2011 ZCP M3 clicking noise

[dimabimmer]

I get the same...

Ignore it, drive your M3 harder!

[radiantm3]

Originally Posted by derric

Better them buy it back than have your car sit in the shop for 1+ month, "maybe" solve the problem and get a Carfax the size of a textbook.

My car sat in the shop for 1.5 weeks. Engine was rebuilt. Been running great for 4-5k miles now. If it happens again, I'll start to worry.

[derric]

Originally Posted by radiantm3

My car sat in the shop for 1.5 weeks. Engine was rebuilt. Been running great for 4-5k miles now. If it happens again, I'll start to worry.

Nice mine was 1+ month to rebuild

[Stainless 45]

So after spending half the day crawling around under the car while it was running I've determined a few things. The bottom end sounds fine beneath the oil pan, the noise seems to originate higher up in the engine, perhaps valvetrain. Mine seems to do it when it's about 3/4 warmed up, when she's been run hard the noise is undetectable (for now). I'm also inclined to doubt the bearing theory since a loose or spun bearing should make more of a racket, and isn't likely to come and go. I get that there are some mechanical noises associated with a racing engine that is so high strung and tightly wound, but I guess I'm hoping it is related to lifters/valves, not looking forward to spending weeks or months getting my brand new engine rebuilt. sigh.

It does, however, sound just like the recording made by rdiantm3.

[kaiv]

Sorry to revive this old thread; as a victim of a rod failure in my E46 M3, I find this topic very interesting and sure hope I won't have any issues with the E90...

I've read through the thread and couldn't find a single mention of an oil analysis. Has any of you guys done one? I'd be very interested to see if an analysis would revealed bearing material in the oil. Then there would be no guessing.

[blankstar43]

Hey everyone

Just recently bought a 2012 e92 M3 ZCP three weeks ago and finally got my 1,200 mile service done yesterday. After driving the car around for a while I decided to go home finally, only to pull into my garage and hear this ticking noise that I had never heard before. It is very erratic, only occurs once the engine is fully warmed up, and does become slightly more frequent when driving around at lower speeds as compared to sitting in the garage. It is definitely coming from the bottom of the engine somewhere and is best heard from the driver wheel well. Searched the forum and found this thread and thought I'd post a clip of what mine sounds like to get some feedback (i cant figure out how to post it yet lol). It sounds the same as the others in this forum imo. Took it into the dealer today and had them listen to it. They seem to think its a lifter that hasnt broken in after the oil change, but i tried to explain to the foreman about what others have been experiencing on the forum only to have him tell me he has never heard any such issue with the s65. He did not know about the bearing change after 2008 either (and sadly tried to tell me the 08 model was an e46 therefore im not sure i trust him at all). Their advice was basically to drive the car spiritedly and it should go away, though I have my doubts.

[ajskydiver]

I've had my 2011 for one year exactly and just heard this ticking sound last week with 11K miles...sounds exactly like several of the videos posted.

Any definitive diagnosis yet? Seems like the thread died without everyone updating their status.

[blankstar43]

i also would like to hear some feeback of the people who have had this issue fixed, if they have. The foreman at my dealer seems clueless and it sounds like they will probably try every other thing to fix the noise other than what I suggest it is

[odiesback]

After going through eleven pages was I left hanging for the outcome of
the clicking noise problem????

Dont tell me I will have to buy the book to find out what happened

[ChrisK]

This sound seems to come and go on my car, but sounds just like radiantm3's sound clip. Looks like i have to make an appointment.

http://d.pr/RZXz

Anyone in the Chicagoland area had this problem?

[stefan]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

This sound seems to come and go on my car, but sounds just like radiantm3's sound clip. Looks like i have to make an appointment.

http://d.pr/RZXz

Anyone in the Chicagoland area had this problem?

Wow that is definitely not normal. Good luck and be sure to let us know how your appointment goes.

[Stainless 45]

Mine seems to come and go also. After PM'ing some gearheads on here and elsewhere I have resigned it to valvetrain noise. Since the engine is meant to run at such high rev's, at lower rpm the valve lash has not been fully taken up by the hydraulic lifters yet, thus the noise. That is to say there is some play in the system until the engine is really humming. A bearing noise would be more of a clunk or knock, and would get worse as time went on.

[ChrisK]

My tick comes and goes too, but I made an appointment on 5/31 to make sure.

[ChrisK]

The car was driven 13 miles (30mph-60mph), 90F outside, engine was completely warmed up and the AC was never on (therefore no condensate dripping).

My engine as of today:

[Franken///M]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

The car was driven 13 miles (30mph-60mph), 90F outside, engine was completely warmed up and the AC was never on (therefore no condensate dripping).

My engine as of today:

I heard something similar a couple times on my car, but I gave up trying to listen to it bc I was going paranoid. Honestly at this point I am racking it up to normal engine noise. I have a 2011 with 7.5k miles. I am changing oil every 5k and sending a sample to blackstone. My first sample had no indication of bearing wear. I have another oil change coming up in a month so I'll get that one tested also.

[ChrisK]

How much oil does blackstone need for a sample? What container did you use?

Originally Posted by Franken///M

I heard something similar a couple times on my car, but I gave up trying to listen to it bc I was going paranoid. Honestly at this point I am racking it up to normal engine noise. I have a 2011 with 7.5k miles. I am changing oil every 5k and sending a sample to blackstone. My first sample had no indication of bearing wear. I have another oil change coming up in a month so I'll get that one tested also.

[ChrisK]

Originally Posted by K-M3

could it be the octane rating?? BMW recommends premium grade gasoline and 91 aint exactly premium, definitely not if it has some ethanol in it. And i myself am not really sure about this thought but i was thinking about it. could it be engine knock (and I know that the M3 has anti-knock sensors) from a lower octane than what it should be (atleast a 93-94 or higher). A clicking/ticking sound at part throttle/low rpm is very consistent with engine knock from bad quality fuel.

Are people on this forum using the 100 octane/91 octane blend also having this problem? or does this make it go away.

like I said before, there is just way too much of a consistent association with this noise and the break in service. I absolutely cannot fathom why or what will cause this to happen after the first service but the association is there!!!

@ derric - after you got the crank and bearings replaced, you said it came back after 3 months. did it come back again after another service/oil change ??

WTF!!!

You might be on to something here. I just filed the tank with Mobil 93 octane instead of BP 93 octane and the sound is gone!

I need to go out and do another test drive to make sure.

[ChrisK]

What I hear now sounds like thermal expansion when I give the car a little gas. Changing fuel seems to have made a difference. I this was a bearing issue, fuel type wouldn't make a difference.

It's also only 65F right now.

[ChrisK]

I can still hear it, but nearly as bad. I have no idea what the hell this is.

[blankstar43]

My car still makes the noise, I've tried fuel from several locations and it hasn't made a difference. As long as this isn't a big issue I can probably live with the ticking noise

[ChrisK]

Originally Posted by blankstar43

My car still makes the noise, I've tried fuel from several locations and it hasn't made a difference. As long as this isn't a big issue I can probably live with the ticking noise

I just got back from a test drive with a tech, he said that sound (on my car) is not the bearings. He will continue to investigate.

I'll post an update.

[derric]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

I just got back from a test drive with a tech, he said that sound (on my car) is not the bearings. He will continue to investigate.

I'll post an update.

The video sounds like mine did and mine was the bearings..