E36 PROBLEM

Sun Jul 04, 2010 8:44 pm

HI all, i have a tapping problem which gets faster when its reved. my e36 323i is a 1998 model. i have given it a engine flush and changed the oil and sparkplugs, i have been told it could be a problem with the chain tensioner..please tell me how much this could cost me.

Mon Jul 05, 2010 12:19 am

Where's the tapping coming from? when you say engine flush do you mean one of those additive ones?

Mon Jul 05, 2010 6:59 pm

the tapping noise is coming from near the main engine block..i cant really tell where specifically its coming from. sounds like its coming from between the engine and front radiator fan...i had a mechanic look at it today he told me it was one of the pistons inside the engine which was touching something..he said the engine well totally mess up once the piston bar shoots out which can happen any time.. i got a second opinion of another mechanic who said it could be a:water pump b:the belt around the pulleys c:the lower piston.. second mechanic also told me it would cost 350 to replace the piston in the engine. please tell me what you think.

Mon Jul 05, 2010 7:20 pm

get a video of it. i wouldnt belive the mechanics by the sounds of. it,.

does the sound change in volume if you rev it. a little .
oh and have you ran it low on oil ?

Mon Jul 05, 2010 7:20 pm

Piston bar? Please tell me the mechanic never called it that.

I'll admit i'm a numpty if someone enlightens me as to what a "Lower piston" is

Mon Jul 05, 2010 7:22 pm

On a more helpful note, see if you're local to a zoner and they might give you some sound advice.

Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:09 pm

hi, i have never ran it on low oil, the sound changes slightly and gets faster.. i have just uploaded a vid on youtube posted by akilleez84 under the title E36 TAPPING PROBLEM.. the mechanic called it a lower piston bar.

Mon Jul 05, 2010 9:24 pm

still hard to say without being there. but
bottom end bearing shells it sounds like.
as soon as you reved it it made ,me think that straight away .

Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:50 pm

thanks mate, where do the bearing shells be placed.

Mon Jul 05, 2010 11:38 pm

on the big end bearings ..
big end is the lower end of the conrods where the conrod is attached to the crank.
the little end is the end of the conron where the piston is attached with the gudgen pin.

type big end rattle on utube theres a few cars on there with this sound. this might help you . o some sound worse than others. yours if it is the big end. is just the start of it.
and if so . treat now and you should be fine . leave it and ignor it . youll end up looking for a new car

Tue Jul 06, 2010 2:50 pm

here is the link to my tapping problem video

Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:26 pm

Ouch! Doesn't sound good, possibly piston slap?

Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:04 pm

I think it Could be a knackered vanos unit. The vanos is the black section at the top front of the engine. i had one go on a 525 and it sounded like yours.

Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:18 pm

I don't think that's vanis mate, it's bottom end noise

Fri Jul 09, 2010 1:22 am

A completly foooked vanos sounds similar...Its difficult to tell thow going by the video

Fri Jul 09, 2010 6:37 pm

hi all, i wasnt sure the mechanics were right... so i got someone to rev the engine and pressed my ear all over the engine until i got closer to the sound, i discovered the noise was coming from the vanos unit. i have just bought a single vanos unit and well have it fitted by tomorrow. fingers crossed it works. il let u know tomorrow.