BMW 328i M52 Clonking noise

This is my 328i E36 with M52 engine with 220,000 km. Since I bought it there is a clonking noise, it sounds like a big engined old diesel Merc.After new VDO cam sensor, lower OEM chain tensioner and new VANOS seals and "rattle ring" the car goes a lot better with very good fuel economy but the sound persists. I use 10w40 Shell semi synthetic oil.
Please help!

[@opel949]

what year is the car, when before 1995 have a problem with washers between the vanos and the camshaft

[@Vaniskovce]

It’s the housing of the hydraulic lifters. Thicker oil will reduce the noise, but the only way to stop it is changing the housing.

[@alfacorse]

I changed to a thinner oil (5w40) and it sounded the same. It´s more or less quiet when cold, starts to make noise 3-4 minutes after start up. If the lifters are the problem, I´m not going to change them.

[@Vaniskovce]

Thinner oil is worst, try thicker. When the engine is warming up, the oil gets thinner. Thinner oil can escape near the hydraulic lifters, because the wear of the lifter's housing, so they can't fill up properly. That's causing this type of noise.

[@lebacsaibar4388]

my refurbished engine makes the same sound when it warms up. New hydraulic lifters maybe it's bad?

[@lebacsaibar4388]

@@Vaniskovceproblem solved?

[@anastasescueduard8536]

Did you solve it?i have the same noise.

[@alfacorse]

I´m afraid not. I changed the oil to Motul 5w40 synthetic and it seems a bit quieter.

[@alfacorse]

I sold the car last summer. The M52 is a good engine but this kind is noise seems rather frequent in BMWs and lets down the refinement supposed to an inline six engine.

[@pennsylvaniae3624]

Uhhh, none of my m5x have any sound relateable, only the usual injector noise

[@ERK77VI]

Figured it out?

[@Bahmanson]

Same noise. Did u solved ?

[@ronan2158]

Did you solve it? I some problem noise, in cold is quiet, but after minutes...

[@ronan2158]

@Snoop Corsa nice, you change upper tensioner or complete chain kit?

[@xaernt]

My n52 have the same noise, where’s this coming from?

[@Msjskdk]

Ok this is strange bmw e39 2001 think it’s the m52 engine. i just had my ctv or cvt valve done under the inlet manifold and they did the rocker cover gasket too. Same noise as yours specially without the top covers. When i press down hard on number 3 coil pack it shuts up, i thought they haven’t done up the spark plug,, checks it and it’s ok, refits the coil pack and bolts it down hard. Starts her up and no noise then after 5 minutes of idle it cane back. I’m going to swap the coil packs as two are round (aftermarket) and the others are square top.

[@lebacsaibar4388]

Problem solved?

[@evgeniivanov656]

Lifters???

[@redjstc9123]

Thanks for sharing....I guess is a normal thing in bmw. Cus I'm not the only one

[@NemtorYT]

ive changed lower, upper chains and vanos and still has got the same noise lol

[@NemtorYT]

well in mine it was loud injector click noise:>

[@lebacsaibar4388]

did you solve the problem?

[@brianritzpatrick4737]

@@lebacsaibar4388Even my 2021 M340i makes this noise when cold, gets quieter when hot

[@lebacsaibar4388]

@@brianritzpatrick4737 problem solved?

[@Painkiler99]

So I got quite similiar sound although louder I guess, but it's same pace and similiar clatter. I used my stethoscope to find which part makes this sound and, it's quite hearable when touching valve cover bolts, but after opening oil filling cap noise level doesn't change even when I press my ear to open hole, and for sure sound should increase if it would be lifter, but then touching each injector with probe of stethoscope gives clear knock/clatter in exact pace being hearable from around engine. Also I am running very high long term fuel trim Like +8.5 on bank 1 and +13 on bank 2, although stft are taking those values down last time the stft were like -30 and -40 Now I am closing to oil change, will go with much better product than last two oil changes, and also will be replacing fuel filter and will see how the sound goes then. Maybe finally I'll zero my adaptation and'll see how it goes then when I had lower LTFT values engine was quiet my best guess is due to probably long injector open times their closing is rough. If I won't forget I'll do update here in comment section. Maybe If I'll find time I'll upload some video of my sound and how it's changing or not after replacements I am about to do

[@Painkiler99]

So unfortunately in my case was hydraulic lifter/camshafts that were noisy. Didn't do laboratory test of oil, but I am 100% sure that oil was diluted with petrol, I saw during oil interval that my LTFT went to +12 on bank 1 and +13 on bank 2 that's rich as hell. I found out fault in LCM memory about oil temperature sensor and according to TIS oil temperature is considered while making mixture. I thought it probably died due to issue with water (had failure of one of water hoses) and going quite too hot on oil (figuring out not knowing exactly) and ordered new part and installed during oil change. This time I went from Fuchs 5W40 with LL-98 to Meguin 5W40 with LL-98 so higher shelf oil, and first start after oil replacing complete silence, engine came back to it's normal working sound as it was about few thousands kilometers ago. So in my case was oil for sure I just hope It didn't manage to do some mess around car. As I replaced sensor and fuel filter also during that oil change, my LTFT were quite normal 0 and +2 last time I checked I need to do re-check to be sure, but it's about 1 thousand after oil change or maybe less and engine is silent no matter how driven.

