Help!!!! My E39 has Ticking/knocking noise coming from underneath 540i

My car is a 2000 540i auto with just under 100k. there is a ticking/tapping noise coming from what seems to be below the car. when the car is running and the hood is up you cant hear it if you are looking at the engine(you can hear the valves) but when you step around to were the front two tires are, you can hear it, and you can definitely hear it if you put your head nearthe fenders or below the car( right behind the front wheels) At first i thought it might be low ATF but i really doubt that now. i changed the oil recently using 10W-30 full synthetic. As you roll on the gas pedal you can hear the ticking become more rapid but then is soon drowned out by my exhaust and engine noise!
Love to hear your ideas!
Thanks a ton!!!

car bomb? lol,

How much oil did you use?

normal. i think we all have some light ticking tapping occasionally, pretty common with this engine from what i can tell. just make sure your oil level is good, spark plugs tight, maybe timing chain tensioner replaced (just did mine, no difference really) & cooling system solid you should be ok. unless of course that ticking time bomb goes off ;-)

8 quarts!no problems with the car. tranny shifts ok(little rough some times).
no bomb... i think!

power steering pump leaks, but i always make sure the fluid is full

It's your car's biological clock ticking.

mw

By biological clock, do you mean fan clutch???

fan clutch? i think that to far forward??

Get a long screwdriver to your ear and onto the front of each valve cover. What do you hear?


Does it sound like this:

In that video, what does that sound indicate?

Originally Posted by Schmapps

In that video, what does that sound indicate?

He doesn't know. He just found that video on YouTube.

mw

I would go to a heavier oil, seriously, assuming nothing is wrong with the car. Thirty (30) wt is pretty thin. Personally I would jump it up to 40 wt as in 0W40, 10W40, etc.

I used to run 5W30 then 0W40 and 10W40 and more recently have been using 20W50 which is what my indy suggests. All syn. I'm in Dallas, TX so I'm not too concerned about the cold starting wt. I change my own oil most of the time. I used to add oil between changes but not since I went to the 20W50.

How many miles on your baby?

For those that don't know about a long screw driver .... you will be amazed at how well it works, how much you can hear and thus pin point noises or just confirm that its all sounding good. You can p/u the basic listening skill in about 10 mins by just doing it.

Originally Posted by MatWiz

He doesn't know. He just found that video on YouTube.

mw

On the contrary Mr MatWiz, I know exactly what that sound indicates.

It's the classic ticking/tapping noise of worn vanos units on the M62TU. I can confirm this because I've done the vanos swap on my E38 740i, and now it's nice and quiet.

NCFA17 says he has a ticking/tapping, so maybe this is his problem.

Just trying to help

Originally Posted by Mersey1

On the contrary Mr MatWiz, I know exactly what that sound indicates.

It's the classic ticking/tapping noise of worn vanos units on the M62TU. I can confirm this because I've done the vanos swap on my E38 740i, and now it's nice and quiet.

NCFA17 says he has a ticking/tapping, so maybe this is his problem.

Just trying to help

I know you know why you posted your vid clip... It's right there in the Youtube comments. I'm just you for not saying it in the original post...

mw

what exactly do i do with the screwdriver?
thanks guys!!

Originally Posted by NCFA17

what exactly do i do with the screwdriver?
thanks guys!!

Stick it in your ear.


Try this at home first, for safety reasons. Then do it on your engine.

Take a long screwdrive. Hold each end with one hand. Put the plastic wide side against your ear, then the point side on.... your fridge door... You'd hear the fridge motor like through an amplifier. ... tap lightly with your finger on the fridge door, hear how loud it is?

Mechanics use the same method to find the source of noise in an engine, and to hear more clearly what's going in inside.

It's the equivalent of the Indians putting their ear to the ground to hear a horse rider from 1,000,000,000 miles away.

mw

where on the engine should i do this to check for vanos problem?
would a light oil really lead to a ticking/tapping noise. it almost sounds like its coming from between the tranny and engine

Listen around the front of the valve covers.You'll hear the chains going round but you should be able to distinguish other sounds.

Have you compared the video noise with your engine? The noise in the video will only occur when the engine get's hot and is idling. You should not be able to hear it cold. Also, it can be heard from the front wheel arches, which can be a bit confusing as the real culprit is at the front/top of the engine.

Don't forget, this is just a process of elimination and your noise could be something completely different.

im almost 100percent sure it isnt vanos related. the noise is comin brom beneth the car. somewhere between the tranny and engine. almost like a roatatin clanking noise, as i rev the engine the rev the clanking speeds up, and as i let off it also slows down

I just noticed the exact same thing in my 525i after changing the oil. Mine comes and goes though thru the engine cycle. Tack-tack-tack which fades, then comes back up and the cycle starts again. I only heard it lightly with the door open but when I crawled down to check, the sound was louder...between the engine and tranny. Could this be related to the piston rod? I don't hear it anymore but I'm sure it's gonna come back. I sure hope it doesn't get as bad as yours NCFA!

what could that be??

jacked up the car last night, checked tranny fluid..good. realized that the noise is coming from the engine, oil pan area. hope it not serious

Originally Posted by NCFA17

jacked up the car last night, checked tranny fluid..good. realized that the noise is coming from the engine, oil pan area. hope it not serious

Time to use the screwdriver diagnostic method