[Butch]

I have a couple of issues im worried about.

Over the last few weeks whenever I start my car up I seem to get a noisy tappets sound from the engine. Seems to dissapear once engine has warmed up though. Now I am no mechanic and I don't even know what they are or if my car has them, but i had a similar noise on previous car on my neighbour said "ooh sounds like yer tappets".

Second issue is that the fan under the bonnet seems to be on for a good 5-10 minutes after I turn engine off. This is literally when I've moved the car 5 metres down the drive. I know it's hot at the moment but think it's a bit excessive?

Are these related, is it the weather/heat, have I got a problem or problems developing??? Any help appreciated. Thanks.

[NFS]

I wouldn't worry about the fan. This is just because of the hot weather.

The 330i engine is also known for running very hot. I believe this is one of the reasons why the e90 never had an engine temp gauge.

Does the tappet noise sound like this?

There is a known issue with valve noise on the N52 engines, mine developed it occasionally especially if I had only done short journeys.

I long spirited drive should sort it out, or if necessary the dealer can carry out a simple adjustment.

[bakili]

wow its very noise, sounds like diesel

my 2.0 litre engine bit noise as well, took last week to Autotechniks, and been told that its quite normal on petrol engines, fresh oil change might help.

How long ago oil change was carried out?

[Butch]

Thanks for your expertise NFS - the noise is the video is exactly the noise I've got. I do mainly short journeys, but did couple of 150 mile trips last week and it's still the same.

Do you know what needs adjusting (i normally take my car to independent garage rather than stealer) and if I leave it will it cause any further problems?

Thanks for ur swift and informative response... I love this forum.

[Butch]

Just been and checked 6000 miles to oil change, do you think this might be a sign it's getting ready for it?

Bakili - I drove past a car very similar to yours the other morning on York road, but didn't get proper look to see if was you?

Autotechnics are great guys and really know their stuff, been very happy with them so far, thanks for ur recommendation.

[bakili]

I am taking my car next week for oil service, done only 8000 since last service. But i dont like idea servicing every 18000 miles. On OBC it shows another 10000 miles for service.

[NFS]

Originally Posted by Butch

Thanks for your expertise NFS - the noise is the video is exactly the noise I've got. I do mainly short journeys, but did couple of 150 mile trips last week and it's still the same.

Do you know what needs adjusting (i normally take my car to independent garage rather than stealer) and if I leave it will it cause any further problems?

Thanks for ur swift and informative response... I love this forum.

It's no big deal. The noise is from the valve lifters (whatever they are).

Simple adjustment by the dealer. When I had this problem on my 330i they told me that I was not driving it hard enough.

[Dr Dave]

But hydraulic lifters are maintenence free and cannot be adjusted! I can't see what the workshop can do......

[NFS]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

But hydraulic lifters are maintenence free and cannot be adjusted! I can't see what the workshop can do......

You may be right, but I definitely had something done to mine.

The service advisor told me that they are supposed to be self adjusting, but that this can go wrong if you do lots of short journeys.

I think they talked about bleeding them? And it sounded to me as if the oil wasn't getting where it should.

After I had it done it re-occured a couple of times, but quickly vanished after I gave the car a good thrashing round some county lanes.

[Butch]

I do mainly short trips (work is 9 miles away), but every couple of weeks will do a 100+ mile trip. I'm not afraid to put the pedal to the metal either, so don't think it's my driving style?

Looking under the hood/bonnet - it sounds like its coming from the belt area at the front - does the 330i have timing belt or a chain, could this be an issue ? It's sounding worse today, think I might take a trip to the garage on the way to work in the morning - don't want to make any minor problems that I may have, any worse. Just hope its a simple & cheap fix - fingers crossed.

Oil change is due in 6k aswell, so think I will get this booked in at the same time - it certainly won't hurt. Any other ideas please let me know, I can then go to the garage armed with some background info... will let you know how I get on.

[NFS]

This metallic ticking is a very well known fault. Tell the dealer that you suspect it is the valve lifters. They will know what to do.

[Butch]

Right, been reading up on the forum about valve lifters... I'm very worried !!!

BMW advice now seems to be to replace valve lifters instead of bleeding the system - looks like the cost is approx £20 each (x 24 valves + 6 hours labour). Looks like I might need to get a loan...

What's even more worrying is that lots of guys have had them replaced, but then the problem has come back a few months later and they have had to have the head replaced - I will try not to worry, but this is not good at all

[NFS]

Originally Posted by Butch

Right, been reading up on the forum about valve lifters... I'm very worried !!!

BMW advice now seems to be to replace valve lifters instead of bleeding the system - looks like the cost is approx £20 each (x 24 valves + 6 hours labour). Looks like I might need to get a loan...

What's even more worrying is that lots of guys have had them replaced, but then the problem has come back a few months later and they have had to have the head replaced - I will try not to worry, but this is not good at all

There are a lot of horror stories on the forum about this 'metallic ticking sound'. But I wouldn't worry.

My experience is that there is nothing to worry about. Bleeding mine sorted the problem out permanently. I did 60k miles in my 330i without any engine issues.

[creepy coupe]

It's half crank speed so lifters/hydraulic pedestals is my guess, if it goes away when the engines gets up to temperature I wouldn’t worry, these things are fairly sensitive to oil grade/viscosity.

[Butch]

Typically I drove straight to the garage this morning, and about half of mile from the garage the engine had warmed up and the noise disappeared. Taking car in on Friday night, so on Saturday they can hear the engine from cold... Will see what they say but want engine oil and filter change anyway!

[Tunna_uk]

All it needs is fresh oil and filter, and then if the noise comes back, you just need to give it some hammer up to about 6-7000 RPM -say let it have its legs in second gear. Solves the problem by getting the oil up to the lifters and gettting rid of any air.. mine does it after a coulple of short runs, and it also does it if you drive at low engine speeds, basically the engines love to be revved up often.
Don't worry about it and keep your wallet shut.

[m1bjr]

Probably has too thick an oil, or very mucky oil.
As above ....
And maybe try a 0w30 next time?

Fan- turn off the aircon and see if it still does it

[Butch]

My daily drive is short and I do tend to keep revs low due to fuel consumption and road types. However I will floor it from time to time when the opportunity arises - but I have an auto... Should I put it in sport mode and redline it a bit more?

Just checked service book, oil changed 14k miles (16 months ago) by Sytner Nottingham, so should have had decent oil put in. Topped it up with half litre of castrol edge 5w-30 a few months ago?

[Dr Dave]

But you shouldn't have to drive the car like you've stolen it just to keep the engine quiet!

[NFS]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

But you shouldn't have to drive the car like you've stolen it just to keep the engine quiet!

Maybe, but thats the way the engine works. You don't have to go berserk, but you need to let the engine rev freely

My understanding is the same as Tunna's, if you just pootle around town you get air pockets around the lifters. That's what was bled from my car by BMW.

If you had a thoroughbred racehorse you wouldn't exercise it by taking it for a quick trot round the park would you?

[creepy coupe]

You don't need to gun it everywhere to keep it quiet, if "air pockets" are reoccurring then it might be due to cavitations in the oil, this could be down the grade of oil and or the condition.

Engine oil pressure doesn’t keep on rising the more you rev the engine, it normally peaks shortly after idle speed.

[willhollin]

Get some decent oil in it!