burning smell and blueish smoke ?

[m3f_Predator_7d824d33ea]

ive noticed that when i drive my M3 hard and pull over and let the engine idle i start getting a burning smell and light puffs of smoke pour out from the engine bay . Is this bad ? and what could the problem be. Also there sort of a tapping noise about every second only after a hard drive, mind you.



by the way ive just had my vanos unit replaced.



any help would be helpful as to put my mind at ease



thanks for any help in advance

[m3f_Sirius_880bd69485]

Comming from the engine bay? Sounds like some oil is being ejected onto part of the engine, possibly onto the exhaust manifolds...



Tapping noise, that could be the lifters being starved of oil.. thats possibly comming outa your engine...

Have you looked under your hood.. seen any leaks?



Check your oil first off.. this sounds dangrous.. and take it back to where you had the work done, and dont' drive it hard until its fixed!



Just a couple ideas I can think of without seeing the car.



Burning oil produces bluish smoke... thats why i am leaning on what I said before.

[m3f_mazur_fc5757570e]

I don't know about the blue smoke, but I bet that it is oil.



The tapping sound, though, is something that all cars do. We own an X5, a 330i, and a Grand Cherokee Jeep. THEY ALL TAP AFTER A NICE RUN. :smash:

I'm pretty sure all cars do it, but anyone know what causes this?

[m3f_JAlfredPru_7f28a4f655]

Tapping usually comes from the valves in the cylinder head which usually make a sound when they are starved of oil and there is no lubrication...

[m3f_mazur_fc5757570e]

Tapping usually comes from the valves in the cylinder head which usually make a sound when they are starved of oil and there is no lubrication...



You're talking about the tapping sound created after the ignition is turned off...right?

[m3f_WSkids97]

The tapping after the engine is turned off is hot oil dripping into the pan. Tapping while the engine is running is usually a valve starved for oil or isn't closing properly depending on how it sounds.

[m3f_mazur_fc5757570e]

The tapping after the engine is turned off is hot oil dripping into the pan. Tapping while the engine is running is usually a valve starved for oil or isn't closing properly depending on how it sounds.



Shows you how much more I need to learn about EVERYTHING :banghead:

[m3f_Sirius_880bd69485]

The tapping after the engine is turned off is hot oil dripping into the pan.



I have never heard that before....

[m3f_04M3blur_1ceee0bbd5]

In any event, you have to find the cause of the blue smoke, whether it's burning or leaking oil, if it is something serious you don't want to let it go too long.

[m3f_WSkids97]

I have never heard that before....



Very prominent in 4 cylinder jap motors. Been rebuilding chevy motors since 15, street racing at 17, retired at 19 and sold my car. So I know that sound, it's not really a clicking as much as a sizzling. Really shows up after I tune up my 99 Camry (CAI, Fuel injectors and chip) and do 110 on the freeway for a quick 10 minutes from newport to downtown long beach.

[m3f_Sirius_880bd69485]

Very prominent in 4 cylinder jap motors. Been rebuilding chevy motors since 15, street racing at 17, retired at 19 and sold my car. So I know that sound, it's not really a clicking as much as a sizzling. Really shows up after I tune up my 99 Camry (CAI, Fuel injectors and chip) and do 110 on the freeway for a quick 10 minutes from newport to downtown long beach.



Guess Ill have to listen more closly next time...

[m3f_romh_9db5ad5d95]

The tapping after the engine is turned off is hot oil dripping into the pan. Tapping while the engine is running is usually a valve starved for oil or isn't closing properly depending on how it sounds.





There are 2 types of tapping or clicking noises.

1) Once you turn the enine off, its not hot oil dripping into the pan. Its actually the exhaust pipe (manifold and cat back system) metal cooling down and contracting. Its goes from having super hot gases runnning through it, to nothing.



2) when the engine is running, its the valvle lifters. That happens in my 98 M3 if my engine is running low on oil and I do some spirited driving. If I keep the oil up to the right level, I will never hear the tapping noise from the engine.



Hope this helps.

[m3f_Predator_7d824d33ea]

Cheers guys, i thought it was oil myself but i can't think of where the oils coming from ? unless its been left there from the previous vanos unit which leaked oil all over the place. The tapping noise only stays when the car is on after spirited driving and the oil is on the 2nd mark on the dipstick.



yesterday i went to see a Estoril Blue M5, it was sweet but only 1 problem hes asking too much for it and the engines making a really bad noise and the interior is cream,wood and black plastic not my taste. today i'm gomnna go see a Lemans Blue E39 at a BMW garage. I hope its the right car because i'm getting fed up of looking at car after car after car. I just want 1.

[m3f_04M3blur_1ceee0bbd5]

yesterday i went to see a Estoril Blue M5, it was sweet but only 1 problem hes asking too much for it and the engines making a really bad noise and the interior is cream,wood and black plastic not my taste. today i'm gomnna go see a Lemans Blue E39 at a BMW garage. I hope its the right car because i'm getting fed up of looking at car after car after car. I just want 1.



Are you trading in your M3 for an M5, what's up?