Ticking sound from a cold start...

bartoma · 03-11-2014, 09:42 PM

Still learning about my new (to me) 2008 135i...

This morning, my fiancée noted a "tick, tick, tick" from the engine when she started it... Out of an abundance of caution, she took another car to work...

When I got home, I took a look at it - yep, heard the ticking, but after the car warmed up and taking it out for a little drive, it went away...

Is this normal? I chalked it up to a little valve noise from a cold engine... Could it be something else? Should I be concerned?

Deutsche-Broke · 03-11-2014, 10:13 PM

You have a keeper... Both the Fiancee and the Car..

That's one to diligently look into.. Most likely valve lash or incorrect clearance... Not exactly sure how it relates to the turbocharged N54, but after replacing many cylinder heads, my best guess would be the exhaust valves, as they are prone to the highest expansion / contraction cycles.

This would assume that everything else is golden.. Oil, filter, clear passages, free exhaust, clean engine management, etc.. As always, I welcome others to offer up my idiocy..

Hope you get it figured out..

mike@x-ph.com · 03-11-2014, 10:30 PM

The injectors make a ticking sound when on idle ...that is normal

edisapimp · 03-11-2014, 11:38 PM

Sounds like DI.

Dafttt · 03-11-2014, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edisapimp

Sounds like DI.

Yup, my Audi used to do this from time to time.

How many miles do you have? Might be time for a clean-up.

bartoma · 03-12-2014, 08:18 AM

~36k miles on the car... one owner, appears to have been lightly driven...

I listened to it again this morning, and it pretty much goes away when it's warmed up and in any case, it's not particularly loud - don't notice anything while driving...

I figure I'll run some injector cleaner through it - can't hurt, I suppose...

Dackelone · 03-12-2014, 08:38 AM

Yup, its the direct injection that is noisy on cold start.

I also noted that when I changed my oil brand from "Mobil-1's 0w40 LL1 European Blend" to "Castrol RS Edge(now called FST) 0w40 LL1" I had much LESS metallic noises on cold start. Still there, just not anywhere near as loud. Just some food for though.

135Pats · 03-12-2014, 08:59 AM

Most likely it’s just injector tick. But could also be HPFP related, mine made a mechanical ticking noise when I first replaced it with a brand new one.

Is the sound coming from the block? Is it RPM/load related? If it’s a valvetrain issue, the sound will be highly localized to the head. Peripheral ticking noises should be fairly easy to ID.

135Pats · 03-12-2014, 09:05 AM

If it is a timing/VANOS/valve issue, your car will very likely stumble and/or drive like crap. The cam and valve timing will be all sorts of messed up on the exhaust and/or intake side.

bartoma · 03-12-2014, 10:43 AM

Must be injector... Hear it only at idle, and then it's noticeable only when the car is cold... Car runs smooth as silk with plenty of power... Thanks for the observations and insights... :-)

MZWIE · 03-12-2014, 11:51 AM

Yep DI. Plus oil temp. Hot oil flows better than cold oil. So when motor is cold oil hasn't really reached all the nooks and crannies.

Same reason why one should not hammer the motor until fully warmed up.

