Weird ticking noise!!!

[ajonker]

Guys, when I start my e46 330d facelift 2004, it makes this weird ticking noise from the engine, and then when I rev it up to 2000rpm it gone, but it isn't permanent, it comes and goes, but i've notice that when it ticks it misses a bit but when it's gone the car idles smoothly!! I had it at a workshop but murphy's law, it was quiet, what could this be. my common sense is that if it was something to do with the engine itself it would not have been an intermitted thing, please if anyone have any idea please share with me.

 

[Carbon]

We need more information than just "ticking". Many things in an engine could make ticking sounds. But being a bmw, it is most likely valve noise, but here is some other thing that could off the top of my head.
Timing chain(if it has one)
Alternator bushings worn
Big end knock
Piston slap
Sticking rings
Fan hitting something/fan bushing
Engine/gearbox mount
Earthing spark
Almost anyhing that moves...

Maybe you can record the sound when you hear it again, and try and find out where in the bay ot comes from.

Regards
Jacques

EDIT: forgive my stupidity, I did not see it was a 330d, scratch the things that your engine does not have eg. spark/timing chain

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Crash_Nemesis]

Valve clearance is usually the issue related to Engine ticking. Vanos noise is usually a RATTLE, not a ticking. The e46 M3 engine suffers from it badly. I'm not familiar with the other e46 engines having this issue, but I would take it to a reputable mech that knows how these engines work.

Sav at Sav speed immediately knew it was my exhaust cam and valves that needed to be re-shimmed. Unfortunately in my case, the valves were also bent due to the engine running lean.

I don't mean to scare you, but it could lean to something catastriphic if not diagnosed soon, as my bent valve eventually fell into the engine and danced around the cylinder head, thus resulting in this thread --> http://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=35534

Get it checked out. Re shimming may be the answer, but just to be safe, check the valves.

 

[Hubblyking]

My diesel injector plug had a dry joint and also made a ticking sound with a miss.:thumbs:

 

[ajonker]

Thanks for the reply's guys, correct me if I am wrong but if it is valves won't it be constant, as this doesn't happen everyday, and even when I do hear it it will make that tiking noise, almost the same as a tapid noise in old diesel engines, when it clicks then the engine miss a bit and a bit uneven idling, and then when I rev it just a bit sometimes it goes away and the car idles smooth! so it isn't constant. @hubbly king, what is a dry joint, the sound does seem to be around cylinder 4 or 5, and the fact that it misses when it is ticking could be more related to injectors.

the shitty part is I live in the middle of nowhere and the closest proper place that can have a look at it probably gauteng.

 

[Crash_Nemesis]

Hmmm... if it is not constant then I am not sure, out of experience, from my problem with the valves, it was always there. Ticking away.

 

[ajonker]

that is what boggles my mind, I had it at a workshop in gauteng but yeah, murphy's law, dead silent without any miss!!!!!! I think I need to have my injectors checked!

 

[Nic_s]

Hydraulic lifters?? :dunno:

 

[ajonker]

@nic, can that be intermitted, and it never makes the ticking noise above 1500 rpm to 2000. it goes silent then.

 

[Nic_s]

I'm no expert on the matter and I know even less about diesels, but the lifters can sometimes not make the noise depending on oil pressure. Lifters are usually making noise right at start up and then as soon as the oil pressure picks up the noise goes away. This is usually pretty quick. That said, my lifters have become noisy with a low'ish oil level.

Again, I know VERY little about diesels and I might be wrong. In my experience with both my 318i and 540i the ticking noise was lifters.