Cold Start Engine Knock / Rattle

[M3 vert]

Originally Posted by Dannys 335i

Poor guy is asking for help and you have to argue about production year? The lack of couth and integrity is at an all time low around here. OP take it in for a diagnosis, sounds like a valve train symptom. Good luck

+ 1 do let us know what the dealer comes out with? I am concerned and would like to hear this noise, perhaps make a video and post it here?

[EA51 LAY]

OMG - OK, as a Brit living in Canada, who has worked for BMW on both sides of the pond, I can confirm that (as usual) North America was later in recieving the new models. Be it E90,92 or 93 M3's

First cars in Britain were March/April production, manual transmission only and although a couple of Space Grey cars sneaked out, the majority of launch cars offered to dealers were either Melbourne Red with Black Norillo leather or Jerez with Fox Red.

The cars hit the road in June of 2007 and thus wore '07 prefix's - but the majority of cars were registered September 2007 on '57 prefix licence plates due to the way cars are sold in the UK and customers wanting to preserve as much residual value as possible!!! Same as model year changes here. However, these cars are on 2007 VIN #'s and are not 2008's

Back to the original thread, my E90 saloon (sorry sedan - old habits) has on 2 or 3 occasions done that horrible cold start knock from start up. Especially if I have left the car for a couple of days or so. I am assured by my master technician colleagues/buddies that its nothing to worry about, and yes just requires immediate lubrication as fast as it can get around the block. Nothing you can really do to be honest - and neither here, or back in blighty, did I ever hear of excess engine wear issues or detonations (in factory guize at least).

Hope this helps

[RatchetM3]

It could be the Fuel. Gasoline below AKI reading of grade 89 will "produce knocking sounds when starting at high outside temperatures. This has no effect on the engine life" - BMW manual

I don't know much, just guesing I saw that as I was browsing the manual.

[M3Fool]

Originally Posted by EA51 LAY

OMG - OK, as a Brit living in Canada, who has worked for BMW on both sides of the pond, I can confirm that (as usual) North America was later in recieving the new models. Be it E90,92 or 93 M3's

First cars in Britain were March/April production, manual transmission only and although a couple of Space Grey cars sneaked out, the majority of launch cars offered to dealers were either Melbourne Red with Black Norillo leather or Jerez with Fox Red.

The cars hit the road in June of 2007 and thus wore '07 prefix's - but the majority of cars were registered September 2007 on '57 prefix licence plates due to the way cars are sold in the UK and customers wanting to preserve as much residual value as possible!!! Same as model year changes here. However, these cars are on 2007 VIN #'s and are not 2008's

Back to the original thread, my E90 saloon (sorry sedan - old habits) has on 2 or 3 occasions done that horrible cold start knock from start up. Especially if I have left the car for a couple of days or so. I am assured by my master technician colleagues/buddies that its nothing to worry about, and yes just requires immediate lubrication as fast as it can get around the block. Nothing you can really do to be honest - and neither here, or back in blighty, did I ever hear of excess engine wear issues or detonations (in factory guize at least).

Hope this helps

Sorry.. I am truly not one to beat a dead horse and to the OP I apologize. The E9X M3 was not truly revealed until the Frankfurt auto show in mid to late Sept 2007... how could you have registered a car not released yet in June of 2007?

[EA51 LAY]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1814952.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1875304.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1839302.htm

Just a couple of examples

[EA51 LAY]

Ahh thankfully I found an April prod for sale!!

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...1501?logcode=p

Licence plate changes occur in Britain on either March 1st '0x prefix or September first '5x prefix. As you can plainly see this car was registered on the road before September 1st. Way before the Frankfurt show appearance

If need be I can call home with the VIN to see exactly when it was put on the road, but as all postcode licence plates beginning with a Y are Yorkshire region, the likelihood that this car was registered at Thorne (BMW Distribution UK) is an almost certainty - it was no doubt on the road June/July of 2007!!

[M3Fool]

Originally Posted by EA51 LAY

Ahh thankfully I found an April prod for sale!!

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...1501?logcode=p

Licence plate changes occur in Britain on either March 1st '0x prefix or September first '5x prefix. As you can plainly see this car was registered on the road before September 1st. Way before the Frankfurt show appearance

If need be I can call home with the VIN to see exactly when it was put on the road, but as all postcode licence plates beginning with a Y are Yorkshire region, the likelihood that this car was registered at Thorne (BMW Distribution UK) is an almost certainty - it was no doubt on the road June/July of 2007!!

Somebody else asked a question that was not answered, if a 2008 is registered in 2007 it is a 2007 MY in the UK. So if a 2007 is registered in 2010 does that make it a 2010 MY?

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by M3Fool

Somebody else asked a question that was not answered, if a 2008 is registered in 2007 it is a 2007 MY in the UK. So if a 2007 is registered in 2010 does that make it a 2010 MY?

