Help with my Ticking Problem! Vid Inside

[NickSimcheck]

So I just bought a M3 '95 and while buying the car I did not notice any unusual sound. I slowly opened the throttle body and the engine ran smooth as silk. Did a compression test, all cylinders had 190-195 PSI. 4 Days later, I start it up one cold morning and TICK TICK TICK so I decided well I'll try the loose spark plug trick cause I did a compression test, all plugs were tight. Didn't fix problem. Said to myself of next best thing to do is change oil, maybe he has a really thin oil in it. So in goes the 15W-40 along with a bottle of Auto-RX. Start it up... No different.

Symptoms;
Ticking upon startup, ticks untill some-what warm (2-3 Minutes)
Ticks (warm) driving at 1500-1600 RPM but is much quieter then the cold tick at idle.
Ticks (warm) for a short period of time when you let off the gas from 1200-3000 RPM. Same sound as 1500-1600 RPM cruise.
Tick dissappears 2-3 minutes after started while idling.


UPDATE: Tick in consistant, cold/hot 650-7000 RPM it's there.


Thanks,
Nick

First video is of cold start, second was right after the first. In other words the engine ran a total of 1 cold minute on video.
Videos;

http://media.putfile.com/ColdStartPt1
http://media.putfile.com/ColdStartPt2

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4371/10022953en.th.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/my.php?image=10022953en.jpg)

[NickSimcheck]

Oh forgot to add is has 133K miles on it.

[deilenberger]

Forgeddaboutit.. Sounds normal. The lifters are draining down when the engine isn't being run. As long as it starts up and the ticking goes away in a minute or two - I'd fogeddaboutit. It's an old car - they do this sorta thing.

What oil did you put in? I don't know of any 15W-40 synthetics.. Mobil-1 15W-40 seems to be the oil of choice here unless you're in Alaska.

[M52 POWER!]

Are you putting a full 7 quarts of oil in?

[GG///M3]

could be timing chain or just old lifters, or maybee vanos.

[NickSimcheck]

\What oil did you put in? I don't know of any 15W-40 synthetics.. Mobil-1 15W-40 seems to be the oil of choice here unless you're in Alaska.

BobIsTheOilGuy(dot)com is the place.

Synthetic should not be used when running Auto-RX through any engine. I used a full 7 quarts of GM Delvac Diesel oil. And before I get flamed, the extra detergent in Diesel Oil actually helps Auto-RX with the flush.

How can I determine if it's the VANOS unit?

I'm thinking of leaving it as is for now and waiting for the Auto-RX to flush the gunk out of the lifters. See if that helps any.

[GG///M3]

are u sure you should be using that kind of oil in a gas engine?

[NickSimcheck]

It's only for a short time. (1500 Miles) and my reason for doing so is because the additives in most synthetic oil "polarizes the liquefied debris on the engine’s internal oil-lubricated parts" The whole point is to rinse all the internal parts of these "liquefied debris". A good “Dino Oil”, or better yet, a diesel oil with more detergent, will not have the stuff that they put in a synthetic that makes Auto-RX go (like the Germans say) Kaput.

[deilenberger]

are u sure you should be using that kind of oil in a gas engine?It's actually an excellent oil for a gasoline engine. Diesel oils have a better base stock, resist breakdown better and have a better acid neutralizing package.

A diesel engine is MUCH harder on oil than a gasoline engine due to the pressures in the cylinders being much higher than a gas engine.

I used to run Castrol-RX-Super in several of my BMW's - cars and bikes. RX-Super is a diesel rated oil equal to Delvac, and easily available at chains like PepBoys for the same price as GTX. Worked well - never had any oil related problems.

There is also a Delvac synthetic - which is probably even better than Mobil-1.

[CarbonBlkE36]

yea i run the diesel oil 15-40 from lubro moly. no complaints

its the one in the red bottle

[mobil1]

Sounds like the lifters to me. If the car gets low on oil by even a little bit, the lifters get really noisy. To me, they are very noisy anyway.

[NickSimcheck]

So I souldn't be very concerned? Maybe if Auto-RX doesn't take care of it I'll change out the lifters at 150K miles.

[clumpymold]

I believe if it's VANOS-related, the sound is constant regardless of speed.