[@Painkiler99]

P.S. What's important I checked oil status it was between min-max and after about 1-1,5 thousands kilometers while replacing it was about 5L in engine so that's why I am more than sure it was petrol diluted and was able to evaporate easily than normally and since I was doing at least 50 km on single engine startup my oil was reaching normal working temperature which I guess is around 105 C degree

[@lebacsaibar4388]

hi what was your problem I also hear the same sound and only at idle and only when the oil is warm. I would like to note that the engine has been completely renewed. Eneos 15w40 is now in it. I suspect the oil is not good for it

[@Painkiler99]

@@lebacsaibar4388 check your fuel trims, I have problem with too high fuel trims, fuel dilluted oil loses so much viscosity it's making engine work loud, that's my case after changing oil sound came back to normal, but I am still fighting with high fuel trims (ltft bank 2 +8 ltft bank 1 +4) I start with replacing every gasket on intake side, delete adaptation and check then

[@lebacsaibar4388]

@@Painkiler99 Could it be an injector fault? The idling sometimes fluctuates for me and the oil seems thin. Also, if I remove the oil filler cap, the sound stops. What kind of oil do you use?

[@shaqyb]

Hi, I have been endlessly searching for this exact sound on KZbin with no definitive answer to what it can be, I have the exact same noise on mine, I have tried various oil grades as well. I managed to dampen the sound slightly but still there. It’s driving me nuts! Mine is fine when cold soon as it warms up to operating temperature it sounds like yours. Did you find out what is causing the racket ? ShaQ

[@alfacorse]

Hi, I didn´t find the reason...mechanics say "that noise is normal", or "it´s coming from the lifters", but I´m not going to replace the 24 lifters, that´s for sure. I´m using 5w40 right now, next oil change I´m going to try a 20w50, just for a few hundred kilometers, to see if there´s a difference.

[@shaqyb]

Rafael Thanks for the reply, I actually tried Mobil 1 15/40 in mine last week and although it somewhat dampened the sound slightly it’s still there. I will keep you posted going to investigate further this weekend. ShaQ

[@alfacorse]

In a month or so, when the weather will be a bit warmer, I´ll change to 20w50, just to try and see what happens. But it´s only curiosity, I don´t think it wiil be a solution.

[@shaqyb]

Rafael Just to let you know I replaced the lower timing chain tensioner and my noise is exactly the same although the one that came out was in a terrible state it had lost its springiness, I think I will have to book it into a bmw specialist. Will keep you posted. ShaQ

[@alfacorse]

Thanks ShaQ Butt, I didn´t notice any difference after replacing the lower tensionser, too. I have not tried the 20w50 yet because it´s still a bit cold around here. Watching youtube videos it seems noisy M52s are rather common, but it´s a shame because I´ve heard some high mileage M52s that are super silent and smooth. I don´t think my engine is smooth enough at all.

[@lebacsaibar4388]

problem solved?

[@oldnorsecrypto7929]

That's the vanos growl.

[@Matisto54329]

Did you solve it?

[@josefkremen4445]

Yes mann! Was a broken lath on timing belt ! 😱....

[@arturaspranckevicius3947]

@@josefkremen4445st*u man, why talk shit

[@dardanaliu5227]

@@josefkremen4445 its from chain triming?

[@Ray-vb3qb]

I had a kind of similar noise on my e60 m52..turned out the compressor was dead, I removed the compressor belt and voilà..the irritating noise was gone!

[@zazazaza2643]

ماهو سبب هدا الصوت

[@mihai-danut6955]

And mine m52b28tu makes the same noise,forget about.Nothing special.Can be the tensioner of chain,maybe.Enjoy

[@piotrek806]

Do you solve it?

[@mihai-danut6955]

Hi Piotr.I've rebuildid the vanos sounds much better.Still in high rpm sounds crap,little rattle noise

[@mihai-danut6955]

Wright me email with any questions,[e-mail]

[@Has1s]

@@mihai-danut6955 am acelasi sunet la motor e din lant sau din vanos?

[@Has1s]

Precizez ca doar la cald suna

[@elmerchuragutierrez7720]

Que función cumple esta pisa

[@whiskey9920]

thats bc sparkplug is loose

[@zazazaza2643]

ماهو سبب المشكله 🤔