Let's play guess this sound.

[m3f_Extrav.Dre_53c7fb859e]

What clicks/taps in the front of the engine at a rate of half of engine speed?



It sounds like the vanos or right by the vanos. I've been hearing this sound for a while now but it isnt like the retainers where when the engine warms up they get quieter, ohh no, this seems to get slightly worse with increase in temperature. I got my car back about a week ago after getting my vanos replaced but the sounds continues. The taping that I could feel on the vanos cover seems to have subsided but the sound is just as bad. How would I know if they actually replaced the Vanos? It looks the same from the outside, same chiped cover.



I also hear, the closest thing to what I have heard to marbles in a bucket, when on the throttle more then 1/4-1/3 of the way above ~2000 rpms in 4th or 5th gear. I can't really hear it in a lower gear cuz the engine itself makes too much of a roar then.



Any guesses? I will trying to make a sound clip and see if it sounds like anything I hear standing next to it.

[m3f_Wicked_M3]

the second sound (marbles in tin can sound) could be engine pinging/knocking. are you using premium fuel? dont know much about m3s, yet. so not sure about 1st sound. good luck

[m3f_Extrav.Dre_53c7fb859e]

Yes, 93 always

[m3f_///sleeper_f29d08a5a4]

I've got that same sound (first sound) under the vanos cover and I can feel it. It's freaken me out b/c I don't want to drop 700 bucks on the vanos replacement. I'm praying it's a chain tensioner but I doubt it. Did you have your primary tensioner replaced with the vanos?

[m3f_Sirius_880bd69485]

That first noise, can you feel it in the pedals? When you're in the car, does it sound like its comming right behind the insturment cluster? Seems to be a steady pulsing?

[m3f_Extrav.Dre_53c7fb859e]

I did not have my tensioners replaced and have been thinking about this. The Vanos was about 700 with labor, thank you extended warranty. Very scary sound indeed.



No, there is no noticable feeling in the pedals. From inside the cockpit, it just sounds like the engine is running rough, it has no real location except from the engine bay. The sounds is definately with the rpms of the car. I tryed typing a letter on the computer at the same rate and it came out to be right around 300/min., about half the engine speed.

[m3f_///sleeper_f29d08a5a4]

No vibration through the pedals or anything else, for that matter. Only place is on the front of the engine cover. It's real noticeable in the cockpit while your driving through a parking garage or something with windows down. Mine too is completely reletive to engine speeds...from idle to around 2000 it grows in intensity and speed and then like a light switch, just shuts up after 2000. Extrav, have you got the stock main tensioner on your engine still? If so, I've heard those are weak points on our 3.0 engines...bout a hundred dollar part and you can do it yourself pretty easily I recon.

[m3f_Extrav.Dre_53c7fb859e]

Sounds, like we have the exact same issue. Though, I'm not sure if it just shuts up after 2000 or if I can't hear it any more because the individual clicks are too fast for me to destinguish.



I'm not sure if the tensioner chain is stock or not but I would assume so. Does the tensioner chain that is a real pita to get to go bad as well?

[m3f_///sleeper_f29d08a5a4]

I'm not really sure about the chians, they shouldn't go bad...that's why they're chains instead of belts...don't quote me on that though. The top tensioner really looks like it'd be a pickle to replace b/c I think it's in the cover itself. Have you talked to the mechanic that replaced your vanos? Climb up that tree and see what they have to say for themselves.

[m3f_Extrav.Dre_53c7fb859e]

yeah, I just realized you were talking about the chain tensioner not the tensioner chain hehe.



Here is an article about it

http://www.geocities.com/rick_poon/tensioner.htm



I did not talk to the mechanic, my dad happened to take the car in while I was gone. But from what I understand these guys seem to kinda be jerkin around.



Edit:



other interesting links

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum//showthread.php?threadid=110551/showthread.php

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t14000.html

[m3f_Drifter_23d8df4bc6]

is your oil lvl ok? it maybe something related to fuild lvls.

[m3f_Extrav.Dre_53c7fb859e]

nope, oil lever is definately good

[m3f_erikM3]

i am not sure if it is relevent here but of all the hot rods I have owned and that is no small amt, 2 Porsche Carrera's , Porsche 928 S4 GTS ( , ZR-1 Vette, 280 ZX Turbo, etc.. and I can as a matter of fact say, the M3 has more weird noises upon start up, regular running, high rpm, low rpm, and shut down than ALL THE OTHERS COMBINED. I get very embareassed when I start mine after siting over night cuz I get this loud spun bearing sound followed by a ticking sound till the engine warms up. My car I know is mech sound as it has been gone over twice in the last 20K miles. The last inspection was from the guys at www.RTRMotorsportZ.com and the crew cheif has 25 years on working on BMW race cars and the M3 in particular. I call him sprinkler head cuz he just spits out very arcane and minute facts about how these S52 are supposed to run. He says even his best motors have a death rattle in them on start up , this was also verified by an article in C&D. So hopefully this will put some of our paranoid minds at ease.

[m3f_///sleeper_f29d08a5a4]

Thanks for that erikM3. Yea, I've heard these are some noisy engines, but can't help but put on the doctor-hat and try to get to the bottom of it. I HATE rattles, they scare the hell out of me.

[m3f_///sleeper_f29d08a5a4]

Extrav., if you ever get to the bottom of your noise, post what you find. I'm so scared of a catastrophic failure somewhere in the chains. It would realy **** to put a valve through a head. What's the word on something like that happening?