BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum - View Single Post - Metallic Ticking noise coming from engine?

PhaseP · 07-08-2013, 12:29 AM

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.

07-08-2013, 12:29 AM	#2381
PhaseP Colonel 1009 Rep 2,109 Posts Drives: 325XI Join Date: May 2010 Location: Earth iTrader: (0)	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.
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