[gIzzE]

My guess is the filter not fitted correctly, or just crap and collapsed.

Nothing wrong with Comma oil, if the correct low ash LL04 spec.

Have you checked the oil level? Ticking is usually from low oil level, so might just need a smidge more putting in. But if that is right I would imagine it is the oil filter, I would just remove the filter housing and check the filter is in properly.
I have seen them put in and the locating pin not in the right place, so it just gets crushed rather than slotting into place, this will crush the filter slightly too and could cause the symptoms you have.

Take the filter housing off and wiggle the filter around and make sure it is secure.

[PaulN]

Thanks I will check. If anything the oil is overfilled slightly.

[gIzzE]

How much by?

That is even worse. I would seriously not drive it until you get the level back down below the max.

Have you got something you can suck it out with?

[PaulN]

only 1mm on the dip stick. Hardly worth mentioning

[Berkay]

I have the same problem

[duchess8180]

Originally Posted by 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.

That's the exactly what I have experienced since I got the 2007 328i 8 years ago. Thanks for your sum up.
After trying all the measures, the lifter noise still there. I finally attempt to replace these lifters (only exhaust side). my questions are
1, can I set TDC just by 2 QR code up without lock the pin of flywheel?because I am lazy to remove the intake manifold and starter to get there.
2 can i put the exhaust cam back in without the timing tool because no movement VANOS?

[1BimmerBoy1]

I used a "thicker" oil and the noise when away

[srkaje]

Hello eveyone, I'm new here.
I can hear this (maybe metallic?) ticking noise from the engine, more of a "slight rattle".
I'm instantly thinking about a timing chain, I don't think it's ever been replaced. Can you guess from this short video? https://youtube.com/shorts/t7QSyeqJHGA

[Eric Pearson]

Cool

[kaysonb]

Im having the same ticking problem to, I’m pretty sure it’s my injects cause I got this code when I first got the car at 110,000 miles
Exhaust Gas Sensor Monitor Bank 1-
Sensor 2 ($02) (1/5)
Module#: $78
Rich to lean sensor threshold voltage ($01)
Min: 0.000000 (V)
Max: 1.099342 (V)
Test Value: 0.640012 (V)

If you have any suggestions please let me know, I don’t want my baby to go out on me😂

[turbotrana]

I have two 2008 N52B30 powered cars. One I have had 100k km to 240k km and the other 36k km to 80k km. I found that the tick comes down to oil viscocity. If I use 5w30 no tick 99% of time and if any appears on startup it goes very quickly.
If I use anything heavier I will get the blasted tick.
Note that it does take many many km for the lifters to blead out the old oil before the ticking stops. I reckon you could even try 0w 20 cause lifter clearances seem to be very tight. Definately heavier oil is wrong.

[EwenMac]

isn't it pathetic that after so many years this problem still exists and elicits debate.

im new to this particular engine and am struggling to find a solution.

having read thru this string 125 pages and yet still no iron clad solution

[EwenMac]

Ok for what its worth here's my take, ive tried everything all the additives without any success, then i purchased the cam timing / locking kit and removed the exhaust cam, and replaced the lifters, i further checked all the rockers and cam for wear, nothing stood out.

once reassembled all the lifters were noise for a few seconds while they pumped up, and then all were quite except for that one pesky lifter, my theory is that the oil flow is inadequate and maybe due to extended oil change intervals an oil passage has varnished up effecting just that one lifter.

so ive tried a range of different oils in the 5w40 weight with absolutely no change,

i did note however that when i first got this car it ran cold, so i replaced the water pump and thermostat, from that point on the car runs around 100c oil and the tick was more pronounced.

so as a second last resort i changed the oil to a 5w30 and wow the tick is dramatically less, little more than the injector tick, so im pretty happy with that, i have one more thing to try and im not even sure if it is related but i plan to remove and check the Vanos check valve/filters to see what they look like.

while maybe to some im flogging a dead horse , all this is just compiling my experience into one place, i case it helps someone else

ive driven myself mad and my wife too, researching all i could and reading the theories of others, reading all about oil and flow and viscosity and weight grrrrrr

[EwenMac]

Vanos check valve/filters are spotless, so after 232300 km that’s pretty good

[Sotishusse]

.

[EwenMac]

i think im slowly getting on top of my lifter tick,

ive been doing very frequent oil and filter changes, at 1600km intervals, and now the oil which was once quiet dark is now coming out fairly clean,

the last lot of oil i used was an Australian brand Nulon 5w30 Euro, and Mann filter, and at the same time i used Nulons lifter tick additive ( which is designed to soften and clean out varnish, un like the liquid molly product which seem thick and didn't do a thing) and its now quietened down significantly, to the point that when i lift the hood the tick is no more noticeable than the injector tick, and unless told an onlooker would not know the difference

my theory is that as i have no service records for this car i don't know how frequently oil changes were done, and from what little info i have it seems that the car may have sat unused for a long time.

i also don't know what oil may have been used, could have easily been cheap nasty out of spec.

so i believe that changing lifters was a complete waste of time and money, i believe that in my case an oil gallery running to the lifters is/was varnished up and i have a feeling that this was maybe due to the extended service intervals and poor quality /out of spec oil used

seems as these cars get older and cheaper many people simply don't care

anyway for me this project is coming along nicely, soon as the weather warms up ill get into the hood inning, and sorting out the poor paint on the roof/turret

[Zedmon]

in my experience. lifter ticks will come (atleast to me) when:

1. low on oil
2. cold weather (-20C or below)
3. short driving distance
4. use of low viscosity oil(based on what happened to my friend)

so far. i dont think lifter ticks cause problems internally. I've been checking my filter everytime i change them. my intervals is every 4500km.

revving the engine at 3000 rpm do help specially when it's cold.

after owning a e90 330 for 2 years. i just gotten used to it and didn't think of it as much. as it will always go away after some time.

[adrian328i]

Originally Posted by ages944

I never did find out if the bad lifters could actually have any detrimental effect on the life of the engine. BMW just said to replace all 24 lifters and that's what they did.

It's been a few thousand miles, and I haven't heard a peep (tick) out of the engine since. (knock wood). IMO, it was worth the hassle of taking it to the dealership though. Just the thought of having bad parts in the engine was irritating to me.

my $0.02

feom whats i Heard, theeres some issue where id u take small trips ANd dont rev out THE car or its cold ash, THE cams arnt lubed enough ANd u h a tick,

BMW solutions is like holding IT at 4k for like 90 seconds ANd IT fixes IT for a couple months

[FunnyMama]

Noticed same metallic ticking for me I think it was the fuel injectors but the sound would disappear when the car was warm. The car ticks loud when started off of a cold start.