[LittleBlue]

Originally Posted by gopherdoctor

Apparently I have to post at least once before I can actually post to the forums. That is why I am posting here.

I was going to ask:

I am considering buying a BMW 535i XDrive 2009:
Following features:
Premium Package
Winter Package
Sport Package
Navigation Sytem

22k miles
$31,000

My uncle's car. He lives abroad during the winter so it has never seen snow. Always garaged. Is in perfect body and interior condition.

Is it worth 31k?

That is a great price given the mileage and features. You can get that for trade in if you wanted to, buying at the trade in price is a steal

[Hoooper]

have any of you tried opening the oil fill cap with the engine running? 335Ds seem to be developing this sound but the engine is really well silenced by BMW and the sound is really only audible with the oil cap open. Once the cap is open though it sound like someone is under the valve cover hammering on a tin can

[Mturbo]

Originally Posted by ages944

OK, last update.

I got the car back yesterday. Have to say that as nice as the 330xi was, I was still very happy to get back into my E90.

Anyway, though it's still too early to be sure, I am happy that I haven't heard the ticking since I got the car back. Here's the full rundown on what the dealer found on my car.

- Both hydraulic lifters on the exhaust side of cylinder #1 were out of spec. As such, they replaced all 24 hydralulic lifters in the engine. Following are the part #'s for the parts replaced. You can find all of the parts on RealOEM. That will give a very good mental picture of the work done.

(24x) Hydraulic Valve Lifters (push-rods): 11-33-7-548-690
(1x) Set of Aluminium Screws: 11-12-0-392-548
(15x) Torx Bolt: 11-12-7-535-024
(1x) Valve Cover Gasket: 11-12-7-536-785


Bear in mind that this was the work done per the diagnosis for my particular situation, and that it may not apply to everyone with a ticking noise.

In either case, the dealership (Bill Jacobs - Naperville) was great to deal with through the whole process. They took all the appropriate steps to identify the problem (once they actually heard the noise that is), called me every night to give me updates, answered all my questions thoroughly, and kept the entire experience devoid of BS.

How much was all that?!

[kewlguy210]

After I got my lifter replaced about two months ago I switch to Mobil 1 full synthetic 5w-30 with Oem filter. The car runs great and car idle quietly. The only reason I fix my lifters because someone was paying part of it. My car only had ticking sound sometimes.

Originally Posted by Fortyb

I had the Ticking noise at around 15000 miles on my 2007 328 E92..So what i did was use a different oil from what BMW was using which is Castrol..I dropped in some 5w-30 Mobil 1 full Synthetic and haven't had that problem since and i'm sitting at 51500 miles right now... Some of you should try that first instead going through the whole lifter replacement process just for it to return again.

[PhaseP]

Just my 2 cents, the lifter noise happens in this condition:

- Car is started cold and runs low rpm and about one minute or so, and then shut down.

- After this happened you start the car, it gives ticking noise. Ticking noise goes away after car warms up and you drive around 3000 rpm.

So, if your routine with the car doesn't involve running the car short periods of time at low rpm when it was cold already, you won't experience this.

I have a 2006 325, I had this happening now and then. During warranty I was able to get dealer replace the lifters, but I was late to the header replacement game. BMW at that point was insisting on only changing the lifters. So I have been watching out at what conditions this was happening, and by this time I am pretty sure of it.

If you need to drive the car short time, say for instance you need to move your car from driveway to let your spouse's car out, and this is done when bimmer was already cold, and it took at least a minute to do this (car sat idle a bit), next time you start your car it will likely start ticking. (If you have already new version of the engine head, that seems to resolve this). And the noise goes away after you really drive the car, like really warming it and driving it at rpms like 3000 or over.

My speculation to what is happening, the hydraulic lifters both get filled with oil, but at the same time drain a little as they are in use, so that they adjust their height and do their job. When engine is cold, due to tolerances, at least one lifter drains a bit faster than it is being filled by the pressurized oil. So if you idle the car at least a minute when it was cold at start, it gives enough time for the lifter to drain by this time. Next time you start, as the time passed some more drained, it starts ticking, because it needs to be filled again and that is only happening when oil coming in is faster then oil draining, which happens when engine warm and oil pressure is high (high rpm). If you just shut down the engine when it was warm and not ticking already, the lifter contains enough oil and the oil stays in there until next time you start the engine. So cold starts at dealers usually don't show this problem (my experience). You need a cold start, idle run at least a minute or two, then shut down. Then wait somewhat and start the car and idle a bit more, then it starts to tick, and left idling it ticks louder.

