[MoserBMW]

Im @ 155k and every once in a while i would get the tick. Changed out the oil and went with Motul 5w30 and the car hasn't ran this great since I first got it @88k. Also, it was always after a few days of sitting so it seems like a similar issue.

[Eagle1oh7]

Let's not have an oil debate. Let the fools that use non-approved oils wreck their wallets.

Edit:

Plus I'm sure at least a few of us have science backing up our decision in the form of oil analysis reports.

[hassmaschine]

Originally Posted by gordon@

Sure, go ahead and stick to the CBS. In Canada its nearly every 11k miles per interval. You should be changing your oil more frequently depending on the style of driving you do and the climates you live in. Try to do the recommended CBS with a M3, lets see how long your engine lasts before the rod bearings blow up.

The CBS takes into account driving style and climate. The N52 also has an oil quality sensor. That is the entire point of the CBS system... "Condition Based Service". It is not and has never been based on a fixed mileage (even as far back as the '80s).

Yes, I'll stick to the CBS over 'feels'. Oil Analysis is fine too but don't be like our buddy 'straight6' or whatever who swears he can tell when oil is contaminated by just looking at it.

[GORDON.M3]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

The CBS takes into account driving style and climate. The N52 also has an oil quality sensor. That is the entire point of the CBS system... "Condition Based Service". It is not and has never been based on a fixed mileage (even as far back as the '80s).

Yes, I'll stick to the CBS over 'feels'. Oil Analysis is fine too but don't be like our buddy 'straight6' or whatever who swears he can tell when oil is contaminated by just looking at it.

If CBS worked, then M3 owners wouldn't be seeing so much wear on their rod bearings and main bearings.

I don't need to "feel", I know CBS doesn't work. I have friends that followed CBS intervals with their M3 and their oil analysis were absolutely trash. Then another friend who has done religious 4k mile oil changes and his oil analysis at the same mileage showed significantly a lot less wear. Both have never tracked the car either. When the bearings come out of the car, the proof is there.

No point in debating, keep doing your CBS interval services. Maybe you are those types that also follow "BMW's Lifetime Oil intervals".

[hassmaschine]

M3s have design issues with the bearing journals being too small - that has nothing to do with the CBS. even if you change the oil much sooner you can/will still have bearing problems.

And even so, the N52 isn't an M3 engine.. The N52 tick itself also has nothing to do with oil change intervals, but is a design flaw in how the lifters end up with air pockets that don't bleed out. It was a problem on brand new engines that had clean oil - certainly, dirty oil can make it worse, but it isn't a root cause and simply changing your oil more often won't prevent or fix it.

BMW replaced the entire cylinder head on many cars because it's the only real fix. If it was as easy as changing your oil (or using a different/wrong variety), I'm sure BMW would have taken the easy fix instead of replacing the whole head..

[GORDON.M3]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

M3s have design issues with the bearing journals being too small - that has nothing to do with the CBS. even if you change the oil much sooner you can/will still have bearing problems.

And even so, the N52 isn't an M3 engine..

Did you read what I said? I said that the person doing more frequent oil changes, showed significantly a lot less wear on the bearings. An engine is an engine, there is plenty evidence doing more frequent and shorter interval oil changes attributes to less wear and a longer lasting engine. But hey, if you like to listen to what the dealership and the CBS tells you, then good for you.

[hassmaschine]

I've never been to the dealership, but thanks.

[GORDON.M3]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

And even so, the N52 isn't an M3 engine.. The N52 tick itself also has nothing to do with oil change intervals, but is a design flaw in how the lifters end up with air pockets that don't bleed out. It was a problem on brand new engines that had clean oil - certainly, dirty oil can make it worse, but it isn't a root cause and simply changing your oil more often won't prevent or fix it.

BMW replaced the entire cylinder head on many cars because it's the only real fix. If it was as easy as changing your oil (or using a different/wrong variety), I'm sure BMW would have taken the easy fix instead of replacing the whole head..

I did not say changing oil frequently was a solution to the ticking. If you carefully read what I said...

Originally Posted by gordon@

I'd change my oil every 5k kilometers regardless its synthetic or not.
I feel like oils don't have nearly the same/enough protection after 4-5K miles.

Stop making assumptions to what people are trying to say. I stated an opinion, not a solution to the ticking.

[hassmaschine]

Forgive me where I quoted you and said it was all you who personally made that up?

Also if you didn't think oil changes had anything to do with it, why even bring it up in a thread about the N52 tick?

Keep wasting your money on 3,000 mile oil changes - IDK.

[GORDON.M3]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

Forgive me where I quoted you and said it was all you who personally made that up?

Keep wasting your money on 3,000 mile oil changes - IDK.

Wasting money is subjective. I'd rather do religious 3,000 mile oil changes than to have a computer tell me what to do.

[Eagle1oh7]

Ahh, flame war caused by oil.

[Mavus]

My indy mechanic's guideline is use BMW approved oil and replace every 5k. He's been doing this since 1974 and several of his cars have 250k+

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by Smooth 330i

My indy mechanic's guideline is use BMW approved oil and replace every 5k. He's been doing this since 1974 and several of his cars have 250k+

Hassmachine has it right, oil condition can be monitored and replaced as required.

