[sqexpress]

First a brief of the thread: Cylinder head replacement doesn’t work for my car, the ticking noise continues shortly after the replacement and never stops.

Now the long story:
There is a long thread about the ticking noise from the N52 engine (http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13504), BMW has recommended dealers to replace the hydraulic valve lifters and replace the cylinder head to solve the problem. According to the thread, most people’s problems go away after the cylinder head replacement. During the three years I have the car, I had been to the dealer’s SIX times because of this problem, they had performed almost every steps according to the BMW bulletin (engine bleeding, replacing the lifters a couple of times) and finally a month ago they replace the cylinder head for me. I thought the problem was over and I was happy to get my car back at 12/02/2010. I was wrong. The ticking noise comes back a few days after the work was done.

I called my service advisor and was told I need to break in the car for about 200 miles as the cylinder head was replaced. Since then I took the car out almost every weekend for a decent long trip (average about 200 miles per trip, and I put on snow tires on the car) and now I had close to 1000 miles since the cylinder head replacement. Still the noise happens EVERY SINGLE morning. I park my car in my heated garage every night. It’s not the normal sound when you start the car cold. It sounds like an old diesel and is totally not normal. The sound is extremely loud when the weather is very HUMID. I am not sure if this has anything to do with my engine being the N51. Do any of the N51 owners experience the same problem as I do? (FYI here is a post regarding the difference between N51 and N52: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52608)

Here is a list of trips that I have made to the dealership for the problem:
03/2008: Performed bleeding procedure to the engine.
11/18/2008: Dealer states the sound is due to jammed fuel caps and replaced the cap
(This kept happening in 2009. I was busy with my first child and didn’t go to bug the dealer)
03/08/2010: Removed and replaced all exhaust hydraulic valve lifters. SI B11 09 07
10/21/2010: Replaced exhaust hydraulic valve lifters AGAIN. SIB 110907
11/24/2010: PUMA CASE #36150185 submitted
12/02/2010: Cylinder head replaced.
01/22/2011: Brought in the car again. Dealer said BMW NA will probably DO NOTHING.

Now the list of parts for cylinder head replacement, in case you are interested.
11-12-7-591-619 CYLINDER HEAD WITH
11-12-7-548-799 BOLT CYLINDER HEAD
11-12-0-392-547 SET OF ALU. SCREWS
11-12-7-521-167 ASA-STUT BOLT
11-36-7-524-954 COLLAR SCREW
11-12-7-555-757 CYLINDER HEAD GASKE
11-12-7-571-963 GASKET SET CYLINDER
33-32-6-768-354 HEX SCREW WITH COLL
82-14-1-467-704 ANTIFREEZE
11-42-7-566-327 SET OIL-FILTER ELEM
07-51-0-017-954 MOTOR OIL SAE 5W-30
83-12-0-405-186 WINDSHIELD WASHER A

[sqexpress]

Anybody with N51 has similar problem even after cylinder head replacement?

[sqexpress]

bump

[sqexpress]

On the July 2010 issue of Roudel, Jeff Flottman stated the similar issue that cylinder head replacement didn't solve the tapping issue, and he got new car from the dealer to replace his 2008 328xi. Not sure if his is a SULEV model though.

If anybody who still have the tapping noise after the cylinder head replacement please respond to this post.

[integrale4wd]

Originally Posted by sqexpress

First a brief of the thread: Cylinder head replacement doesn’t work for my car, the ticking noise continues shortly after the replacement and never stops.

Now the long story:
There is a long thread about the ticking noise from the N52 engine (http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13504), BMW has recommended dealers to replace the hydraulic valve lifters and replace the cylinder head to solve the problem. According to the thread, most people’s problems go away after the cylinder head replacement. During the three years I have the car, I had been to the dealer’s SIX times because of this problem, they had performed almost every steps according to the BMW bulletin (engine bleeding, replacing the lifters a couple of times) and finally a month ago they replace the cylinder head for me. I thought the problem was over and I was happy to get my car back at 12/02/2010. I was wrong. The ticking noise
comes back a few days after the work was done.

