved this issue by running my car in 5th gear on the highway for half the time and getting the RPMs higher. That slight increase in RPM has shut them up. That and also revving a little higher befor shifting. I haven't heard the tick in weeks since I've done this.

[stevenzx]

try to restart the engine twice, it works on my n52 but i realy cannot explain why.

Originally Posted by ages944

Hi all,


********
Update: 6/30/2007

I was perusing the net a couple of days ago and came across some great images of the N52 engine. Here are a couple that I downloaded that show the parts that cause the tick. I modified the first picture to clearly show the valve lifters.

[stevenzx]

Originally Posted by PhaseP

I have a long commute, and I have the ticking only if I leave it idling when cold and shutdown or start after a short trip with low rpms as I wrote before. So I get the ticking rarely. Even for idling, if I run the engine 3K for a while before shutting down it prevents the ticking next time. I don't have any problems with engine, about 90K miles now.

I suggest using manual mode sometimes and try to keep the rpms high during your commute.

Mobil 1 European Formula 0W40 or Castrol European Formula 0W40 are BMW LL-01 spec, cheaply available 5wt jugs at Walmart, don't think it would make any difference from BMW oil.

hi bro, i find out one sulotion: trying to restart the engine twice, the noise will go away but i realy cannot explain why.

[calicolorado]

I have found that the ticking seldomly occurs and usually on cold start. I have only ever noticed it if I leave the car running in the driveway while I grab a few things from the house before leaving for work.

The solution is to drive the piss out of it! Get the oil circulating! Check and maintain the oil level! Read what Mike Miller says about the N52. Nothing is wrong with it, you have to crack it open often enough. This engine loves to rev and thankfully it's perfectly suited for daily driving. Not enough people wind these engines out. It's amazing the urge they have in the last few hundred rpm before power peak.

These are thoroughbred engines and should be enjoyed as such.

[J. Dub]

I have an n54 and removed my engine cover along with removed my cowl plastics... Plus, I have a vented CF hood.

My engine truly sounds like a quite diesel engine. (Ticking) Whether at idle, at temp, cold, or accelerating. Doesn't matter whether it's cold or hot.

I thought this was a known issue with N54 and not a concern?

[mbw1009]

had to post somewhere

[kittybriant]

You had better to have it checked!







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2 piece prom dress

[dantihon]

it is no engine damage because of this,
anyway, after 7K the noise start on my car, now is 23K one time to the dealer just for bleed, I can replace the head by myself if i want but, does not make any sense, may be this year i will replace ONLY the noisy lifters witch is from exhaust.
to remove the HEAD it is a HIGH level of knowledge and practice and risky stress for the engine, personally i will do that ONLY if I need to replace the gasket or remove the pistons for any reason but not the NOISY LIFTERS job.