Another Nasty Noise Thread - Photos & Video

H

hoffrock

Member
 Wales / Essex
Evening M'ers

So I have had the Z4MC for just over a month now. Loving the power and the sound! I have gotten used to the standard tappety-ness of the S54 and the clunk of dif-driveline etc etc. (even if I thought it was broken at first - plenty of forum reading and youtube videos allowed me to see what was "normal")

There are a few noises that I don't think should be there however.



PART ONE - Rear suspension jangle.

I have noticed a kind of clanking/jangling from the rear when I'm going over bumps and driving up my multi-story. It seems to echo more in the multi-story so is much more audible.

After checking the Forum for answers I came back empty handed and so I decided to get my hands dirty.

IMG_6032_zps58d038eb.jpg

IMG_6031_zps29b49149.jpg


I jacked the car up and took off both rear wheels, checking for play in the wheels and looking at the springs etc. Springs are both in tact and nothing seemed loose or rattly. The exhaust baffles are slightly broken up but nothing that would cause the noise I am hearing. I shook the exhaust around at the front and the rear and couldn't hear any clashing with the chassis. I am rather clueless to what is causing the noise.

Still not having any answers I recorded a video for you Forum'ers to have a gander at.

http://youtu.be/XExuYYhBD7M
[youtube]XExuYYhBD7M[/youtube]

Apologies for the wind noise, it was recorded on my iphone4 which is rather tired and useless.

The car handles/drives fine, and it doesn't sound like something is about to fall off but it is quite annoying.

If any of you chaps/chapettes have an idea, please fire away!




PART TWO - Possible Vanos / Rough sounding rev when standing.

I have noticed a concerning new noise when starting my car up this afternoon. I revved the car up to around 2000-3000 once it had warmed up a bit, and it sounded really quite rough.
It sounded quite like the Vanos noise from this this Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzvFWu-_hsI
[youtube]lzvFWu-_hsI[/youtube]

Here is the video I took when I got home today:

http://youtu.be/lqUFGm5ztvY
[youtube]lqUFGm5ztvY[/youtube]





The Car has 52k miles and is going in for an Inspection 2 at the end of the month @ ELMS Cambridge. I was confident to keep driving the car until then but the new engine noise concerns me... I use the car daily (15 mile round trip average).

Im tempted to try and get it checked out before then just for piece of mind - I don't want to damage the car over the next 10-15 days before the service.

I tend to be a hypochondriac when it comes to cars and I am always listening out for new unusual noises. This one has stood out as a not very pleasant one.

Any advice / ideas you guys have would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

Dan

PS. On the plus side, My Z4-forum sticker arrived today!

IMG_6118_zps71ae3339.jpg
 
The first sound less clunky than the cracked/broken spring sounds I've heard, it's never happened to me though so I've never heard it 'live'. It sounds more like something scraping/touching/tapping a brake guard or cat shield.

Your second one doesn't sound anything like the example video, which gets rougher and rougher the more it's revved. Your's doesn't sound much different to mine does when it's cold, and there's always a little noise from the VANOS anyway. My (new) engine has got almost 90k on it and hasn't broken (although the first one 'broke' at 23k).

I normally don't notice mine (and didn't before the loud exhaust) and would only hear it as I went close past a wall or something.

Here's a 'healthy' one - and you can clearly hear the normal level of 'rattle' when the video gets close to the VANOS cover.
[youtube]OdbwUKcBcgo[/youtube] (engine in shot from about 16s)

It's not surprising that there's a little noise, as this is what's in there...
P1120405.jpg

Short runs won't be doing the car much good though, as nothing ever gets properly warmed up. I wouldn't use it if I couldn't get it up to and at operating temps for at least 10 minutes on a run (i.e. not heating up through sitting in traffic).
 
I would agree with mmm-five about the short trips. Whenever I take the zed out I try to have at least a half hour run to ensure that everything is up to temperature. Short runs, particularly with the S54 engine, can do harm.

Re the engine noise, I'm not sure it's anything to worry about, but I'm sure when the inspection 2 is done you'll get a more qualified opinion :thumbsup:
 
Agreed with the above.

