Ticking Clocks

[Ceej]

This is a problem i have had on my 318i E30 for a while now and it has now got to the point where i have gotta do something about it.

When i am using the car i seem to be getting a ticking noise from behind the clocks whenever the rev's get high. Has anyone else had this problem before and if so how the hell do you stop it.

I was tempted to pick up a second hand set of clocks to solve the problem but was not too sure if any other E30 sets of clocks would work with the 318i ???

Thanks In Advance


Ceej

[Brianmoooore]

Never heard of ticking behind the instruments before, but any E30 clocks, except very early ones will fit, as long as you use your original "coding plug". ( White rectangular plug in board on lower right front of instrument assembly.

[Ceej]

Yeah its really wierd .....its only happening when your at about 2500 rpm ...its just really hard to put your ear close to the noise when you have to be moving to spot it


Ceej

[cros]

Could it be the injector/valvetrain noise being conducted up through the hollow steering column?

There's a plug inside the steering joint on the column side which falls out and makes a lovely engine-bay stethescope for all the noise.

If missing, you can pull off the steering wheel center and plug a bit of blu-tack into the column instead.

If it really is the clocks, the likely culprit is the odometer. The speedo & tacho are just spring loaded galvanometers - which are silent unless jerking about.

The odometer is driven by a pulsing stepper motor through a load of gears and decimators. If still working OK, a bit of grease/oil would quieten things down.

[mrLEE30]

my old 318 did the same and it was as cros says the injection system, used to be obvious on motorway at around 50-60mph, either drive faster or upgrade the ICE (or plug the holes in the steering column/bulkhead)

mrlee