My solution, if I know I am driving the car cold and a very short time, I stay in 1st gear only so that it runs high rpms, and try to not let it sit idling. And before shutting down run the engine 3000 rpm or so a few seconds. It works.

Another thing, this issue is being discusses for all these years, I am yet to see one engine damage complaint that is genuinely related to this ticking issue. My engine is running fine for instance without any problems, even though under the conditions I described it ticked.

[Fortyb]

Originally Posted by kewlguy210

After I got my lifter replaced about two months ago I switch to Mobil 1 full synthetic 5w-30 with Oem filter. The car runs great and car idle quietly. The only reason I fix my lifters because someone was paying part of it. My car only had ticking sound sometimes.

I hope the Mobil 1 works out for you like it does for me...To me i think it's a better oil then what Bmw is using.

[Eddien123]

If it's a ticking noise it's your lifters. It's because there isn't enough oil going around your engine yet and it just takes some time for it to work it's way up there. No worries but may need to ass a quart of oil.

[johnmclaren]

I think the noise might be because of some timing chain tensioner in engine which uses oil pressure to press a small "shoe" against the side of the chain to keep tension elevated. Though, not completely sure of your cause.

[Kaarle22]

Hello! im from finland, and i have e90 320i with newer 125kw engine and driven 110 000 its about 65thousandmiles. i have the ticking sound on it too... and my warranty is out of date :S What is the best almoust free do it myself trick to help the valves to not "tick tick" and at the same time good for the valves...? I heard molyslip? next week my city bmw service will check the car but i know they will fix it with hard hands and it will costs about 5-7k euros... close 10k dollar

Thanks
-Kaarle

[CJPatel]

I had a wastegate noise and my turbos are being replaced under a service bulletin. Also includes a 2 year unlimited mile warranty.

[stasha]

Originally Posted by Kaarle22

Hello! im from finland, and i have e90 320i with newer 125kw engine and driven 110 000 its about 65thousandmiles. i have the ticking sound on it too... and my warranty is out of date :S What is the best almoust free do it myself trick to help the valves to not "tick tick" and at the same time good for the valves...? I heard molyslip? next week my city bmw service will check the car but i know they will fix it with hard hands and it will costs about 5-7k euros... close 10k dollar

Thanks
-Kaarle

Kaarle,
It's interesting to hear you have the same problems with mechanics in Finland as we have in the States -- it is rare to find a good one, and even rarer to find one who is honest and good, and rarest to find one who is honest, good, and does not charge more than a neurosurgeon removing a brain tumor.

While I am NOT a believer in oil additives, I was so exasperated by the loud ticking that I poured in an additive called "Marvel Mystery Oil" to the crankcase as well as the gas tank (you can add to both). The ticking disappeared, even through an oil change (I changed from the BMW factory oil to Mobil 1 0W40).

This would tell me that the ticking was a lifter that either needed cleaning (which the Marvel Mystery would help clean out), or that it needed a lighter oil, or that it was an adhesion/retention problem in the oil staying in the lifter after shut-down.

I am 99% positive that my ticking noise was coming from my lifter -- not a timing chain or other causes that I have heard posted.

It is very embarrassing to be driving an expensive and highly noticeable car, with an engine that ticks so loudly that it sounds like a jalopy.

[Kaarle22]

Originally Posted by stasha

Kaarle,
It's interesting to hear you have the same problems with mechanics in Finland as we have in the States -- it is rare to find a good one, and even rarer to find one who is honest and good, and rarest to find one who is honest, good, and does not charge more than a neurosurgeon removing a brain tumor.

While I am NOT a believer in oil additives, I was so exasperated by the loud ticking that I poured in an additive called "Marvel Mystery Oil" to the crankcase as well as the gas tank (you can add to both). The ticking disappeared, even through an oil change (I changed from the BMW factory oil to Mobil 1 0W40).

This would tell me that the ticking was a lifter that either needed cleaning (which the Marvel Mystery would help clean out), or that it needed a lighter oil, or that it was an adhesion/retention problem in the oil staying in the lifter after shut-down.