Your VANOS does not sound as bad as some - I've heard much worse(!) - warm it up and the rattly noise goes away. I had an E36 M3 Evo, the first cars with the double VANOS to my recollection - very rattly to start with and then once you'd driven some good miles (can be up to 100 miles in my experience depnding on type of driving), you check the sound again and it's really nothing.

I'll start again. VANOS is a great system. Other manufacturers have other systems. The BMW VANOS has faults. It does rattle - as do other bits of the engine. I was paranoid about my prev car and so we put it on the diagnosis machine - never any problems, despite the fact it ratled a lot and me bricking it at every twist and turn... There are any number of other engine rattles and catches that are in the mix to the extent that, if you just read the interweb, you will think the VANOS is the end of all BMs as soon as you hear the engine rattle event the slightest bit. Fact is you will hear so many rattles just in a normal engine bay that it can be quite difficult to hear a VANOS problem above other more minor problems - difficult to isolate basically. Personal example: I was convinced my E36 had an issue - turned out to be the water pump... bit of a bitch in intself but VANOS read perfect every time. Yse, I know I'm a numpty for confusing it with the water pump but there you go...

When you consider that Porsche have had well documemted problems on the 996, for instance (I understand this has carried over to the 997 even), you would never buy a decent performance car again if you were worried by rattles. I very nearly went for a 996 turbo before my current Z4MC but plumped in the end for the BM - half the decision being that I'd kind of got used to their rattles, foibles etc. and wouldn't be fooled by seomeone mentioning the unmentionable (the VANOS!!).

Long story short, for peace of mind, go to a sensible indy and get a VANOS test done. The full BMW diagnostic hand-(like, both hands)-held reader can do a VANOS test - it will rev the engine and cycle over a bit, up and down the rev rang etc, but it will also give readings as to what the contraption is doing as the revs rise/fall. You might be unlucky and you might have a problem but 9/10ths of the time it is simply a figment of your imagination - having seen some (but not many) horror stories on the net. The bad stuuf gets over-publicised - it's just a fact of life.

Whist I wouldn't want to be put to the test on the following statement - my personal understanding is that the "fail" rate of some other cars which are in a similar bracket to your beautiful M machine is higher. Just be glad that, should the worst come to the worst, you can fix it for £2k or thereabouts - considerably less if you have a good mechanic with you - rather than a £5k problem that you might experience with a.n.other car brand...

This will always be a controversial subject so get a VANOS test done and don't lose sleep in the meantime. I confirm that I am not a BMW mechanic and do not have the relevant diagnostic tools. I also confirm that two main dealer mechanics from BMW's service dept (might have been based in Leeds and Wakey but my memory is not perfect if you get my drift) told me - with respect my E36 - that the VANOS was knackered and it would be considerably over £2k to get my car back to a workable condition. Indy checked it on the genuine BMW diag reader. Never went back to BMW.

HTH :driving:

Stevo
 
Mine sounds the same as yours, a bag of small spanners rattling gently.

As an aside, if you keep your foot on the clutch when you switch off the engine you won't get that annoying rattle :wink:
 
Not that I really want or need to add anything to my above post but that's kinda the reason I have the HACTUAL VANOS in my sig pic - it is nothing to be afraid of unless you have genuine problem. Good luck.

Stevo
 
And there was me thinking you just like the///M in the engine bay :D
 
Bing said:
And there was me thinking you just like the///M in the engine bay :D
Click to expand...

yeah, you've got me there, it's just the badge mate, that's all I care about...

That vid - that engine sounds fine to me, eh?
 
stevo///m3 said:
Bing said:
And there was me thinking you just like the///M in the engine bay :D
Click to expand...

yeah, you've got me there, it's just the badge mate, that's all I care about...

That vid - that engine sounds fine to me, eh?
Click to expand...

