Cold start rattle 2-3 seconds then gone.

[sapote]

Got the old oil filter housing out today, did not need to take off the fan..

Clutch fan? Why didn't -- the nut is too tight?
It took me 5sec to knock the nut loose and remove it using a crescent wrench and small hammer. Don't tighten too tight, just snug then you can knock it loose even with a screwdriver handle.

[sapote]

3 seconds does seem longer than usual. That is how long my light stays on right after an oil change.

This is the worst case with an empty filter cartridge to fill, and 3 sec is long compared to normally should be less than 2sec.

[Andratch]

3 seconds does seem longer than usual. That is how long my light stays on right after an oil change.

Agreed. Mine was off almost instantly, even right after I put in the new oil filter housing.

[eacmen]

3 seconds does seem longer than usual. That is how long my light stays on right after an oil change.

[bavarian3]

How long was your oil pressure light staying on during cold starts? Seems like if that check valve was bad then it would take longer to build pressure.

A normal amount of time, the rattle only lasted around 1 to 2 seconds

What's a "normal" amount of time in your alls opinion?

Mine stays on awkwardly long during completely cold starts. 3 seconds or so. Warm starts it goes away immediately. Wondering if I have a bad valve in the filter housing. Contrary to this I don't think I have any odd rattles.

[Andratch]

Figured I'd do a new post for EDIT 3:

To try to test the chain tensioner, I started the car (hearing the noise and then go away), removed the tensioner, got the oil out of it, reinstalled, and restarted the car. If the tensioner was failing, I expect I would have heard the noise again (Because it would be re-filling it), but i did not.

I stuck my finger in the tensioner hole, and there really just isnt a lot of play in the chain guide anyway...I'm pretty sure the spring that's inside the tensioner could hold it taut on its own. So, quite confident the tensioner is not the issue here.

[Andratch]

UPDATE 2:

Well, some not ideal news. After not starting the car for almost a week, I started it up and got the sound for 1-2 seconds.

I’m not really sure what else it could be, as my tensioner is brand new, and I had my rod bearings and VANOS done recently - I feel the shop would have notified me if they saw anything wrong with the timing chain or guides while they were in there.

My big concern is - I did find a video on youtube of the EXACT same sound:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnS6MEOxo7U

And the owner says that it was connecting rod bearings. I just recently had my rod bearings replaced by a local shop a few months back, and I don't recall this sound occurring before then...perhaps something is wrong with their repair? That said, my experience with rod knock is that it's a relatively chaotic noise under load, not at cold startup and then goes away while running. Maybe something VANOS related?

EDIT:

Last night I did some research on non-BMW cars with adjustable valve timing. Found a Toyota forum where cars with their VVTi system makes a similar sound for 1-2 seconds on cold start. For them, it's the VTC/VVT actuator/cam gear rattling before it gets oil pressure. I am curious if we're experiencing something similar with VANOS. Any idea of a way to isolate this and test?

EDIT 2:

Found another video from a E39 M5 with the same noise, and they fixed it with the timing chain tensioner 🙄. Mine is new, but perhaps it's faulty....I will order a replacement from FCP and try that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vUwx3TPgBI

[WestBankM4]

UPDATE:

It does appear that replacing the oil filter housing substantially fixed this issue.

I let the car sit for 3 days, started it up, and could not hear the rattle at startup anymore. Previously, it would only take overnight or at most two nights to hear the noise loudly for 2 seconds.

In a couple weeks, the car goes into a 1 month hybernation, so that will be the REAL test.

FANTASTIC NEWS!!!!!!!!

I was messaging Heinze last year regarding this rattling so buying all the parts prior to some of them jumping up has been a blessing. Looking forward to getting my Karbonius box on ASAP now so I can address this stupid rattle while I'm in the trenches.

Looking forward to next months update and I wish you the best of luck my friend but it sounds like we've solved it potentially.