I called my service advisor and was told I need to break in the car for about 200 miles as the cylinder head was replaced. Since then I took the car out
almost every weekend for a decent long trip (average about 200 miles per trip, and I put on snow tires on the car) and now I had close to 1000 miles since the cylinder head replacement. Still the noise happens EVERY SINGLE morning. I park my car in my heated garage every night. It’s not the normal sound when you start the car cold. It sounds like an old diesel and is totally not normal. The sound is extremely loud when the weather is very HUMID. I am
not sure if this has anything to do with my engine being the N51. Do any of the N51 owners experience the same problem as I do? (FYI here is a post regarding the difference between N51 and N52: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52608)

Here is a list of trips that I have made to the dealership for the problem:
03/2008: Performed bleeding procedure to the engine.
11/18/2008: Dealer states the sound is due to jammed fuel caps and replaced the cap
(This kept happening in 2009. I was busy with my first child and didn’t go to bug the dealer)
03/08/2010: Removed and replaced all exhaust hydraulic valve lifters. SI B11 09 07
10/21/2010: Replaced exhaust hydraulic valve lifters AGAIN. SIB 110907
11/24/2010: PUMA CASE #36150185 submitted
12/02/2010: Cylinder head replaced.
01/22/2011: Brought in the car again. Dealer said BMW NA will probably DO NOTHING.

Now the list of parts for cylinder head replacement, in case you are interested.
11-12-7-591-619 CYLINDER HEAD WITH
11-12-7-548-799 BOLT CYLINDER HEAD
11-12-0-392-547 SET OF ALU. SCREWS
11-12-7-521-167 ASA-STUT BOLT
11-36-7-524-954 COLLAR SCREW
11-12-7-555-757 CYLINDER HEAD GASKE
11-12-7-571-963 GASKET SET CYLINDER
33-32-6-768-354 HEX SCREW WITH COLL
82-14-1-467-704 ANTIFREEZE
11-42-7-566-327 SET OIL-FILTER ELEM
07-51-0-017-954 MOTOR OIL SAE 5W-30
83-12-0-405-186 WINDSHIELD WASHER A

I'm having the same problem here too in my case I had the cylinder head replaced and I'm trying to find out if the lifters needs to be replaced too. The dealer is unsure if they have the updated lifters in the engine.

My advise to you and you should do this it works. Ask to talk to the service manager tell him that you want him to get a BMW field down to see your car. If he doesn't do it than say to him you know your service sucks I won't buy a car complain to the guy who sold you the car threaten them that you are going to get the lemon law. Believe me it works everytime.

[MPR]

Any updates on this? I hear a slight tapping, almost diesel sounding, when I have my hood open. It could be just normal valve train noise but im not 100% sure. I can't really notice this with the hood closed and it doesn't sound as loud/obvious as the tapping I've seen/heard in youtube videos. Do you only experience this after a cold start or what? My car is a 08 328xi SULEV. I will be selling/trading before my warranty is up so I'm not too concerned I guess but its annoying to have an issue like this in the corner of your mind.

I wonder how the dealer would react after telling you the sound is OK/normal and then you turn around and say you want to trade it into them for a new car. In your case I would definitely go for lemon law.

[tony176000]

I have participated quite a lot in the BIG ticking thread. I have had my HVLs replaced. I still have a VERY SLIGHT tick, especially when you do the short, low-rev trip. But, as I have stated, and truly believe, that no one will actually know what is going on until the MY '06-'11 get beyond 100,000+ miles, 8-10 years old and someone cracks these puppies open to see what is really going on with the tick. It may be cosmetic (although I doubt that highly). It may just be BMW, as all their motors are a little "ticky". Sometimes I wonder if replacing the head is step in the wrong direction, since there are some people such as OP who that does not work for.

My point, no one knows and only time will tell.

Sorry, best to all the BMW owners who have to deal with this issue.

I say, drive the shit out of it or trade up. Mine is not even noticeable 99% of the time. Others, such as OP and "DL" sound like diesels.

[baege]

Did OP or DL post about the ticking returning after the head replaced?

I tried a search but can't find the posts/thread.

[c_jeong89]

Well I have a N51 and basically went through the same process the OP and others have gone through. Basically up to the point where they replace the cylinder head but right now I do hear a slight tick although it is not as noticeable as before. I was talking to my SA about it and he said it is covered under CPO so if you have CPO then you should be good for awhile.

[q_jonblaze]

i have a sulev 328 from usa and about a few months after ownership, the ticking is sooo bad everywhere i pull up, i get asked if the car is a diesel...the car is out of warranty so if anything has to be done, ill be footing the bill...

my ticking is not in the morning but alll day long no matter how hard or how long i drive it for.