Helicopter noise in engine

wchew · 10-25-2006, 08:30 PM

I drive a 6MT 330i. I found that when the car is idle, with music off, air-con off, I can hear a "helicopter" noise from the engine. I asked a service rep. to listen to it, he said he hears it but that is the noice from the fuel injection. I said the noice wasn't there when the car was new (I have 15000 mile on it), he said that was because the car have not broken-in at the time, that's why it was quiet.

Yesterday, I found that when I press the clutch down right before the "engagement point" (hardest point) and hold it, the noise is the loudest.

Anyone knows anything about this ? Is the service rep. right ?

Thanks !!

Greeney · 10-25-2006, 09:42 PM

15,000 miles and the car isnt broken in? That made your service guy sound like an idiot. even if its a typo and you meant 1,500 the car is still broken in.

wchew · 10-25-2006, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greeney

15,000 miles and the car isnt broken in? That made your service guy sound like an idiot. even if its a typo and you meant 1,500 the car is still broken in.

I meant he said the car was quiet when it was new because it hasn't been broken-in. Now the fuel injection noice is louder because the car is broken in.

NoMods · 10-26-2006, 12:11 AM

it's the sound of secret black choppers following you...have you seen enemy of the state?

330m · 10-26-2006, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wchew

I drive a 6MT 330i. I found that when the car is idle, with music off, air-con off, I can hear a "helicopter" noise from the engine. I asked a service rep. to listen to it, he said he hears it but that is the noice from the fuel injection. I said the noice wasn't there when the car was new (I have 15000 mile on it), he said that was because the car have not broken-in at the time, that's why it was quiet.

Yesterday, I found that when I press the clutch down right before the "engagement point" (hardest point) and hold it, the noise is the loudest.

Anyone knows anything about this ? Is the service rep. right ?

Thanks !!

It's just the transmission primary shaft spinning under no load, you should find if you raise the revs slightly, to say 1200, it will disappear. The slight uneveness of idle rpm causes it.

If the clutch position changes the sound then it is obviously the transmission/clutch not the fuel injectors.

It quite normal. Just different people interpret different sounds in different ways. Most wouldn't notice and I find it sounds nice, like a finley machined tool.

seahawk · 10-26-2006, 04:53 AM

It's your Clutch Release Bearings. Tell your dealer to replace it. I got the same car with 6MT as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wchew

I drive a 6MT 330i. I found that when the car is idle, with music off, air-con off, I can hear a "helicopter" noise from the engine. I asked a service rep. to listen to it, he said he hears it but that is the noice from the fuel injection. I said the noice wasn't there when the car was new (I have 15000 mile on it), he said that was because the car have not broken-in at the time, that's why it was quiet.

Yesterday, I found that when I press the clutch down right before the "engagement point" (hardest point) and hold it, the noise is the loudest.

Anyone knows anything about this ? Is the service rep. right ?

Thanks !!

txusa03 · 10-26-2006, 08:41 AM

I have 6mt too and i have not noticed any helicopter sound when idle. I will pay more attention next time I am driving the car and turn off my music.

nmulax · 10-26-2006, 09:51 AM

I have the same thing with my 6mt 330i and have been wondering what it is as well.

IDENTITY_MOTORSPORTS · 10-26-2006, 11:13 AM

I have noticed that when I am stopped at a light, my hood will actually open and helicopters fly out. Is this normal? JK. The sound is normal. Don't worry.

wchew · 10-26-2006, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 330m

It's just the transmission primary shaft spinning under no load, you should find if you raise the revs slightly, to say 1200, it will disappear. The slight uneveness of idle rpm causes it.
tool.

It's true, when I rev it, the sound is gone...but it might be because when I rev, the engine's noice become louder and just covered the subtle noice I was talking about.

