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'tapping' engine

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:28 pm
by LLcoolK
I know many of the e30's have this noise, but is there anything i can do to stop it or keep it from getting louder!!
cheers

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:46 pm
by fowler
regular oil changes and to make sure the tappets are correctly adjusted

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:44 pm
by LLcoolK
anything i can do to get rid of the noise completely?

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:51 pm
by ajm-e30
just adjust the tappets mate, mine were quite bad so spent an hour adjusting them earlier and it sound much better already

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:01 pm
by bmwe30mtech
What engine is it? If a 1.6 or 1.8 M40 then in reality there is nothing much to be done. Live with it, despite it being really annoying! :wink:

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:14 pm
by munky30
castrol high mileage engine oil

But that wont get rid of the noise altogether.... there's a reason TAPpets have that name...

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:20 pm
by Brianmoooore
munky30 wrote:castrol high mileage engine oil
BMW don't do 'high mileage' engines!

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:24 pm
by munky30
:?

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:49 pm
by aceraf
You can get all sorts of addatives...i used some from halfords, was in a purple tin.... works quite well when the car's upto temp.....really noisy when i first turn the key though :(
just adjust the tappets mate, mine were quite bad so spent an hour adjusting them earlier and it sound much better already
How would you adjust the tapets???? I've only had time to service mine, and the odd bits and bobs....not looked at engine since :?

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:59 am
by LLcoolK
its a 2.5 cab, so just regular oil changes and adjusting the tappets then?

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:11 am
by Renton500
Someone has told me of a trick to block out this noise when you're driving, i haven't tried it yet, but I have been assured it works.

Basically, you get a blob of blue-tack and stick it on the nut on the end of your steering column under your steering wheel centre cap. Apparently this gets rid of most of the engine noise from within the car!!!

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:27 am
by Templ8e30
Renton, the blue tack trick works a treat :cool:

Push it firmly over the steering wheel nut so it covers the hole in the end of the shaft, stops the tapping noise from coming up though the hollow shaft.

Cheers,

Iain T

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:31 am
by Renton500
Thanks Ian.

I need to adjust my tappets, once they're done i'll try the blue-tack trick for any remaining noise. :D

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:38 pm
by slinky2000
blue tack, I must give this a try!, lol

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:47 pm
by aceraf
Basically, you get a blob of blue-tack and stick it on the nut on the end of your steering column under your steering wheel centre cap. Apparently this gets rid of most of the engine noise from within the car!!!
what about the noise outside the car????

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:59 pm
by slinky2000
just an example mate, now does it compare to this sound:


Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:04 pm
by liam012
that sounds like there is too much clearance between one of the tappets or maybe even a dry rocker due to oil starvation (sometimes if the bar is slightly bent it can drip wrong or if old can get blocked up)

Re: 'tapping' engine

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:55 pm
by aceraf
slinky2000 wrote:just an example mate, now does it compare to this sound:

mine gets louder as i rev higher....not sure what it sounds like on the outside...may have to get ma mate to rag my car about so i can hear it!!!