New engine noise....video to follow tomorrow

[BMWManiac]

A couple days ago, I changed belts, coolant, and that's pretty much it. Drove without the music on and everything was fine....this was this past weekend. Fast forward to today. Went to the dealership to have front wheels balanced, started to drive off, and now I hear a continuous ticking sound coming from the rear passenger side of the engine bay....as rpms rise, so does the clicking/ticking noise....I'm assuming it has something to do with the lifters. Perhaps changing the oil would be the first thing to try. I can hear it inside the car when I'm driving...as soon as I apply the gas, I hear the clicking/ticking noise! I'll post a video of the noise tomorrow....it's late.

[giterdone]

A couple days ago, I changed belts, coolant, and that's pretty much it. Drove without the music on and everything was fine....this was this past weekend. Fast forward to today. Went to the dealership to have front wheels balanced, started to drive off, and now I hear a continuous ticking sound coming from the rear passenger side of the engine bay....as rpms rise, so does the clicking/ticking noise....I'm assuming it has something to do with the lifters. Perhaps changing the oil would be the first thing to try. I can hear it inside the car when I'm driving...as soon as I apply the gas, I hear the clicking/ticking noise! I'll post a video of the noise tomorrow....it's late.

your oil isn't low is it? I know lifter tick will increase with higher rpms.

[BMWManiac]

Well, when I checked the dipstick....there was oil on the bottom part but not on the little middle piece. So, added oil and the noise never went away....I'll check the oil level tomorrow along with the audio.

[giterdone]

Well, when I checked the dipstick....there was oil on the bottom part but not on the little middle piece. So, added oil and the noise never went away....I'll check the oil level tomorrow along with the audio.

how much did you add? if you were that low, I'd say you were 2-3 quarts low (when you checked was your engine cold or hot?) if you just got done driving and it was that low, you might be even worse off, which would definately give you lifter tick.

When I ran 5w-30 if I was a quart low and drove spiritedly I'd get lifter tick. (when i ran 5w-30 if i drove my car really hard, even without being low, I'd still get slight tick).

But yeah, you want your oil to be in between the two "cuts" on your dip stick. If your oil is hot, I'd say you might want it to be closer to the top cut.

[BMWManiac]

It definitely sounds like it is coming from underneath the valve cover....I'm trying to upload the video now....not sure if you can clearly hear it on the video (digital camera) but I'm doing my best. The best i can describe it is it sounds like a lawn mower....

[BMWManiac]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=300hS3N_TUQ

I think you should be able to hear it...

kind of sounds like this....without the exhaust in the background!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQo-U...eature=related

[giterdone]

it sounded like lifter tick in your video (hard to hear with exhaust), but the video of the 3 series, sounds like lifter tick.

Usually happens when you are low on oil, or a lower weight oil has been thinned out by heat from really hard driving.

Try adding oil back in, see if it goes away. When you said were at at the bottom cut mark, that meant you were low, either by a little bit if your engine was cold or alot if your engine was hot at the time of the oil check.

[fsmtnbiker]

Engine running smoothly? If so - My guesses:

Exhaust manifold leak. Check the gaskets/studs, see if one broke or you have a leak right at the flange to the head at one of the ports.

Loose spark plug - Easy to check. Just go through and retorque them.

[BMWManiac]

Engine running smoothly? If so - My guesses:

Exhaust manifold leak. Check the gaskets/studs, see if one broke or you have a leak right at the flange to the head at one of the ports.

Loose spark plug - Easy to check. Just go through and retorque them.

Yesterday, I was actually thinking the very same thing....it was too hot, but I wanted to grab the exhaust manifold and see if it was cracked or loose somehow...and I will check the plugs (absolutely praying that this is the case!)

I'll keep y'all posted.

[BMWManiac]

Spark plugs are nice and tight....checking exhaust manifold....I jacked up the car, went underneath and it even sounds like down there at the turbo....I know sound travels and it just makes it that much harder to pinpoint!

[fsmtnbiker]

Is the exhaust manifold cast or tubular? I don't remember what the AA kits look like.

[BMWManiac]

Cast, log style