E30 Zone

Guys I was doing the battery test for Brian when I heard this weird rattle sound coming from the engine everytime the car slowly revved to and reached 2000RPM . Can you make it out? It sounds like a rattle and lasts for 5mins. Timing tensioner?

Here is a recording not that clear sorry.

Click here to listen

Rattle? I'd really be more concerned that it sounds like a diesel! Could maybe do with a better sound clip it's hard to make out.

Could be a tensioner. It's worth changing it ASAP and see if it makes any difference... I'm changing mine this week when the new one arrives...

Glad mine doesn;t sound like that though... I thought mine was bad as I've got no sound deadening, but I feel a little better now!

Ill try get a better recording, ignore the recording for now! Has any1 else heard a short rattle after reaching 2000-3000rpm. I cant hear it in the cabin and it doesn't happen all the time.

Yeah... me, when I first bought mine. Removed the tensioner, fiddled with it and replaced it. Solved the problem. But I'm now replacing it with a new one (same as the E36 / Z3 item) for about Ԛ£28 from the dealers...

Might as well do it.

Dr Geeman thank you , I will be changing the tensioner.

Its the hoses that need changing thats why she sounds crazy, I havn't had the time to change them.

Thanks Guys

I had the same noise right after I boutgh mine and being a student at the time, promptly ignored it for 5000 ragging miles.

Ԛ£150 ish quid to replace the chain, guides and tensioner in the end.. Nice.
And it started whining like a bitch after too.

Jai

Did you do the chain yourself Jai? Thats cheap if a mechanic did it .

I had the same problem a while back, changed the tensioner didnt cure it, in the end I changed the chain by myself @134,000 mls..the engine sounds very good (sweet) now

pmaddy00 wrote:I had the same problem a while back, changed the tensioner didnt cure it, in the end I changed the chain by myself @134,000 mls..the engine sounds very good (sweet) now

Yeah mate I've decided I'm going to give her the full works, when I get the time! She needs it.

Yea, I changed the chain and stuff myself. It really isn't as difficult as it looks..

The cams on mine were WAY out of time too, to the point where it was idling like someone was po-going on the throttle. Now it's rock solid.

As I said, the engine only sounds sweet-ish due to a whining noise.

Any ideas on this?? Doesn't sound terminal at all.

Jai

jaistanley wrote:Yea, I changed the chain and stuff myself. It really isn't as difficult as it looks..

The cams on mine were WAY out of time too, to the point where it was idling like someone was po-going on the throttle. Now it's rock solid.

As I said, the engine only sounds sweet-ish due to a whining noise.

Any ideas on this?? Doesn't sound terminal at all.

Jai

does this "whine" happen straight from start up? I think I've got this aswell, thought it was fan belt. Sounds like a scourer being brushed against a pot .

I haven't listened to the clip, but rattley noises usually suggest timing chain. I fitted a new tensioner (very easy job) and it made no difference. Then I fitted a new chain and sprockets (reasonable job, took about 6 hours, getting crank bolt off required a home made tool). That improved things but didn't competely solve problem. Tappets are suspected. Engine pulls really well so I've opted to ignore the noise.

Ill get a screwdriver, put it to my ears, and put it to the different areas of the rocker cover! Should help me pin-point any other noises .