[nate13]

Hi,

Ive been doing a lot of lurking here, and fortunately not needed to post because of all the useful information. Thanks!

Anyway, my water pump went out last month on a trip home from Philadelphia. I got it fixed and shortly after I started noticing a few drops of oil here and there. After looking at the engine, I replaced the head stud right behind the OFH because the cap had popped off (not sure it it was because of the overheat or I just noticed it then). I also bought the OFHG and related bolts and will replace that shortly even though I'm not sure thats leaking. I also did the tensioner, pulley, and belt too because the tensioner was pretty gunked up and the belt was a little loud.

After all of this I noticed a Rattle. Its not quite a metallic rattle and it does not seem to to correspond to RPMs, it varies more with the side-side movement of the engine itself. I get no codes and the engine runs smooth as butter. I will attach a video of the sound. You can really hear it towards the end of the video when the RPMs settle at about 600.

Could it be the bolt heads under the valve cover for the timing chain may have also snapped off and thats what I'm hearing? Maybe sheared Valve cover bolt? It sounds like its coming from a pulley, but it could be the sound echoing in the void of space in front of the block. I can hear it in the car only at slow speeds letting off the throttle. I suspect this is because low engine noise and engine movement caused by throttle change. The video was shot with the clutch engaged, is this just the dual-mass making noise and I'm not used to it?

Thanks in advance for the help!
Nate

Video Link:https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9...k4wYjh4aUVOVFk

Ugh sorry the iphone decided to record vertically

[stewey]

Hmm, sounds familiar I think that's the lifter noise we've come to know and love.

[W37V]

Do few hard pulls to the red line. See if it is still there. Usually it disappears after redlining the engine.

[nate13]

I'm going to be so mad at myself if the lifter noise is what it is. Obvious answer somehow must've crept past my narrow field of vision. I'm doing an oil change tomorrow. I'll update on if it's still there. My oil level currently it 1/5 of the level bar, maybe leaking 1/2quart caused the oil level to drop enough to hear it.

[Three_thirty_I]

Does the noise go away when you press the clutch pedal in? If it does, then it's much the same as mine at times. And from all that I've read, it's most likely the gearbox input shaft, or something related to the clutch release bearing assembly. It's more of an annoyance than anything else. Mine has been like this since I got it back in 2010.

[NYCiROLL]

Is it more noticeable near the intake?
If so, grab take the Large Disa valve out of the intake.
With tools figure 45 min to take the intake system off all the way to the
throttle body.



Once it's removed you can slide out the big DISA valve



Hopefully, you won't see this...



Best of luck!

[Three_thirty_I]

Always worth checking the DISA, but I somehow doubt that it is that.

[Volasko]

My ride has been making that noise for a while. I`m pretty sure its normal.

[matteblue3er]

That's not lifter tick, that timing chain rattle. It's too sporadic for lifter tick. Lifter tick is consistent.

Try replacing the chain tensioner.

If you raise idle slightly and it goes away, it's most likely the timing chain.

[nate13]

Originally Posted by matteblue3er

That's not lifter tick, that timing chain rattle. It's too sporadic for lifter tick. Lifter tick is consistent.

Try replacing the chain tensioner.

If you raise idle slightly and it goes away, it's most likely the timing chain.

That sounds like it. I can't hear it unless I'm at Idle or getting off throttle at low RPMS. Could it maybe be the head bolts snapped inside the timing chain area? I already replaced one of the Al bolts, so maybe the other two could be causing noise? I'll look into this tensioner thing.

Thanks!

[ZeroSum]

Originally Posted by matteblue3er

That's not lifter tick, that timing chain rattle. It's too sporadic for lifter tick. Lifter tick is consistent.

Try replacing the chain tensioner.

If you raise idle slightly and it goes away, it's most likely the timing chain.

x2

[Three_thirty_I]

Hmm, can this cause an intermittent rattle at certain engine speeds, going from on and off throttle, and as you change gear?

[StealYourFace]

How many miles? Check your a/c puller while you are under there.

Does it change with the clutch pushed in?

[Three_thirty_I]

Originally Posted by StealYourFace

How many miles? Check your a/c puller while you are under there.

Does it change with the clutch pushed in?

Mine is still low mileage, almost about to hit 80k km only! But the noise that I am battling to sort out (mostly still think it's a form of pinging) has been dogging this car for years since around 63k km. The rattle noise on idle (similar to the vid above) does go away when you depress the clutch, but it's not always present when the engine is idling either. I was just wondering if a slightly noisy chain guide could somehow be what I am hearing even though the mileage is so low still.

[aguyikno]

I have a 330i 6mt, and I get the lifter tick from time to time, and a pretty good flywheel rattle but doesn't sound anything like that.

Not sure what that is sorry! Did you find out what it was?

[fareast1]

Following. Good luck with this.

[nate13]

Sorry, I do not check this as often as I should.

Update: I have ordered a timing chain tensioner and I should be able to swap it out this weekend if it gets here by then.

I will update after this is complete. I can post another video of the after sound as well if anything changes. I am driving this car on only rainy days when I don't want to ride my motorcycle for now anyway.

Thanks!

[nate13]

Update!

I replaced the timing chain tensioner and the immediate result was no change. The BMW tensioner was filled with oil and the new one was not, it probably has filled back up by now. The new one was more stiff than the one it replaced.

After driving my normal commute, I have noticed it has diminished and gone away in most situations. I drive mostly highway and when I regularly commute, it goes away. When I let it sit for a few days while its motorcycle weather, it comes back briefly, similar to the lifter tick. It's bewildering.

Anyway, I'm planning to keep looking for this problem. I thought it sounded like it was coming from the area right under the tensioner, but I don't have a stethoscope to pinpoint it.

[Phil325i]

Sorry only just listened to you vid. I'd say the noise was pretty normal. Might be auxiliary belt pulley bearing - but not a lot to worry about I'd say...

[frenchi]

seems like an alternator clutch pulley bearing problem

[uncle ben]

I had a similar problem, turned out it was the dual mass flywheel. It has weights inside of it and is packed with grease. These sometimes break for some reason and requires replacement of the flywheel and clutch.

[Three_thirty_I]

Wow, I am disappointed on your behalf that the new chain tensioner didn't sort this out!