95 m3 odd noise

[AlexT]

I was at the auto-X this weekend. After 2 laps, my car started ticking loudly at idle. But 2 more laps saw no problem. After dring on the highway home, the noise totally went away.

Any one knows what caused it? Is there a fix? It might be oil starvation. Would going to a better oil fix the problem? Do I have to go to a dry sump system like the LWT?

Any help is good.

[jww///95]

You are correct, the noise is caused by oil starvation.

The noise you heard is from one of the hydraulic lifters after it has been bled dry. It takes a little while under normal use to refill with oil, and will be much louder during this period of time.

Next time you are out autocrossing or any activity that will cause the oil to wash up the sides of the oil pan, go ahead and add an extra half quart of oil (at least). This will keep more oil available at the pickup. You can even drive around with extra oil in the engine all the time. Thats what i do. I try to overfill enough to keep the level 1/4 inch above the second notch on the dipstick. This has served me well for street and open track events.