VANOS Rattle?

[mr wilks]

Anyone who's owned a S54 any length of time develops a ear for how theirs sounds.
If you haven't owned it long certain noises can be alarming.
You really need to offer up a vid of your own car as opposed to a forum diagnostic on a unconnected YouTube clip.
Few basic things to ask yourself Re your car
1) last valve clearance check?
2) who carried out the check & did they actually do it?
3) oil, , as in last changed , what spec & is level correct.

[RedUn]

Like others, from the vid I’d struggle to say mine sounds much different.

One noise I can think of as being intermittent at startup is the buzz from a loose heatshield around the cats. And something that seems to get louder as the engine warms up is the noise of the injectors ticking, heard best by winding down the window as you’re driving close to a wall.

VANOS rattle is very distinctive - sounds like marbles in a can and grows/fades between 2.8-3k rpm. It’s normal.

Basically, the thing sounds like a bag of spanners/sewing machine like all legendary engines.

I’d only had my car a day (6-7 years ago from a main dealer ) , and dodgy wheel balancing caused those rattling heat shields to fail. BMWs fix... new catalysts, crazy!

But yes agreed, they are noisy and characterful. OP , do you live near anyone with a Z4M that you could have a quick listen to ? That would be your best bet other than taking it to a garage.

Like others, from the vid I’d struggle to say mine sounds much different.

One noise I can think of as being intermittent at startup is the buzz from a loose heatshield around the cats. And something that seems to get louder as the engine warms up is the noise of the injectors ticking, heard best by winding down the window as you’re driving close to a wall.

VANOS rattle is very distinctive - sounds like marbles in a can and grows/fades between 2.8-3k rpm. It’s normal.

Basically, the thing sounds like a bag of spanners/sewing machine like all legendary engines.

I’d only had my car a day (6-7 years ago from a main dealer ) , and dodgy wheel balancing caused those rattling heat shields to fail. BMWs fix... new catalysts, crazy!

But yes agreed, they are noisy and characterful. OP , do you live near anyone with a Z4M that you could have a quick listen to ? That would be your best bet other than taking it to a garage.

Unless anyone on here lives near Stevenage / Hitchin, I don't know of any locals with an S54 unfortunately. I doubt it could be heat shields based on the vibration being pretty close to revs - but I suppose stranger things have happened....

I'm not far away mate if you want me to have a listen? Work in stevo

[bradz]

Got 2x S54's in Bedford if you want to compare.

[Jembo]

Bag of spanners.... do love that comment when it comes up.

Fortunately mine’s reasonably quiet until stirred - then she sounds almost like in-car footage of a Touring car, with her mechanical whirring & singing.

It’s what makes them (to me) so enjoyable, being a throwback to the days when cars weren’t so cosseted

If she pulls like a train, runs evenly & doesn’t smoke, certainly ask for a second opinion though feel you’re ok

[alex.baker1989]

I’d only had my car a day (6-7 years ago from a main dealer ) , and dodgy wheel balancing caused those rattling heat shields to fail. BMWs fix... new catalysts, crazy!

But yes agreed, they are noisy and characterful. OP , do you live near anyone with a Z4M that you could have a quick listen to ? That would be your best bet other than taking it to a garage.

I’d only had my car a day (6-7 years ago from a main dealer ) , and dodgy wheel balancing caused those rattling heat shields to fail. BMWs fix... new catalysts, crazy!

But yes agreed, they are noisy and characterful. OP , do you live near anyone with a Z4M that you could have a quick listen to ? That would be your best bet other than taking it to a garage.

Unless anyone on here lives near Stevenage / Hitchin, I don't know of any locals with an S54 unfortunately. I doubt it could be heat shields based on the vibration being pretty close to revs - but I suppose stranger things have happened....

I'm not far away mate if you want me to have a listen? Work in stevo

Yes please! Where do you work?

[AndyBeech]

Sounds like the VANOS, mine had a bit of a rumble / rattle before it was replaced at 80k. It's probably a bit of wear to one of the many parts on it, most likely the splined shaft that sits in the hub on the exhaust side, they do have some play in them. Doesn't sound like anything to worry about to me though, the death rattle is much more obvious than that (where the hub tabs break off) though not always depending if both have broke or only one, but caveat...see last paragraph.

However the only real piece of mind you'll get is if you take it apart for a look. Not a massive job to be honest and can replace some parts while your in there. You'll probably notice a similar rattle sound when you turn on the engine from cold for just a second if your listening for it.

Genuinely though you'll not get an accurate diagnosis from listening and certainly not from an internet forum listening to it. If you're worried get it to a garage who know what they're doing with it and can put your mind at ease

[RedUn]

Unless anyone on here lives near Stevenage / Hitchin, I don't know of any locals with an S54 unfortunately. I doubt it could be heat shields based on the vibration being pretty close to revs - but I suppose stranger things have happened....

I'm not far away mate if you want me to have a listen? Work in stevo

Yes please! Where do you work?

PM'd