Miles driven is a really crude way to determine wear on the oil. Driving habits, hot climates, stop and go traffic or frequent short trips can easily blow out a ?miles? based oil change frequency.

Not believing the 15,000 mile interval, I tested my engine oil at 7,500 miles and the report indicated 50% wear. Knowing that my commute has not changed, I?ve changed my oil every 10,000 since. 10,000 being a really easy number track.

Let science guide you, take an oil sample and have it checked, then decide if the oil condition monitor is crazy.

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by gordon@

I did not say changing oil frequently was a solution to the ticking. If you carefully read what I said...

Stop making assumptions to what people are trying to say. I stated an opinion, not a solution to the ticking.

Oh man, this is like straight-6. What you’re saying about the s65 mill is completely wrong. Just stop.

If you’re going to spout off then please feel free to attach these scientific experiments you’ve seen in the internet so we can form our own opinions.

[Eagle1oh7]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Oh man, this is like straight-6. What you’re saying about the s65 mill is completely wrong. Just stop.

If you’re going to spout off then please feel free to attach these scientific experiments you’ve seen in the internet so we can form our own opinions.

Exactly. I want to see some oil reports from all these diesel engine oil users. What happened with Straight-6? Did he get banned???

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by Eagle1oh7

Exactly. I want to see some oil reports from all these diesel engine oil users. What happened with Straight-6? Did he get banned???

Banned for the 3rd time.

[Eagle1oh7]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Banned for the 3rd time.

:

[PhaseP]

Originally Posted by N52UNED

So today starting my car on the way from my office just to hear ... tick tick tick.
The tick goes away shortly thereafter, but I know what that means. I thought I was in the clear - drive about 1k miles a month, about (2) 20-30 minute commutes per week at highway speeds ~ 85mph, plus around town my average speed is about 45-50mph. Although it is an automatic - so my RPM's are typically 2k and below unless on the highway. I guess having a BMW built on 7/7/07 only gets you so much luck.

With all of that ... short of having the lifters and head replaced - is there anything I can do to keep the tick from becoming worse? Would driving around town in a combination of Sport & Manual modes help? (keeping the RPM's above 2k at all times)

I've read that some owners were able to remedy their tick after some time ... not sure if that is correct ... just as I read that this was a problem that arose during the "break-in" stage of the engine (it now has 40k miles so that theory isn't very accurate).


... I understand the "tick" is mostly an annoyance and shouldn't damage the engine. I plan to keep the car for a while so as long as it's not too loud and dissipates when warmed up ... I'm okay (I don't need clients thinking I they're riding in a POS). However I may look into purchasing an aftermarket insurance policy after-all ... the job is crazy expensive! - BOLLOCKS!

... just in case anyone asks ... the oil was changed 4k miles ago. Mobil 1. Which the previous owners used too (from a BMW specialist indy shop) It's been running Mobil 1 for at least 14k of its 40k miles. All the BMW indy shops in my area all use Mobil 1.

Any insight will be helpful. Thanks!

Now oil, forget about it. If it was a simple matter of oil viscosity or shorter period of changes, BMW would have done those instead of replacing engine heads on warranty period claims. Initial years BMW tried the "run the engine 3K rpm for a few minutes then if tick goes away send the customer" Then they tried "if after 3K rpm running customer still complains replace the lifters". And after a few years they finally gave in and said replace the heads when customers are complaining, and they made some change on some year on engine head. Probably 2008 but I am not sure. These are all for in warranty period. So again if oil was a remedy, BMW would have done it.

BMW even though agreed to replace heads, not very easily by the way, under warranty, it never said this will cause problem to engine, only annoyance.

Now I have read reports where even some of the new head design people had ticking, so....

Now I will tell you from my experience of owning the car for 11 years, what is the recipe for making the N52 tick. And if you avoid that recipe, you will not have ticking engine.

- On a fully cold engine, idle or drive the car low rpms for short period, like 5 at most 10 minutes before oil has chance to fully warm up.
- Shut down the engine.
- Wait until engine cools down again, at least couple hours.
- Start the engine.
- It will most probably tick, tick, tick, on one of the lifters on the exhaust side. It is more like tap, tap, tap actually.
- If it is not ticking, idle for a minute or two. Initially you will notice the valve train getting noiser. Then just wait a bit more, and start listening to the tap, tap, tap

Once it starts tap, tap, tap, only way to get rid of it is to run the engine fully warmed up at least 5 or 10 minutes. With cold engine it means like 15 minutes. If you use high rpms the period will be lower.

Aside from the above, if you have repeated short trips, the accumulation of those will eventually also cause the tick, tick, tick.

Air gets trapped in one or more of the lifters, that is why it taps. The conditions to get the air trapped are like I wrote.

Final words, just don't worry about it. N52's are 12 years old, there is no one complaining about valve train damage due to lifters that I know of.

[SiEgs90]

I was getting the ticking from what I’m assuming is the lifters. I changed my oil last week with the 5W-30 BMW TT oil and the OEM filter. Haven’t heard it since.