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Thread: Ticking sound at idle after car is warmed up

  1. #1
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    Ticking sound at idle after car is warmed up

    I have an interesting ticking sound that looks like its coming from the Vanos. It doesnt occur at start up only after the car is warmed up and at idle. If I rev the car just a little the ticking goes away. I am thinking of changing oil weight and need some suggestions. I read that thinner oil helps this ticking noise. I am currently running Mobil 1 0-40W and the ticking was not there when I used Royal Purple 10-30W and I heard it only one other time when using Mobil 1 10-30W. Thinking of using Mobil 1 0-30W (in autozone) or BMW 5-30W(at dealer), Castrol 0-30W (can't find), Royal Purple (5-20W), amsoil 0-30W (but too expensive) or any others.

    Will the ticking noise go away if I use a thinner oil wt (second number?)

    EUROCLIQUE

  2. #2
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    all of these cars have the tick.. for the most part, i got rid of mine with a thicker weight oil... right now im running 15-50.. seems that it is gone for the most part.. when i use the thinner weights i get the massive tick until i drive it for a few.. then its gone..

    edit: also some add some extra oil.. sometimes up to a quart.. but thats usually done by the autoXersi just use the standard 7..
    Alex

    [SIZE=1]BMWCCA# 368302

  3. #3
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    If the lifters are worn, then thicker oil helps. It slows the oil from leaking out when the cam lobe whacks it.
    James Muskopf
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  4. #4
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    I am not 100% sure but I think mine is a Vanos sound and not a lifter sound. I just bought the 0-30W Castrol and its ACEA A3 and BMW LL-01 so its should be ok with the car. I'll let you know if the ticking goes away. Mine doesnt tick unless the car is hot and at idle at around 600 rpm according to my tach. If I rev it just alittle the tick goes away. No sound after 800 rpm and above. Does anyone think it still would be lifters or Vanos? I also bought the 5-30W from BMW cuz the place I went to get the Castrol told me over the phone yesterday that they didnt carry it. I had some free time (since I didnt finish the toys for tot run) so I went over to Kragens, Pep Boys, Autozone all I called and said they didnt have it but ended up Autozone has the 0-30W. Oh well at least I have alot of oil now.

    EUROCLIQUE

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by EUROCLIQUE
    I am not 100% sure but I think mine is a Vanos sound and not a lifter sound. I just bought the 0-30W Castrol and its ACEA A3 and BMW LL-01 so its should be ok with the car. I'll let you know if the ticking goes away. Mine doesnt tick unless the car is hot and at idle at around 600 rpm according to my tach. If I rev it just alittle the tick goes away. No sound after 800 rpm and above. Does anyone think it still would be lifters or Vanos? I also bought the 5-30W from BMW cuz the place I went to get the Castrol told me over the phone yesterday that they didnt carry it. I had some free time (since I didnt finish the toys for tot run) so I went over to Kragens, Pep Boys, Autozone all I called and said they didnt have it but ended up Autozone has the 0-30W. Oh well at least I have alot of oil now.

    EUROCLIQUE
    Yeah I have that same click. It becomes apparent after I run my car at a track event and the car gets really hot. I usually do a cool down lap and it goes away. A buddy of mine told me that all bmw M3s do it. I might try adding extra motor oil or using a thicker weight to see if it helps.

  6. #6
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    sounds good. Let me know how it goes with thicker weight oil. I'll keep everyone posted going to thinner 0-30W and let everyone know if that works for this symptom.

    EUROCLIQUE

  7. #7
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    so far here is my development on this ticking sound. My car has 117K by the way. So the first oil I tried was 10-30W Royal Purple and No ticking. I then tried 10-30W Mobil 1 and only one time I remember hearing the ticking. But I read that we needed ACEA A3/ BMW Longlife 01 type of oil so I went to 0-40W Mobil 1 and thats when there was ticking almost all the time at hot idle. I also noticed after this change that the car would not accelerate and felt like it had a loss of power. I like the 0W because its great for engine wear and the fuel economy is good but this ticking really sucks. No ticking at cold or startup. Just ticking at hot idle. So I found Castrol 0-30W which is also ACEA A3/ BMW Longlife and the ticking is less only occasionally at idle. So getting better but not the best. Ok now I am thinking maybe trying the Amsoil 2000 0-30W since that seems to be the rated good and if the ticking still is there I am gotta go back to the 10W or 15W. Also I have put in the CD2, STP Oil Treatment, Mystery Oil as treatment and have not tried Lucas yet but that is going in next. Also may play around with the idea of the Timing Chain Tensioner change (the one that is easy to access) but its around 100 bucks at the dealer close to me. So I think I mess around with oil and see how it goes. Drives great and smooth just the ticking at idle. Anyone else have any thoughts on this.

    EUROCLIQUE

  8. #8
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    have you thought about checking your valve train and seeing if the lifters are ok?