Aslo, for 6MT drivers, when you are accelerating using the 2nd gear at low speed (say, after going over a speed bump @ 2 mph), if you completely release the clutch and then accelearate, do you hear "click click click" noice from the engine ? The problem can be solved by giving it more gas before completely releasing the clutch. Is this normal ?

wchew · 10-26-2006, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by armoredsaint

it's the sound of secret black choppers following you...have you seen enemy of the state?

epiphone3 · 10-26-2006, 05:46 PM

my 323i with 6mt does it too... it is only when the car is idling with the transmission in neutral and the clutch pedal not pushed in, correct?

not a problem... just a quirk of our cars. Keep the clutch pushed in and you don't hear the sound.

txusa03 · 11-13-2006, 03:36 PM

Ok, I heard this sound last night when I pulled up into the garage. When in the garage, this helicopter sound is very noticeable. This morning, as I started the car to go to work, I hear it also. But when I am outside at the stop light, I cannot hear it due to surrouding road noises. To be honest, I have not heard this sound before (see my earlier post). This got me concern so I schedule with dealer to bring my car in so they can check it out along with my key seat memory programming session. Now I understand what wchew is saying (his original post sounded like he was bs but it is apparently true for me as well). I peak my head under the car on the side, under the rear, and with the engine hood open - the sound can be heard all around but loudest at the engine bay.

msinfo_us · 11-13-2006, 11:08 PM

Hmm engine, lifters, fuel injection ... does it sound anything like this http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...6&d=1152760476 ?

txusa03 · 11-14-2006, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msinfo_us

Hmm engine, lifters, fuel injection ... does it sound anything like this http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...6&d=1152760476 ?

Somewhat, my distintive chirp sound is slower in sequence then your click,click,click sound. I have had 28K miles and the other night was the first time I heard this chirp, chirp, chirp sound that is distintively different from the engine sound. The sound went away today?

Let me also say that the car still drive great so it is really bug me on where this sound came from and why it went away on it own.

msinfo_us · 11-14-2006, 02:47 PM

sound like you can rule lifters out ...

txusa03 · 11-14-2006, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msinfo_us

sound like you can rule lifters out ...

so with the lifter problem, you would hear the click noise constantly whenever the engine is running (every day?)?

msinfo_us · 11-14-2006, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by txusa03

so with the lifter problem, you would hear the click noise constantly whenever the engine is running (every day?)?

No, not constantly -- that is the biggest challenge in getting it fixed. Most often it happened on start/idle and usually disappears after a few miles than comes back sometimes on a next start sometimes later. And there are times when it happened AFTER a few miles run while idling or low rpms.

Mystic330 · 11-25-2006, 10:48 AM

wchew - My 6MT has the exact same problem. It was completely silent when new and has gotten progressively worse over time. My dealer has a new 6MT on order for me and will be installing it in the next couple weeks.

Like 330m says, I believe it's the primary shaft inside the tranny and it a bad bearing against the casing. I had tranny in a VW do this as well and beleive me it is not normal and will deteriorate over time.

Have you dealer check/drive it till they agree that it's a problem.

