BMW 325i 2005 Engine noise and No cold air from A/C

[zeroxpertise]

H̶i̶,̶ ̶I̶ ̶a̶m̶ ̶n̶e̶w̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶u̶m̶s̶.̶ ̶
̶P̶l̶e̶a̶s̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶t̶c̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶v̶i̶d̶e̶o̶,̶ ̶I̶ ̶e̶x̶p̶l̶a̶i̶n̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶b̶l̶e̶m̶.̶


EDIT: ENGINE NOISE FIXED. I still need help with the A/C not blowing cold air.
The compressor does kick in.

[TonyAngel]

How many miles on the car? Have you scanned for codes? It's really hard to tell what the noise is. I can't tell if it's an exhaust leak, VANOS noise, the compressor or what? Can you tell where the noise is coming from?

If that noise is coming from the compressor, I'd say that something is wrong with the compressor. Is it kicking in and spinning or is that noise coming from the clutch slipping? If the compressor is where the noise is coming from and the clutch is slipping, I'd say that was your problem.

Does the noise stop when you turn off the A/C?

[zeroxpertise]

Miles 145,188. I have not scanned for codes since I do not have a scanner. I did take this to a local mechanic and he told me it was a bad motor. I took it back from the mechanic and decided to post here for help.
I highly doubt that's a noise coming from the compressor. Even with the A/C turned off that rattle or knocking still happens.

[bmwdirtracer]

Without being there, and perhaps using a stethoscope, it's difficult to tell what the noise is, or where exactly it's coming from. Certainly "bad motor" is the diagnosis of a moron, and you did well, by running away from that place.

Besides buying a mechanic's stethoscope (~$20 at Sears or Napa), the best home-diagnosis you might be able to do would be to remove the belts, and run the car BRIEFLY, to see if the noise goes away. If so, it's a pulley problem. Don't run the engine for more than a minute or so, because no coolant will be circulating.

Past that, you really need to see a BMW specialist. This could be a rattling timing chain, or other very serious matter, that needs to be addressed immediately, before it becomes a "bad motor".

[zeroxpertise]

I don't have a stethoscope on my so I used a metal antenna to listen for the noise. I checked the top of the engine, alternator, a/c compressor. Turns out it's coming from the tensioner. Here's a video and a clear picture.

[TonyAngel]

Dang, that sure didn't sound like a tensioner on the video. I guess it's my laptop speakers. At the mileage on your car, I'd have to start wondering when the last time that pulley was changed and consequently, the last time the idler pulley and the rest of the cooling system was changed. Of course, it could just be the tensioner that's bad and everything else is good. While you have the belt pulled, I'd at least check the idler and the water pump to see if impending failure is evident.

[MarcoZandrini]

Concur with Tony's recommendations. Spend some money now to overhaul the cooling system. That needs to include new tensioner and ilder pulleys. Also, install a hydraulic tensioner if the car has a mechanical tensioner.

[bmwdirtracer]

Well, I'm going to disagree with the recommendation of my good friend. I personally much prefer the mechanical (clockspring) tensioner to the hydraulic version.

[MarcoZandrini]

Bit, but, but Chris, the parts guy said my mechanical tensioner was about to die!! He lives where the BMW parts spirits reside so he has to be right. /s

[zeroxpertise]

Thanks everyone, I actually brought it into to a BMW specific mechanic and fixed the problem completely.

[shadowpuck]

and the problem was?

[zeroxpertise]

The power steering pump and idler relay. But now I'm left with the A/C blowing warm air still, I didn't ask them to check it since I'm in a hurry to get my car back before going into work but I have another video to show you.

[TonyAngel]

Is the compressor engaging?

[zeroxpertise]

yes it is.

[bmwdirtracer]

Bit, but, but Chris, the parts guy said my mechanical tensioner was about to die!! He lives where the BMW parts spirits reside so he has to be right. /s

My wonderful friend, many people disagree with me on this. Hell, for a couple of years, BMW disagreed with me, too. And then they went back to clocksprings.

But, well, the hydraulic items have bushings at both ends, which fail. And then there are another few bolts, which break. And then of course, there's the little shock absorber itself. This is a "personal preference" call. You pay your money and you take your chances.......

Oh, zeroexpertise, there is no idler relay. Likely an idler pulley. Which brings us back to whether the tensioner pulley is okay.

[zeroxpertise]

Okay, I just checked the clutch again today and now it's not engaging. Weird, as I saw it engaging the day before I sent it in to the mechanic.

[zeroxpertise]

Okay I got it all fixed folks. After I got my 325i from the mechanic my alternator went bad so I replaced it. I figured the a/c compressor was losing power due to the alternator going bad but it wasn't. So I figured if I let leak out from the low pressure port only warm air would come out. Afterwards I refilled the a/c with some freon and viola my A/C is blowing cold again.
Thank you everyone for helping me out.