No. It will forever be a 2007. It gets designated based on when it is first registered. Now if you've got a brand new 2007, unregistered, sitting in storage and are finally going to register it, don't know!

[cv8]

Originally Posted by elp_jc

Hey OP, could you make a quick sound clip??? The way you described it sounds like piston slap or a main bearing about to go out. Since you said it started making the noise recently, sounds more like the latter to me. If noise is that awful, I'd take it in man. Plus there's a history of main bearing problems with early M3 engines, although no failures.... yet! Good luck, and please keep us posted.

I've uploaded a video clip of the startup noise

[elp_jc]

Originally Posted by cv8

I've uploaded a video clip of the startup noise

Sounds just like a main bearing man; sorry for the bad news. You should be able to easily reproduce it by revving the engine between idle and 1,500 rpm, as reported on other threads. Here are other 2 YouTube videos so you can hear how to reproduce it:





That's definitely not good news for '08 and early '09 owners (before main bearings were upgraded). Time to take it in. I know this is not a widespread problem, but it's scary to think it could happen after warranty expires, especially for those of us who don't put much mileage on our cars. Will have to seriously think about keeping mine beyond warranty. Good luck, and please keep us posted.

[gr8000]

that's what I was also afraid of, although the clip is too short to draw definite conclusions.

mine is June 08 build and out of warranty...

anyway, hopefully not every 08 or early '09 will be(come) a victim of this

[EA51 LAY]

Originally Posted by M3Fool

Somebody else asked a question that was not answered, if a 2008 is registered in 2007 it is a 2007 MY in the UK. So if a 2007 is registered in 2010 does that make it a 2010 MY?

Its odd because in the UK we dont work on this model year stuff to determine car values or age, it really is based on the date of registration. So yes, a 2008 that has just sat around, that gets registered in 2010 is a 2010 and the warranty naturally runs accordingly. Now obviously pre facelift cars that get registered later, to the trained eye, are out of sync with the model updates, but for all intents and purposes you are right. Crucially as most M owners know what they are getting, these cars just become great deal presentations from the supplying dealer at time of purchase!!

[gr8000]

Originally Posted by elp_jc

The 'clack clack' after start up makes it perfectly clear to me it's a main bearing, but another video like the ones I posted above would make it abundantly clear.

My car is also Jun '08 build, but it's still under warranty (4.5K miles, with 2-1/2+ years to go). How many miles on your car?

I'd like to know how many cars have been afflicted with this, but it's hard to know. BMW would obviously like to keep this as quiet as possible, so members posting here is the only way to know . I couldn't care less for rattles and other minor crap, but this is a MAJOR problem (at least to me).

Mine has 34,000km and last month the 2 yrs warranty expired. Warranties here in Europe typicly last 2 years (unless somebody purchases an extended scheme).

[EA51 LAY]

Out of concern for my '08 too - I'm getting a PUMA case log requested to see whats what from the manufacturer

[Dannys M3]

I have a July 2008 build with 38744 miles. I just started the car in an enclosed garage with the windows open and I have no unusual noises if that helps any of you.

[M3 vert]

Originally Posted by EA51 LAY

Out of concern for my '08 too - I'm getting a PUMA case log requested to see whats what from the manufacturer

Please let us know when you hear back

Cheers

[cv8]

Originally Posted by Dannys 335i

I have a July 2008 build with 38744 miles. I just started the car in an enclosed garage with the windows open and I have no unusual noises if that helps any of you.

Thanks. That is helpful.

[cv8]

Originally Posted by M3 vert

Please let us know when you hear back

Cheers

+1

[cv8]

Originally Posted by elp_jc

Sounds just like a main bearing man; sorry for the bad news. You should be able to easily reproduce it by revving the engine between idle and 1,500 rpm, as reported on other threads. Here are other 2 YouTube videos so you can hear how to reproduce it:

I can't reproduce it by revving between idle and 1,500 rpm. The car's still in warranty so I will be speaking to the dealer.

[cv8]

BMW dealer has been unable to identify / rectify the fault although they do admit they can hear the noise and it is unusual. The noise only appears during cold start after the car has been standing overnight. My car is still in warranty so I'm going to play it by ear for now and see what develops.

[alpineweissM3]

Mine is at the dealer now for the same exact noise. The regional tech will look at it Monday as the dealers shop foreman has no clue what it is. The foreman did say it wasn't a bearing issue. I'm getting tired of all these trips to the dealer.

[han405]

Originally Posted by alpineweissM3

Mine is at the dealer now for the same exact noise. The regional tech will look at it Monday as the dealers shop foreman has no clue what it is. The foreman did say it wasn't a bearing issue. I'm getting tired of all these trips to the dealer.

May I ask which dealer you are using? It's not Sewickley is it?