[Andratch]

UPDATE:

It does appear that replacing the oil filter housing substantially fixed this issue.

I let the car sit for 3 days, started it up, and could not hear the rattle at startup anymore. Previously, it would only take overnight or at most two nights to hear the noise loudly for 2 seconds.

In a couple weeks, the car goes into a 1 month hybernation, so that will be the REAL test.

[Andratch]

I did not do mine yet, I actually have the Karbonius CSL airbox going in after I'm done with my interior. Was planning on knocking it all out at the same time considering I'll have to remove the factory intake manifold.

Like you, I bought an OEM oil filter housing, the oil cooler o-rings (thanks Heinze) and a new OEM tensioner since that was the first part I bought after reading this thread. Problem is, it's still in the box in the garage haha. Let me know if it solved your issue please, regardless I'll be installing those pieces shortly.

I put mine in over the weekend and ran the car for a minute or two, and now i'm letting it sit for 3 days to see if the fix is effective. So, I'll tell you on Wednesday!

Not sure the housing remains filled, my car does not have the rattle, and in the last oil change I paid attention it this, when removed the lid, i checked if there was oil in the reservoir, and to my surprise it was not full with oil.

Oil doesnt have to be filled in the filter housing for the check valve that keeps pressure in the tensioner system to work.

[heinzboehmer]

Not sure the housing remains filled, my car does not have the rattle, and in the last oil change I paid attention it this, when removed the lid, i checked if there was oil in the reservoir, and to my surprise it was not full with oil.

The o ring at the bottom of the long bolt provides a seal for the oil that's in the housing. Once that bolt is removed, the oil drains back to the pan. That's why you're supposed to remove the cap on the housing before draining when doing an oil change.

[maupineda]

Not sure the housing remains filled, my car does not have the rattle, and in the last oil change I paid attention it this, when removed the lid, i checked if there was oil in the reservoir, and to my surprise it was not full with oil.

[WestBankM4]

Did you end up replacing your oil filter housing, and did that fix the problem?

IMO this totally feels like a tensioner-not-tensioning issue, but like others I also have a new tensioner, so I assume there's some sort of pressure leak somewhere in the system. I didn't realize the oil filter housing had anything to do with that, and I'm willing to give it a shot, but at $500 for the part and pretty labor heavy to get out, I don't want to just throw it at the car for fun.

I did not do mine yet, I actually have the Karbonius CSL airbox going in after I'm done with my interior. Was planning on knocking it all out at the same time considering I'll have to remove the factory intake manifold.

Like you, I bought an OEM oil filter housing, the oil cooler o-rings (thanks Heinze) and a new OEM tensioner since that was the first part I bought after reading this thread. Problem is, it's still in the box in the garage haha. Let me know if it solved your issue please, regardless I'll be installing those pieces shortly.

[Andratch]

Got the old oil filter housing out today, did not need to take off the fan. It only took about 45 minutes, not a difficult job…don’t let it intimidate you.

All you have to do is take off the intake (not the plenum, even with CSL intake), remove the driver side fan shroud piece, release the serpentine belt from the alternator, remove the alternator itself (two bolts, one clip, and one nut), then one bolt for the oil cooler lines, 6 bolts for the housing, and 2 bolts to separate it from the power steering pump. Easy peasy.

The tensioner comes out with the assemby, so I'm just going to replace that and the idle pulley at the same time because they're cheap and mine are original.

new one from FCP gets here tomorrow, we’ll see if this is the fix we’re looking for.

[Andratch]

Check valve in the oil filter housing?

That seems like the consensus so far, but not many people have taken on the fix and reported back on it. I guess it makes sense....we've all replaced the chain tensioner, and it doesn't sound like it could be the guides. Logically, something that's allowing oil pressure to drop at the tensioner and then be rebuilt in the first 1-3 seconds after startup would be the cause.

I went ahead and ordered one from FCP along with a new tensioner, idle pulley, bolts and gaskets....we'll see if this is the fix!