The OPs vid ? Well mine is on 26k miles, the car has never been thrashed when cold (in fact PVR never took it above 2,000 RPM until it got to operating temperature - I do the same 80% of the time, and never above 3,000), pristine service history... I do a small number of short (slow) journeys, but most driving I do gets it nice and warm before stopping for any length of time. The OP's sounds just like mine, and I'm pretty confident mine doesn't have any issues. It just sounds like a tank when it's cold and a toy tractor when idling, which I guess is normal for these cars from what everyone says.
 
Bing said:
stevo///m3 said:
Bing said:
And there was me thinking you just like the///M in the engine bay :D
Click to expand...

yeah, you've got me there, it's just the badge mate, that's all I care about...

That vid - that engine sounds fine to me, eh?
Click to expand...

The OPs vid ? Well mine is on 26k miles, the car has never been thrashed when cold (in fact PVR never took it above 2,000 RPM until it got to operating temperature - I do the same 80% of the time, and never above 3,000), pristine service history... I do a small number of short (slow) journeys, but most driving I do gets it nice and warm before stopping for any length of time. The OP's sounds just like mine, and I'm pretty confident mine doesn't have any issues. It just sounds like a tank when it's cold and a toy tractor when idling, which I guess is normal for these cars from what everyone says.
Click to expand...

I'm on 26K too and also religiously stop at 3k (or well before) when not warm - and by warm I mean all lights have gone out to 7.5k revs and temp at c.85 deg c and, yes they all sound a bit nasty when cold. The warm weather helps in my experience. Once you've done a few miles, it just sounds totally normal - as you say, it can (but doesn't always) sound nasty straight from turn on but calms down after 5 mons and some driving.

Stevo
 
The getting-up-to-temp bit is actually quite frustrating as I'm mostly a weekend driver despite having no other DD so it's either a long drive or behave for me. Could be worse I suppose.
Stevo
 
Yep, lights go out a lot sooner than the temp being right though, which smacks of 'gimmick' a bit to me... Mine is a DD, and I share your frustration... It does give me time to get to some decent roads though :D

As for the noise, I actually love all the sounds it makes, especially a cold start in the close confines of the garage. It's just a bit agricultural, reminding you it ain't actually a pretty boy car... Can't wait till tomorrow now :driving:
 
Not sure my wife appreciates it at 5.30am in the garage right under the bedroom... But my opposite neighbour — who is a biker - loves it too 8)
 
Yeah, the exhaust is lovely, a real thing to behold, you won't waste your 5 mins listening to it from cold with - as I can tell - two changes in note from cold - no mistake there - but as we probably know, it doesn't have a bearing on engine health realistically, that's just the pipes - and this post relates to the "rattle". Sorry to be a bit officious. The cold start is gorgeous, mind. Quite liked the E36 start from cold. The E86 is a different - and better - noise. Shame it's not the GT-R noise...
Stevo
 
Could the creaking be the top mounts have gone? Apparently a common thing on the rear of the Z.

Mine creaks at the front but I have H&Rs which do creek a little as there is barely any travel.

Engine sounds spot on tbh they are very tapestry. Had two S54s and that certainly wouldn't be giving me concern, if you are looking for something you will most certainly find something just take it out and enjoy :thumbsup:
 
Cheers for the feedback guys! (I've been working all weekend so only just got a chance to get back on here)

It seems the general consensus is that it sounds pretty normal. (the engine was at temp when i took this vid, and had been for a while if that makes any difference)
I will take it easy on her up to the service, and see if it gets quieter after the clearances have been checked etc. (hopefully it will - if not I will have to invest in a shoutier exhaust to drown out the tappeting sounds :evil: )

On the subject of only driving the car for the short journeys, the car is normally up to temp (90 odd) by the time I arrive. And I tend to do a good few miles every weekend, including the "spirited" kind of mileage it was built for. I plan to change the oil at least twice as much as required to solve the oil contamination issues associated with repeated short journeys.

I checked out the top mounts and and around the disk guards when i took the wheels off. Couldn't see any fouling which was odd. Im thinking it may be bushes. I will ask Elms to check it when i take it in.

Anyone here had any dealings with ELMS? I was recommended them buy a colleague who has his E46 CSL serviced by them. He said the ///M master techs there seemed to have their heads screwed on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom