E30 Zone

I had a bit of work done on my 88 325 loads of bits from a snapped rear spring to a full inspection 2 and cambelt change .
I picked her up on Saturday and she sounded like a tractor and my engine was always super quite .
I went right back after going up the road it was as tappety as hell really noisy .
Anyway I arrived back and bearing in mind I had parted with £980 just 10 mins ago I was not happy .
Anyway the owner who is ex Bmw said that with the service he adjusts the tappets he says 2 where a little stiff I think he said .
He says they will rebed them selfs in a couple of weeks if not I must come back and he will readjust .
I can't explain how noisy it is it sounds really bad worse when it bounces of cars etc .
Strangely enough it pulls like a train with plenty of power .
And advice .

£980 ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, did you ask why he is ex BMW ?

A lot of work was done .
New rear discs and pads .
New handbrake shoes cables .
New bushes drop links .
Two rear springs .
Exhaust brackets.
Full inspection 2
Cam belt plus auxiliary belts .
New wiper arm with new blades .
New cap for fluid bottle .
New drivers side mirror glass
New vicious fan.
A few seals here and there .
So it's a lot of work ha but still don't explain my noisy engine now ?

The price sounds about right for that amount of work.

325s run best when the valve clearances are set at .35 mm hot. This will make them audible but not 'clattery'
Often, unscrupolous types set them tight to mask a foooked cam , resetting them correctly will make the car run noticeably better but also make it notiicably louder .
Did he mention anything about cam wear ? I am assuming he would have checked it, fitterz often don't There is also the possibility he did not set them properly, the line about them 'bedding' in is 8ollox and would not inspire confidence. Worn eccentrics and or valve tips will make it difficult to adjust clearances accurately as will master tech stylee incorrectly fitted eccentrics

Have you tried prising the centre badge off your steering wheel while the car is running and putting your finger over the hole in the end of the column ? If the noise level drops notably, put a bit of chewing gum / Dum Dum in the hole and hey presto, fixed !
An insecure bulkhead grommet can also be a source of excessive engine noise entering the cabin , as can rust holes !

Pete the noise is from outside the car it's not intrusive inside the car .
It's louder when passing close traffic or when you open the bonnet .