  9. #9
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    takeso,

    Aren't the lifters self adjusted. I was thinking of this but thought they were. I use to adjust lifters on older Fords but not sure on BMW M3 E36s

    EUROCLIQUE

  10. #10
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    I found best results with the BMW Castrol TWS 10w 60 oil in stopping / preventing any tick. Expensive though; smoother than mobil1
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  11. #11
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    They are self adjusting but still are a wear item. 3 weeks before I bought mine, the owner had the dealer chasing ticking. They came up with three "bad" lifters, so all were replaced. Some ticking was still there, so next they replaced the oil pump ($$$$ bad for him, good for me. Oil nut was locktited!) next. Since I've owned it I've only noticed it once, gave it a half qt of oil and it's been silent since......

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  12. #12
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    0w30!?!? Are you kidding me!?!? Please read your owners manual....
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  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by EUROCLIQUE
    I have an interesting ticking sound that looks like its coming from the Vanos. It doesnt occur at start up only after the car is warmed up and at idle. If I rev the car just a little the ticking goes away. I am thinking of changing oil weight and need some suggestions. I read that thinner oil helps this ticking noise. I am currently running Mobil 1 0-40W and the ticking was not there when I used Royal Purple 10-30W and I heard it only one other time when using Mobil 1 10-30W. Thinking of using Mobil 1 0-30W (in autozone) or BMW 5-30W(at dealer), Castrol 0-30W (can't find), Royal Purple (5-20W), amsoil 0-30W (but too expensive) or any others.

    Will the ticking noise go away if I use a thinner oil wt (second number?)

    EUROCLIQUE
    This subject has been extensivly covered on BF...the general consensus is that using a heavier weight oil (and making sure you check your oil level weekly) eleviates the problem...if you use 0w30/40 or anything for that matter, you're asking for trouble...I have had a good expereince wil Mobil1 15w50...I used Castrol 15w40 organinc oil in my 328i and never had any lifter noises...that was some thick shit too...the label said it was for commercial trucks...lol

  14. #14
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    I looked around BF before posting and most have a problem with ticking noise at start up ( thinner oil lessens this since the thin oil gets everywhere faster), some have the ticking noise at low rpm from 1000-2000 rpm - this seems to be the timing belt tensioner. Some have the ticking noise at above 2000rpm - lifters or vanos, some have ticking going up a hill or after a spirited drive.

    Mine only ticks after the car is hot and only at idle (an not spirited driving or anything to stress the engine) and my rpm needle shows around 600-700rpm. When I give it alittle gas the ticking goes away and the rest of the rpm above 700 rpm there is no ticking - or maybe no obvious ticking. Anyone got any ideas. If not I'm going with the thicker 10W first then 15W but not sure on 20W.

    EUROCLIQUE

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by EUROCLIQUE
    I looked around BF before posting and most have a problem with ticking noise at start up ( thinner oil lessens this since the thin oil gets everywhere faster), some have the ticking noise at low rpm from 1000-2000 rpm - this seems to be the timing belt tensioner. Some have the ticking noise at above 2000rpm - lifters or vanos, some have ticking going up a hill or after a spirited drive.

    Mine only ticks after the car is hot and only at idle (an not spirited driving or anything to stress the engine) and my rpm needle shows around 600-700rpm. When I give it alittle gas the ticking goes away and the rest of the rpm above 700 rpm there is no ticking - or maybe no obvious ticking. Anyone got any ideas. If not I'm going with the thicker 10W first then 15W but not sure on 20W.

    EUROCLIQUE
    I had the same situation and 15w50 Mobil 1 was the answer...

  16. #16
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    ok so here is a new twist. I started my car up on Sunday and the car ran really bad - like it was missing 3 cyclinder or tons of compression. I shut if off and restarted again and it was better but still alittle shaky. I drove it today Monday morning and the ticking is gone for now. I wonder if the computer is still adjusting after I reset it?

    EUROCLIQUE

  17. #17
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    have you tried removing the valve cover and seeing if you need to replace the lifters?

  18. #18
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    can you explain looking for wear on the lifters?

    i'm using 15w50 and still get tick
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  19. #19
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    so far two days and no tick - the engine seems to idle faster and that maybe why. It could be that the computer took three weeks to figure everything out after I disconnected the battery. I dunno. So the engine is starting to sound better now - but maybe next summer I will go to a summer weight oil - maybe royal purple 20-50W or mobil 1 15-50W if the ticking starts when it gets hot.

    EUROCLIQUE

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by RotaryBzzz
    I found best results with the BMW Castrol TWS 10w 60 oil in stopping / preventing any tick. Expensive though; smoother than mobil1
    Same here, I switched from Mobil 1 0W-40 to 10W-40 and got less tick. Now I´m running Castrol TWS Motorsport 10W-60 and keep the Oillevel at the max + about a quarter of oil. No tick ever since. Not even after 50 miles driving a 150mph.

    One liter (1.05 quarts) runs me about 8$ (8,90euro)

    Youre tick goes away when you raise the a idle just a tad ´couse youre oilpresure raises there just a tad too.
    Last edited by stormy1; 08-28-2005 at 12:12 PM.
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