I am 99% positive that my ticking noise was coming from my lifter -- not a timing chain or other causes that I have heard posted.

It is very embarrassing to be driving an expensive and highly noticeable car, with an engine that ticks so loudly that it sounds like a jalopy.

Hey! Thank you for the ideas. I have inspection next week tuesday and they change oils etc so they will listen the engine before and after oil change (castrol 5w-40) and then if its only valve lifters so i could use your "way" to "heal" lifters...

I hope there aint anything bad in the engine and the noice would go away with simple things

I will post here when the things are settled and my bmw is working as it should be!

[stasha]

One more thing...
I do not know what oil viscosity the BMW dealership used, or the type that they used.
However, a few hundred miles AFTER the Marvel Mystery additive worked, I changed the oil myself to Mobil 1 synthetic 0W40, and the sound has not come back.

I'm thinking the BMW dealership might have used a thicker viscosity oil, and that the Marvel Oil thinned it, as did the 0W40 oil, thus getting into the lifter?? Just a hypothesis.

5W40 should have similar results if it is a question of oil thickness.

good luck

[E81]

I have used mobil 0w-40 and castrol edge 5w-30 and I have some lifter tick after short trips. Oil change seems to quiet the engine for a while but it will come back eventually. If this lifter tick could have been solved just by changing oil viscosity don't you think bmw had done that instead of redesigning the lifters and the head?

Nice to see another member from Finland Kaarle

[E81]

One other thing to think about... How many N52 engines bmw has produced since the introduction in 2005? Hundreds of thousands world wide? How many engine failures have you heard that were caused by this lifter tick? If this ticking was a major problem, we would have seen a flood of posts from users with failed engines. Instead, I think that N52 is considered to be one of the most reliable engines bmw has produced.

[stasha]

Originally Posted by E81

I have used mobil 0w-40 and castrol edge 5w-30 and I have some lifter tick after short trips. Oil change seems to quiet the engine for a while but it will come back eventually. If this lifter tick could have been solved just by changing oil viscosity don't you think bmw had done that instead of redesigning the lifters and the head?

Ni

I cannot otherwise explain why the noise has disappeared after the Marvel oil and 0W40 oil change. It has now been approximately 4000 miles -- due for another oil change.

[stasha]

Originally Posted by E81

One other thing to think about... How many N52 engines bmw has produced since the introduction in 2005? Hundreds of thousands world wide? How many engine failures have you heard that were caused by this lifter tick? If this ticking was a major problem, we would have seen a flood of posts from users with failed engines. Instead, I think that N52 is considered to be one of the most reliable engines bmw has produced.

If you had the ticking problem, you would very annoyed by the racket that it makes -- it is that significant a noise. It is the type of noise that one hears from 20 year old cars whose owners do not maintain them.
The noise is not befitting nor meeting the expectations one would have of a BMW.

[insane79]

Originally Posted by E81

One other thing to think about... How many N52 engines bmw has produced since the introduction in 2005? Hundreds of thousands world wide? How many engine failures have you heard that were caused by this lifter tick? If this ticking was a major problem, we would have seen a flood of posts from users with failed engines. Instead, I think that N52 is considered to be one of the most reliable engines bmw has produced.

Originally Posted by Kaarle22

Hey! Thank you for the ideas. I have inspection next week tuesday and they change oils etc so they will listen the engine before and after oil change (castrol 5w-40) and then if its only valve lifters so i could use your "way" to "heal" lifters...

I hope there aint anything bad in the engine and the noice would go away with simple things

I will post here when the things are settled and my bmw is working as it should be!

are both your engines 2.5ltr straight six?

Thanks.

[stasha]

Originally Posted by insane79

are both your engines 2.5ltr straight six?

Thanks.

Mine is a 3.0/six

[E81]

Originally Posted by insane79

are both your engines 2.5ltr straight six?

Thanks.

Mine is.

[insane79]

Originally Posted by E81

Mine is.

hmmn, whats the production date of your car?

[E81]

Originally Posted by stasha

If you had the ticking problem, you would very annoyed by the racket that it makes -- it is that significant a noise. It is the type of noise that one hears from 20 year old cars whose owners do not maintain them.
The noise is not befitting nor meeting the expectations one would have of a BMW.

Yes I have the noise so I know how awkward it sounds. It is a failed design and doesn't belong to a premium car. But my point was that your engine won't fail because of this ticking problem.