[ChrisNI]

Ok guys ive been pulling my hair out on this one.

Left the car up to the place were I bought it to get a ticking noise checked out.

Its been therer since day one, when you start the car cold or hot, just like a ticking noise when idling.

Doesnt effect performance etc and sounds a wee tiny bit like the idling noise a deisel makes. Only very slightly, dont be thinking its sounding like a tractor,

Place I bought it off cant find anything wrong and say its a characteristic of the car/engine.

Is this correct, or is everyones car silent. Like tappets noise etc. Not overly loud but a few people I know have heard it

Chris

[TheBingoBalls]

Probably the valves clicking like many of others have experienced. If you YouTube "BMW E90 Valve Clicking" chances are it's what you're experiencing.

Personally, it's an annoyance knowing it shouldn't be like that but since it's does not affect driving, it's not something I'm too worried about.

[SCN_Saul]

isnt it the carbon canister/re-circ system usually?

[idnan]

Mine makes a very light ticking but the three I looked at did the same thing also so I assume its normal:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...hlight=ticking

[ChrisNI]

Thank god ... will listen to videos later to confirm, thanks guys

[m1bjr]

You have six very high pressure injectors tapping away.
And 24 hydraulic valve assemblies.
Sometimes one will make noise at idle when the oil pressure is lowest.
This is not uncommon, you may find as the oil heats and thins it goes away.
It often quietens after revving the engine to raise oil feed/pressure to the head area.
But it might not. A particularly loud / unusual or obvious tap from ONE area might indicate a faulty valve assembly.

If you run the N54 type engine with that plastic engine trim cover off, its like a tractor when cold.
Thats' why the cover is lagged with sound insulation underneath

[mjh93sa]

Not a lot to add to what has been said before.

I took one look at the thread title and thought "I bet it's a 335i" which pretty much sums it up. The direct injection engines are not the quietest at idle.

My 135i could on occasion develop quite a loud ticking at idle, but just a gentle tickle of the throttle and it would disappear. Other than that they do sound more like a cross between a diesel and how you think a petrol will sound at idle.

[DarkAnt335i]

As above info.

My 2.3 DISI engine had the same tapping,clicking diesel like noise as the 335i due to HP direct injection.

As M1BJR says.... try it without the engine cover on

[doughboy]

If you blip the throttle to about 4k and it stops as the revs fall (on the overrun), then it's the fuel injectors.

They stay shut on overun and start again when revs drop back to idle.

Mine does it, and my 330i did it.

[Dave3]

Glad i read this, my 325i has done it once or twice but soon goes, glad i found out its not a major issue

[jak_ir]

Originally Posted by Dave3

Glad i read this, my 325i has done it once or twice but soon goes, glad i found out its not a major issue

I believe the n52 ticking noise is different to that of the n54. Someone correct me if i'm wrong?

[wallsmk2]

I think they all tick a bit, but the N52 has very noisy lifters which are more of a loud clicky slap kinda thing. I think all models with the engine suffer, from the 5 series to the z4

In the USA there was an ultimate fix of changing the head to keep a bit of oil up there but not sure it solved the problem entirely. I haven't heard of any damage to the engine from this problem though. It may be worth a chat to opie oils or an oil expert to see if a certain grade of oil may help.

[Dave3]

Had a complete oil drain wash out and change & not heard it since...
Lent the car to my old man before xmas, he said he put some oil in it...no doubt the cheap shit, hence the change!! So far so good & its been 2 months since

[m1bjr]

Yes, fresh oil should help.
Most important is correct asembly of the oil filter insert and seals,
otherwise you may be passing dirty oil around the system.

[TheBingoBalls]

The last video above is the lifters clicking and very bad engine knocking (unless the video makes it sound louder than it really is). Anyone ever get that loud of a knocking? Mine started to knock (much less quiet than the video) then I started using 94 Octane and it went away.