[james008]

Just got my car back from the shop from some body work and an install of the ER Sport oil cooler. Driving it around I heard a noise from the engine bay. Got home and had my wife rev it to about 2700rpm in neutral and there is a definite noise coming from the engine. Almost sounds like a knocking noise and does not sound good at all. I will be taking it back in first thing in the morning but wanted to see if anyone had any ideas??

[carlsontheflyer]

Post a video with sound. There are millions of sounds in the world, not including bird calls, and most of them would be bad if your engine made them. Kinda hard to diagnose like this.

[P Casey]

Is there oil in the car.....

[SharkBait]

Originally Posted by carlsontheflyer

Post a video with sound. There are millions of sounds in the world, not including bird calls, and most of them would be bad if your engine made them. Kinda hard to diagnose like this.

+1. Without a more accurate description of the sound, we can't tell much and a video with good sound will tell a whole lot more.

Video notwithstanding, you may have an issue with the oil cooler install causing a disruption in the oil flow. That can have all sorts of horrible impact on the rest of engine. For example, oil starvation can cause bearing failure in a matter of minutes. That would be an extreme example and I doubt that would be the case. That said rod knock can described as a horrible knocking sound that gets progressively louder until kaboom!

I assume you didn't hear the sound when you picked it up?

[135Pats]

Originally Posted by P Casey

Is there oil in the car.....

that would be SO rough, i sure hope not.

[james008]

posting video now. Oil level says full. Engine gets hot really really fast. It was pouring rain when I picked it up and it doesn't make the sound until the car warms up a little. I drove 80 miles on it today (had no choice) and it runs fine but sounds terrible.

[foghat]

I dunno. That definitely does not sound right. That noise combined with the fact that it heats up really quick (though I guess you need to define really quick - from a completely cold car) is a little disconcerting. Fookin' bmw and their lack of dipstick.

Though, if complete lack of oil were the issue, probably wouldn't have made it 80 miles.

[james008]

They mentioned that they added oil since it lost some taking out the old oil cooler. From the looks of it they installed it right. But the car has been in the shop for almost three weeks and I was so excited to get it back with it all fixed up and ready to go.

[SharkBait]

Something has gone seriously wrong with your engine. I can't tell if that is rod knock or not but it kind of sounds like it. You're not getting any codes for misfires? Can you tell if the sound is coming from the head or the bottom end? If it's the bottom end, I am going to vote rod knock as result of some sort of oil starvation. If top end, maybe a valve got stuck open or a lifter failed again from lack of oil.

Your mechanic may have done something stupid like drove it without oil and then put oil in it and hoped there wasn't enough damage for you to notice.

You might want to seek an independent diagnosis. Regardless, wherever it goes next, it should get there on a flatbed. You shouldn't drive it.

[black335i]

sounds like possibly the shop did not install the oil cooler correct and its causing your motor to knock could be a blown motor or ruined lifter dont drive it or start it, make the shop pay for it.

[Blue Streak]

Oh yeah, that doesn't sound healthy at all. Was it an Indy shop or BMW? I hope they cover any damage that may have occurred.

[Killerfish2012]

Doesn't sound like it's the engine to me. But I wouldn't drive it like sharkbait sez. You might want to have it towed to the dealership ASAP. If you loose enough oil, then the oil pressure light will light up right away before it the oil gets dangerously low. This happened to me when one of my oil cooler lines shredded, and I lost a ton of oil. Started hearing engine knock sounds by the time the tow truck arrived, luckily there was no engine damage. My wild guess, and hope is that it's your serp belt/one of your pulleys hitting the subframe.

[j1gilles]

Sounds like it could be a rod to me.... Shop probably forgot the oil after the install. If it is a rod it should get louder under a load. Rev the car until you hear the noise and then brake torque the car to the same RPM and compare. If it is a rod take the car to the dealer and see if there are any codes for low oil or low pressure stored.. If the shop was stupid enough to run it without oil I bet they didnt clear any codes.

[MrRager]

its not rod knock. rod knock goes away when the engine is reved. sounds like a valvetrain issue. there may be a lifter or a rocker out of place. you def have a major issue though. im thinking rocker since no CEL

[Lifted07Duramax]

In for what the issue si

[j1gilles]

Originally Posted by MrRager

its not rod knock. rod knock goes away when the engine is reved. sounds like a valvetrain issue. there may be a lifter or a rocker out of place. you def have a major issue though. im thinking rocker since no CEL

Since when do rod knocks go away when you rev an engine? Is that a BMW only option?

[james008]

It was taken to a Hendrick shop here in Charlotte, they own two BMW dealerships but are not BMW specific. They are a very reputable shop, but doesn't mean they didn't make a mistake.

One the highway it was not easy to hear, I drove about 80 miles at around 80mph give or take. I am not getting any CEL's and the car pulls and drives fine but the sound is obviously not good.

It was really hard to tell if it was on top or below of the engine. Car is going in first thing in the morning.

Idle there is no sound and it was hit and miss while driving, sometimes, even in the same gear and rpm range the sound would be there and sometimes it wouldn't.

Scary noise though.

[black335i]

put it to stock and take it to warranty lol

[E90Company]

Originally Posted by j1gilles

Since when do rod knocks go away when you rev an engine? Is that a BMW only option?

Lol, +1

[james008]

That is a major question I have, I took it to the shop with DCI and the AA BOV installed. I don't want to put the stock parts back on incase they claim I made modifications after I got it back, but I also don't want it to go to the dealer and void my manufactures warranty. I think I will take the stock parts with me and maybe ask them to put them on if it ends up going to the dealer.

[j1gilles]

Originally Posted by james008

That is a major question I have, I took it to the shop with DCI and the AA BOV installed. I don't want to put the stock parts back on incase they claim I made modifications after I got it back, but I also don't want it to go to the dealer and void my manufactures warranty. I think I will take the stock parts with me and maybe ask them to put them on if it ends up going to the dealer.

Probably a good idea....

[SharkBait]

Originally Posted by j1gilles

Since when do rod knocks go away when you rev an engine? Is that a BMW only option?

Yeah. Not sure what he's talking about either. I don't know of any rod knock that goes away when revved. After further consideration, it might not be rod knock simply because its not consistent enough. It would typically knock on every revolution and get louder with revs. Maybe a busted rocker or lifter.

Originally Posted by j1gilles

Sounds like it could be a rod to me.... Shop probably forgot the oil after the install. If it is a rod it should get louder under a load. Rev the car until you hear the noise and then brake torque the car to the same RPM and compare. If it is a rod take the car to the dealer and see if there are any codes for low oil or low pressure stored.. If the shop was stupid enough to run it without oil I bet they didnt clear any codes.

Low oil codes is a good idea. Is there a date/time recorded for the last time codes were cleared in case the shop cleared the codes afterwards?