Weird noise when starting the car after an alignment

[athletic01]

I have a question regarding an alignement I did on my Z4 today. So today I bought new tires (runflats) and I did a sport alignment on the car also. Once I came home I noticed a weird noise when I start the car. Everytime that I start the car now it does something like "tick,tick,tick" for a few seconds on the passenger side. I know that this noise wasn't there prior to the alignment that's for sure. Does anyone have any ideas what the heck that could be? Thanks.

[Stromtech]

I doubt the ticking is related to alignment or tires. Check the DISA valve, it's on the left side of the engine and it can make a noise like loose lifters. It's easy to check and replace. If it breaks and the metal pin gets sucked into the engine the results would not be good. Mine was toast just short of 60K miles which seems to be average.

[keeton]

What year? The earlier N52 engines that started with the '06 model year had a bad habit of the valve lifters getting noisy and making a noise exactly as you described. For a while they were replacing the entire cylinder head under warranty but I think they have isolated the problem and are just replacing the lifters.

[Pyewacket69]

What year? The earlier N52 engines that started with the '06 model year had a bad habit of the valve lifters getting noisy and making a noise exactly as you described. For a while they were replacing the entire cylinder head under warranty but I think they have isolated the problem and are just replacing the lifters.

Since the problem, such that it is, began immediately after an alignment, it's doubtful it's a lifter or clogged oil-galley issue.

[athletic01]

It's a 2004 Z4 3.0i and thanks to everyone that responded i'll check everything out.

[ECSTuning]

Usually with OEM wheels you'll not run into this but I've seen cars have the wheels balanced and the wrong style weights be used, it creates a clicking that's very audible at lower speeds. Just another simple thing to look into.

[The HACK]

They disconnected the auto-leveling sensor on one of the control arms. Now the headlights go through its start-up sequence going crazy thinking that one end of the car is "slammed" and the leveling motors is at the end of the adjustment range.

Turn on the lights and see if it's pointed WAY DOWN.