Let me get this straight, lifter noise???

[525iE500]

I've searched and read every post on lifter noise, engine tapping, sounds like a diesel, etc etc. and am completely confused.

My 95 525i, automatic, was purchased off lease with 29k on it. It has 133k on it now. It has been serviced regularly at the dealer it's entire life.

It has the tapping noise that sounds like a lifter. The noise comes and goes.

Sometimes it's there at cold start and sometimes it's not. After driving at speed for a while and then coming to a stop its much louder but sometimes it won't be there at all. It seems random to me but generally worse after it's driven.

After searching and reading this board I've come to the conclusion that a less viscous oil such as M1 0w40 is NOT the answer. Am I correct?

I just had an inspection 2 done and the dealer said it was barely audible and no big deal but I doubt they drove the car at speed like I described above and heard it get louder.

Any thoughts, anyone????????????

[Mas (UK)]

I had noisy tappets not so long ago also and tried a course of hydraulic valve lifter treatment, along with a new oil & filter change and the problem was resolved. Here's the link for further details.

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?p=203253#post203253

It seems that if the hydraulic lifters don't get the correct type and amount of oil flowing through them, they start to make a ticking noise. Good luck sorting yours out.

Cheers,

Mas

[Ferret]

Run a can of oil flush through it, see if it makes a difference - if it makes a marginal difference it's an oil problem - no difference and it's a mechanical contact problem, maybe a sticky valve.

[Bellicose Right Winger]

Three things. I haven't seen a cross section of a BMW hydraulic lifter, but I believe they are similar in principle to GM and Ford lifters. There is no oil flow thru the lifter. They are pressurized with oil and that oil will stay in the lifter until it leaks out. This could be a very long time so oil inside gets cooked by engine heat. Low viscosity oils should leak out of lifters quicker then high viscosity oils. The benefit of the thinner oils is a higher leakage rate and this should help flush any accumulated gunk out of your hydraulic lifters. Mobil 1 has superior detergents compared to conventional oils. If I had a lifter noise problem, I'd change to the thinnest Mobil 1 oil the manual allows and see it it improves.

It may not be the lifter's fault. Check your oil pressure. Bill R. had a good thread about a gasket on the oil pump inlet that would fail and admit air, and reduce oil pressure. Reduced oil pressure will cause lifter noise.

Make sure it's not injector noise, they can be loud. Put the tip of a long screw driver on the injector, put the handle in your ear and listen to the injector.

Paul Shovestul



I've searched and read every post on lifter noise, engine tapping, sounds like a diesel, etc etc. and am completely confused.

My 95 525i, automatic, was purchased off lease with 29k on it. It has 133k on it now. It has been serviced regularly at the dealer it's entire life.

It has the tapping noise that sounds like a lifter. The noise comes and goes.

Sometimes it's there at cold start and sometimes it's not. After driving at speed for a while and then coming to a stop its much louder but sometimes it won't be there at all. It seems random to me but generally worse after it's driven.

After searching and reading this board I've come to the conclusion that a less viscous oil such as M1 0w40 is NOT the answer. Am I correct?

I just had an inspection 2 done and the dealer said it was barely audible and no big deal but I doubt they drove the car at speed like I described above and heard it get louder.

Any thoughts, anyone????????????

[Morgenster]

I had some similar noises which I attribute to the same cause.
I changed the oil from 5w40 castrol to 0w40 zenox and now I have zero lifter noise. Don't know if mobil1 would do the same though.

[Bellicose Right Winger]

I was very skeptical of these detergent claims until I read this post regarding stuck piston rings in Saturns.

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=31893&highlight=saturn+stuck+engine+rings

It's very unusual to see a major manufacturer (GM-Saturn) point out the attributes of a product they don't make.

Paul Shovestul



I had some similar noises which I attribute to the same cause.
I changed the oil from 5w40 castrol to 0w40 zenox and now I have zero lifter noise. Don't know if mobil1 would do the same though.

[AngryPopTart]

:rolleyes: Just run a full crankcase of tranny fluid for a little while.

[bmwrp8]

is that serious? put ATF on the engine???