I have a 2007 Z4 3.0 w/ 8300 miles. I live in Nebraska so the car is garaged Nov-Mar. I just got it out to clean last weekend and heard a clacking sound. Took it to local BMW dealer today and they said it could be a lifter or cylinder head. Their plan is to remove the lifters and "cold soak" them in a solution overnight. Re-install lifters tomorrow and check again. If problem not resolved, then replace lifters. If problem still not fixed, replace cylinder heads. The Service Rep said they've had a few issues w/ Z4 lifters....anyone else know or hear of anything similar? Thanks
There are a lot of threads on the Z4 specific boards that address this problem. I had my lifters replaced several months ago and it seems to have solved my problem. Search those boards and you should be able to answer all of your questions.
Is this on specific engines or all ? Also what is a clacking sound, --- does it sound like you ran our of oil ?
Not exclusive to N52 engines. My M70 has a bad lifter also. On mine, it's an intermittent tick every five seconds. It goes away after five minutes on my car. Lifters can fail for a variety of reasons. It's not exclusive to any one engine, and it's not always a defect. My car has 223k. I bought it when it had 213k and it had the lifter issue. Obviously I can't get warranty work on a 22 year old car with 223k miles, and it's not a huge issue, but not something I want to run with indefinitely. Sometimes it's not actually a problem with the lifter itself. There is a defect on the oil sprayer bar on my car's heads where the bolts retaining the sprayer bar in position will loosen themselves. Over a period of time if this is not corrected, it can cause oil starvation and damage to the camshaft and valvetrain. However this problem can cause a lifter failure also. This flaw with the oil sprayer bar has been known to affect M30 engines also, which use a similiar system. I have heard of this happening on other M70 engines, and probably on other BMW engine types also. If you have warranty or CPO coverage on it, by all means get it fixed quickly! Don't waste time trying to be Sherlock and figure out first before you fix it, while your warranty runs out. Lots of time to hash out what if scenarios after you get it fixed.
Had the cylinder head replaced on my '06 Z4 3.0 under warranty but only after having a bleed procedure done twice. I've seen quite a few threads on the issue on various boards. Keep after the dealer to press BMW NA to cover. Takes persistence and following their guidelines, plus a good dealership. After the head was replaced......noise gone! Hope this helps.
Got this information off one of my previous posts from my BMW service receipt. They did this procedure twice before they replaced the cylinder head. Dealership performed service per SIB 11.09.07 Bleeding HVA elements (5th cycle and repeating). This was listed under cause.
Hey Sherlock. Try R-E-A-D-I-N-G. Had you read the title (of course you didn't -- you were too busy wording your sarcasm) I had said Let me bring it down your level so that a two year old can understand it. It means that N52 engines are not the only motors that develop problem lifter issues. I had also explained that it may not be as simple as a lifter issue. There may be secondary causes contributing to a failed lifter. I even outlined an example for the reasoning impaired. Or maybe the concept of a hydraulic lifter is too advanced a puzzle for you? Does that put a kiss on your little bo-bo, Sherlock?
kakgolfer check it out: http://bmwcca.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4359 http://www.bmwtis.com/tsb/bulletins/bulletin_graphic_temp/B110907g.htm http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=271500&highlight=z4+engine+noise http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13504 bcweir: my friend, oil is clearly not reaching your lifters
ummm your full name isn't Brett Weir, by any chance, is it? it would explain a few things (Jerky Boys)
Lifter Ticking FINALLY Fixed It took almost a year of back and forth with BMWNA to FINALLY get this resolved (see thread: http://bmwcca.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4359). I had it "bled" several times, had the valves replaced twice (once they sent the original ones, not the "upgraded" ones) before they finally replaced the head, which solved the problem (well almost completely; the car will still "tick" if I park on a step incline facing uphill, then drive it slowly 1/2 a mile, turn it off for a while, then restart...and the ticking starts again, but goes away shortly thereafter). What I had to do was really prove to BMWNA that the car was making the noise, so each time after they "fixed" it, when it happened again, I called my BMW tech (Rory Blumenschein at Rasmussen BMW in Portland OR...he's the BEST I've had in owning BMW's since 1970!!) and put the phone up to the engine to leave the sound on his voicemail; there's was NO way to argue with that evidence! The new head was installed a couple of months ago, but I waited to post the results until I was sure that it really had fixed the problem. BTW, for anyone else who's had this new head installed...is it just my imagination or is this new head significantly larger than the previous one?? Freude am Fahren