03-11-2014, 09:42 PM	#1
bartoma New Member 0 Rep 9 Posts Drives: 2008 135i Convertible Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Herndon, VA iTrader: (0)	Ticking sound from a cold start... Still learning about my new (to me) 2008 135i... This morning, my fiancée noted a "tick, tick, tick" from the engine when she started it... Out of an abundance of caution, she took another car to work... When I got home, I took a look at it - yep, heard the ticking, but after the car warmed up and taking it out for a little drive, it went away... Is this normal? I chalked it up to a little valve noise from a cold engine... Could it be something else? Should I be concerned?
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03-11-2014, 10:13 PM	#2
Deutsche-Broke First Lieutenant 110 Rep 393 Posts Drives: 2016 M235i Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Northwest US iTrader: (0)	You have a keeper... Both the Fiancee and the Car.. That's one to diligently look into.. Most likely valve lash or incorrect clearance... Not exactly sure how it relates to the turbocharged N54, but after replacing many cylinder heads, my best guess would be the exhaust valves, as they are prone to the highest expansion / contraction cycles. This would assume that everything else is golden.. Oil, filter, clear passages, free exhaust, clean engine management, etc.. As always, I welcome others to offer up my idiocy.. Hope you get it figured out..
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03-11-2014, 10:30 PM	#3
mike@x-ph.com Joint Chiefs of Staff 24189 Rep 190,802 Posts Drives: 07-335/12-328/18-M4/21-M4CP Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Las Vegas iTrader: (23)	The injectors make a ticking sound when on idle ...that is normal __________________ Check out our current sale by clicking on this link! https://x-ph.com/sale/ Phone number 702-494-9435
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03-11-2014, 11:38 PM	#4
edisapimp Civil Rights Activist 115 Rep 949 Posts Drives: E46 Sedan, E88 Vert Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Long Island iTrader: (0)	Sounds like DI. __________________ E88 Crimson Red Vert MSport 6MT - Listing your mods in your signature is lame. BMS DCI/MHD E30 Flash!!/AA Sport FMIC/VRSF CP w Tial BOV/VRSF 3" DPs/550i clutch w SPEC SMFW/Apex EC-7s/Whiteline RSFB/E92 M3 FCAs/Bilstein B12 Pro Kit/VRSF inlets
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03-12-2014, 08:18 AM	#6
bartoma New Member 0 Rep 9 Posts Drives: 2008 135i Convertible Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Herndon, VA iTrader: (0)	~36k miles on the car... one owner, appears to have been lightly driven... I listened to it again this morning, and it pretty much goes away when it's warmed up and in any case, it's not particularly loud - don't notice anything while driving... I figure I'll run some injector cleaner through it - can't hurt, I suppose...
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03-12-2014, 08:38 AM	#7
Dackelone European Editor 10539 Rep 22,992 Posts Drives: N54 e82 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bayern, Germany iTrader: (1)	Yup, its the direct injection that is noisy on cold start. I also noted that when I changed my oil brand from "Mobil-1's 0w40 LL1 European Blend" to "Castrol RS Edge(now called FST) 0w40 LL1" I had much LESS metallic noises on cold start. Still there, just not anywhere near as loud. Just some food for though. __________________ Dackel's European Delivery Museum Guide
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03-12-2014, 08:59 AM	#8
135Pats Major General 456 Rep 6,478 Posts Drives: A few BMWs Join Date: May 2012 Location: Maryland iTrader: (3)	Most likely it’s just injector tick. But could also be HPFP related, mine made a mechanical ticking noise when I first replaced it with a brand new one. Is the sound coming from the block? Is it RPM/load related? If it’s a valvetrain issue, the sound will be highly localized to the head. Peripheral ticking noises should be fairly easy to ID. __________________ E88 N54 Alpinweiss/Coral Red/Motiv HTA 3586r Tial .82AR/Other stuff...652WHP F30 N55 XDrive EBII
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03-12-2014, 09:05 AM	#9
135Pats Major General 456 Rep 6,478 Posts Drives: A few BMWs Join Date: May 2012 Location: Maryland iTrader: (3)	If it is a timing/VANOS/valve issue, your car will very likely stumble and/or drive like crap. The cam and valve timing will be all sorts of messed up on the exhaust and/or intake side. __________________ E88 N54 Alpinweiss/Coral Red/Motiv HTA 3586r Tial .82AR/Other stuff...652WHP F30 N55 XDrive EBII
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03-12-2014, 10:43 AM	#10
bartoma New Member 0 Rep 9 Posts Drives: 2008 135i Convertible Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Herndon, VA iTrader: (0)	Must be injector... Hear it only at idle, and then it's noticeable only when the car is cold... Car runs smooth as silk with plenty of power... Thanks for the observations and insights... :-)
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03-12-2014, 11:51 AM	#11
MZWIE Lieutenant Colonel 388 Rep 1,660 Posts Drives: M2 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: GEORGIA iTrader: (0)	Yep DI. Plus oil temp. Hot oil flows better than cold oil. So when motor is cold oil hasn't really reached all the nooks and crannies. Same reason why one should not hammer the motor until fully warmed up.
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