If it's lifter ticking, the sound increases when you give it more throttle. :dunno

[NickSimcheck]

Yeah, exactly why I was concerned. I've had plenty of lifter tick cars and this one just doesn't sound the same. Ticks from idle(600) to 900 RPM then again (a bit quiter) when you hold it at 1500-1600. Just driving the car like usual it won't tick at 1500-1600 you have to hold it there for a second. Then anytime you let off the gas you can hear it from 1200-3000 RPM but it's pretty quiet, maybe the same as the 15/1600 tick.

[JETninja]

It's actually an excellent oil for a gasoline engine. Diesel oils have a better base stock, resist breakdown better and have a better acid neutralizing package.
A diesel engine is MUCH harder on oil than a gasoline engine due to the pressures in the cylinders being much higher than a gas engine.
I used to run Castrol-RX-Super in several of my BMW's - cars and bikes. RX-Super is a diesel rated oil equal to Delvac, and easily available at chains like PepBoys for the same price as GTX. Worked well - never had any oil related problems.
There is also a Delvac synthetic - which is probably even better than Mobil-1.

Very true! That's why I run Shell's Diesel Syn Rottela T 5-40. 4qt jugs at Wally world for $14.

BTW, Mobil 1's SUV&Truck 5-40 Syn is the same as the Delvac Syn. Just saw Walmart carry's the SUV version in 5qt jugs. Nice!

[NickSimcheck]

Ok now it's doing it all the time, WTF?

I put a screwdriver to my ear and it seems as if it's loudest right over the oil fill hole (or between Cyl 5 & 6) I can still hear it plenty well over the VANOS but not as much. Where can I order lifters (and valve cover gasket) at a good price? Maybe I'll swap in new ones after I'm done with the Auto-RX.

[SDCosmosM3]

check your spark plugs. loose spark plugs make for an annoying tick.

[NJdylan]

Good luck with those cams. Let me know how it went if you decide to go through with the swap, Ive been thinking about a valve train overhaul for some time now. http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticles/E36-Camshaft-Removal/E36-camshaft-removal.htm
I hope the link works, but if you dont already know this is a very usefull site.

P.S. What is youre level of technical experience?

[///M LIFE©]

Sounds like you are low on oil...

[SpeedLi///Mit]

I'd measure the valve lash first before you go and order new parts... and if ok.. maybe piston slap? I dunno if these engines have a problem with that.. but my friends dad has a 96, he says he has a noise similar to what you describe and that is what he thought was causing his... maybe try a cold compression test.

[nightkrawler]

ok, where to start... 15w40 synth? yes, amsoil makes it. now to the autorx, you understand that it isn't a solvent flush and it takes a considerable amount of time to complete the treatment and see results? plus since you're over 100k, you have to do the treatment twice. use a non synth oil for the treatment, and follow the directions to the t. i did the treatment and it worked great. read up on the instructions for it on the site, www.auto-rx.com . i'd let the autorx do its job before i started changing engine parts.

[dcroghan]

Don't want to woory you but when I had my 325 it began to make a similar noise and over time it got worse and sometimes I could hear it on the highway when in the fastlane against the divider (echo). As it turned out, I know this is rare for BMW, but my oil pump was bad:( $$$$$$$
Just a thought.

[NickSimcheck]

What is youre level of technical experience?

Enough that a little cam removal (while complicated) doesn't scare me.

[NickSimcheck]

ok, where to start... 15w40 synth? yes, amsoil makes it. now to the autorx, you understand that it isn't a solvent flush and it takes a considerable amount of time to complete the treatment and see results? plus since you're over 100k, you have to do the treatment twice. use a non synth oil for the treatment, and follow the directions to the t. i did the treatment and it worked great. read up on the instructions for it on the site, www.auto-rx.com . i'd let the autorx do its job before i started changing engine parts.


Yes I understand Auto-RX very well, I'm a hardcore BITOG lurker. I'm going to give it some time to free up the lifters, if it doesn't reduce the noise then I will continue with checking valve lash. Always do the simplest thing first.

[NickSimcheck]

I know this is rare for BMW, but my oil pump was bad:( $$$$$$$
Just a thought.


Was it the infamous "Loose Oil Pump Nut" or was the pump actually worn?