Cold Start up

I'm just curious as to how your Zed sounds on initial start up. With mine since new I get this hard to describe sound on cold start which seems to be coming from the front of car, possible exhaust. The sound is like a metallic rasping, and goes away after a few mins, only does it when you pull away and revving the engine. I'm wandering if it could be a turbo waistgate rattle which can be common on BMWs. I don't think its the exhaust flap as its coming from the front although I might lubricate the flap and see if it improves things.

I have to say I'm starting to dislike the engine more and more to a point its spoiling ownership for me. The other day with the engine still cold I was sitting at some traffic lights and could hear this awful rattly sound bouncing off the car next to me. I looked in the mirror thinking there was a diesel behind me and realised it was me :oops: Plus I still get a low pitched whine when cold at idle. Once its a warmed up the engine is fairly smooth but even at idle its not exactly quiet and just gives a tappety noise :cry:

Whilst I love everything else with the Zed, the engine to me is bordering on pretty poor and a possible deal breaker when I come to change. If I do go for a M135i I will be looking at the engine very carefully and if its anything like the N20 it may be time to go for an alternative make :(

Tim.
 
I've got the N52B30 which rattles a bit when left for a couple of days& then started up. It's the exhaust valve hydraulic tappets that the oil has drained out of. It goes after a couple of minutes but still sounds like a bucket of spanners for a short while. The dealer has done a software upgrade to minimise it, the oil pump is mechanical which works off engine revs however there is an electronic pressure relief valve & this is controlled by the computer. Basically it increases oil pressure on start up to get the oil up to the top of the engine as quick as possible, then it's quiet! It's a well documented problem with the N52, check out U tube for your engine & see if there is a similar problem. Some of the 4pots had timing chain rattles due to a weak spring & there is an upgraded spring for it.
Hope it helps.
 
Chuffer said:
I've got the N52B30 which rattles a bit when left for a couple of days& then started up. It's the exhaust valve hydraulic tappets that the oil has drained out of. It goes after a couple of minutes but still sounds like a bucket of spanners for a short while. The dealer has done a software upgrade to minimise it, the oil pump is mechanical which works off engine revs however there is an electronic pressure relief valve & this is controlled by the computer. Basically it increases oil pressure on start up to get the oil up to the top of the engine as quick as possible, then it's quiet! It's a well documented problem with the N52, check out U tube for your engine & see if there is a similar problem. Some of the 4pots had timing chain rattles due to a weak spring & there is an upgraded spring for it.
Hope it helps.

Cheers for that :thumbsup: It seems Googling the N20 engine brings up a number of discussions on this engine sounding a bit rubbish when cold. I know alot of the noise is down to the high pressure injectors but there is also alot of tappet noise going on along side it :cry:

Tim.
 
Recent BMW engines are very good both in performance and economy. But they are noisy old boxes. My brother always pokes fun when he sees me and hears my car, commenting 'Diesel?'
 
If theres one bit of the car i've been happy with is the engine. Think its the N52 on the 23i. The only noise i hear, even from cold is the clicky noise from the the injectors, which gets more rapid if you rev up and silent on deceleration, all else is quiet.
 
If it sounds rough at 1.5 k Tim, then I would hate to think what it will sound like with some use!
Take it back in full belly ache mode.
 
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