10-25-2006, 08:30 PM	#1
wchew Private First Class 14 Rep 108 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (0)	Helicopter noise in engine I drive a 6MT 330i. I found that when the car is idle, with music off, air-con off, I can hear a "helicopter" noise from the engine. I asked a service rep. to listen to it, he said he hears it but that is the noice from the fuel injection. I said the noice wasn't there when the car was new (I have 15000 mile on it), he said that was because the car have not broken-in at the time, that's why it was quiet. Yesterday, I found that when I press the clutch down right before the "engagement point" (hardest point) and hold it, the noise is the loudest. Anyone knows anything about this ? Is the service rep. right ? Thanks !! __________________ 330i Manual . Black Sapphire . ZPP . ZSP . Navigation . Comfort Access Last edited by wchew; 10-25-2006 at 11:56 PM..
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10-25-2006, 09:42 PM	#2
Greeney Brigadier General 223 Rep 3,856 Posts Drives: Jerez E90 M3 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Westchester, NY / Fort Lauderdale, FL iTrader: (4)	15,000 miles and the car isnt broken in? That made your service guy sound like an idiot. even if its a typo and you meant 1,500 the car is still broken in. __________________ 11' E90 M3 6MT \| Jerez Black \| Black Ext./Carbon \| ZCP \| ZCW \| ZPP \| ZTP \| 302 \| 403 \| 507 \| 5AC \| 655 \| 6FL \| 752 \| 15' F80 M3 6MT \| Black Saphire \| Black Full \| ZEC \| ZLP \| 2VF \| 2VZ \| 5DL \| 688 \|
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10-26-2006, 12:11 AM	#4
NoMods Colonel 1202 Rep 2,372 Posts Drives: 2022 M5 Join Date: May 2006 Location: USA iTrader: (10) Garage List 2022 M5 [10.00]	it's the sound of secret black choppers following you...have you seen enemy of the state?
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10-26-2006, 08:41 AM	#7
txusa03 Major General 577 Rep 6,563 Posts Drives: TS330iPPSP6MT Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Planet Earth iTrader: (3)	I have 6mt too and i have not noticed any helicopter sound when idle. I will pay more attention next time I am driving the car and turn off my music.
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10-26-2006, 09:51 AM	#8
nmulax Brigadier General 391 Rep 4,320 Posts Drives: '07 Z4 M Coupe Join Date: May 2006 Location: Metro-Detroit iTrader: (5) Garage List 2007 Z4M Coupé [7.66]	I have the same thing with my 6mt 330i and have been wondering what it is as well. __________________
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10-26-2006, 11:13 AM	#9
IDENTITY_MOTORSPORTS Second Lieutenant 26 Rep 244 Posts Drives: E90 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Las Vegas, NV. iTrader: (0)	I have noticed that when I am stopped at a light, my hood will actually open and helicopters fly out. Is this normal? JK. The sound is normal. Don't worry.
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10-26-2006, 05:46 PM	#12
epiphone3 Lieutenant Colonel 121 Rep 1,772 Posts Drives: 2013 BMW X3 35i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Calgary iTrader: (0)	my 323i with 6mt does it too... it is only when the car is idling with the transmission in neutral and the clutch pedal not pushed in, correct? not a problem... just a quirk of our cars. Keep the clutch pushed in and you don't hear the sound.
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11-13-2006, 03:36 PM	#13
txusa03 Major General 577 Rep 6,563 Posts Drives: TS330iPPSP6MT Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Planet Earth iTrader: (3)	Ok, I heard this sound last night when I pulled up into the garage. When in the garage, this helicopter sound is very noticeable. This morning, as I started the car to go to work, I hear it also. But when I am outside at the stop light, I cannot hear it due to surrouding road noises. To be honest, I have not heard this sound before (see my earlier post). This got me concern so I schedule with dealer to bring my car in so they can check it out along with my key seat memory programming session. Now I understand what wchew is saying (his original post sounded like he was bs but it is apparently true for me as well). I peak my head under the car on the side, under the rear, and with the engine hood open - the sound can be heard all around but loudest at the engine bay. __________________ under construction!
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11-13-2006, 11:08 PM	#14
msinfo_us First Lieutenant 28 Rep 375 Posts Drives: 335Xi ZSP, ZCW, PDC Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Hmm engine, lifters, fuel injection ... does it sound anything like this http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...6&d=1152760476 ?
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11-14-2006, 02:47 PM	#16
msinfo_us First Lieutenant 28 Rep 375 Posts Drives: 335Xi ZSP, ZCW, PDC Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	sound like you can rule lifters out ...
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11-25-2006, 10:48 AM	#19
Mystic330 Enlisted Member 3 Rep 37 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: US iTrader: (0)	wchew - My 6MT has the exact same problem. It was completely silent when new and has gotten progressively worse over time. My dealer has a new 6MT on order for me and will be installing it in the next couple weeks. Like 330m says, I believe it's the primary shaft inside the tranny and it a bad bearing against the casing. I had tranny in a VW do this as well and beleive me it is not normal and will deteriorate over time. Have you dealer check/drive it till they agree that it's a problem.
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