Ticking Noise - Exhaust lifters replaced Got the exhaust lifters replaced per the SIB below: Seems to have done the trick so far. This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI B11 09 07 dated January 2009. SUBJECT Intermittent Hydraulic Valve Adjuster (HVA) Noise MODEL All E82, E83, E88, E85, E86, E60, E61, E70, E90, E91, E92 and E93 vehicles with N51, N52 or N52K engines produced approximately up to November 31st 2008; refer to cylinder head casting identification attachment. SITUATION An occasional ticking or rattling noise from the camshaft hydraulic valve lifters (HVA) may occur during cold engine starts, due to frequent short-distance driving, or the noise may occur for an extended period of time even though the engine is at operating temperature. Improved parts were phased into production beginning on 10/1/2008 and fully implemented on November 31st 2008. CORRECTION Do not perform the bleeding procedure that was previously provided in SI B11 09 07 which has now been deleted. All vehicles produced between 10/1/2008 and 11/31/2008 must have each vehicle's cylinder head casting number identified before hydraulic valve lifters (HVA) replacement, due to staggered implementation. Refer to the attachment for the casting number location. Vehicles produced after 11/31/2008 have already been fitted with improved parts. Vehicles produced prior to 10/1/2008 will require the new parts. Improved Casting Numbers N51 (B30) 7588277.01 N52 (B30) 7588273.01 N52K (B30) 7588271.01 A cylinder head casting number that does not match will require replacement of the 12 exhaust camshaft hydraulic valve lifters (HVA) as per Repair Instruction RA 11 33 050, Removing and installing/replacing all rocker arms. Only the exhaust camshaft and rocker arms have to be removed in order to replace the hydraulic valve lifters. Do not remove or replace any intake camshaft valve train components. PARTS INFORMATION Part Number Description Quantity 11 33 7 605 330 Hydraulic Valve Lifter (HVA) 12 Refer to EPC for additional gaskets, seals and bolts, as required by the Repair Instructions. WARRANTY INFORMATION Covered under the terms of the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty, or the Certified Pre-Owned program. Please refer to the latest KSD for the applicable Main or Associated labor allowance for the specific model. Defect Code: 11 33 93 39 00 Labor Operation: Labor Allowance: Description: 00 58 248 Refer to KSD Replace exhaust camshaft hydraulic valve lifters (HVA) *Main Work or 00 58 827 Refer to KSD Replace exhaust camshaft hydraulic valve lifters (HVA) + Associated Work Note: The following explanations will spell out the correct use of the work times. Main Work: Use this labor operation number when the only repair performed is the listed warranty repair. OR +Associated Work: Use this labor operation number when other repairs or services are performed along with the listed warranty repair. Under no circumstances should both labor operation numbers be claimed. Attempts to claim both times will result in an unnecessary delay in claim processing and payment." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Be prepared before you go to the shop. Thanks to the forums I saved myself alot of headaches in dealing with the dealer. The first time I took the car in I told the service adviser that I was experiencing valve tapping problem and was concerned since I had read about the problem. You will probably get the, "Well our tech will have to hear the problem." My first trip resulted in the replacement of the starter. Yes, what the tech heard was a starter problem? A few weeks later, fortunately, I hear the tapping again. This time I returned with the SIB in hand. The service adviser took it to make a copy and returned with the service manager. "Well the service tech will have to hear..." Then I countered.."Well you keep the car here and when you hear the tapping do what the SIB says to correct this DEFECT." First of all I am greatly disappointed in BMW for not taking a proactive position in repairing the vehicles. BMW's attitude seems to be to keep quite and let the warranty expire. So be prepared when you show up at the shop. I am 99% sure that my dealer's shop knows about the SIB but playing dumb is just a delay tatic. Without the SIB I would have been given the - "we didn't hear anything" - and nothing would have been done. Unfortunately, I had to begin building a case in order to get 12 new lifters and I hope this will solve the problem. --------------------------------------- 2006 Z4si Roadster - Jet Black Born 9/1/2006 sport package, premium package, M seats (great seats), auto
The 2007 Z4 N52 is one of the motors addressed by BMW with a valve lifter problem. If lifters are making too much noise then dealer should fix it. I believe they have narrowed it down to the exhaust lifters and so no reason to replace the entire head. I have a 2008 3 with the N52 engine in it that I regularly redline and have no issue at the moment. It only has 20,000 miles on it. When I purchased it with 8,000 miles on it, there was some lifter noise. I took it to the dealer and they said to drive it hard and the noise would go away. It did go away.
To add a little more info, BMW redesigned the cylinder head and when/if you get the head replaced, you will get the new style head. If I remember correctly and it's been awhile since I saw this info, the oil galleys and drainback functions of the head did not work properly. The new head has modified oil galleys and different anti-drainback valves to keep more oil in the head during a cold start and to further reduce oil starvation. The problem with the SIB was that you did the procedure and it charged the oil galleys in the head, but as soon as you shut the engine off then the oil starts to drain back into the engine. This, over a long period of time WILL cause excessive wear on the upper end.
I experienced engine ticking and had my lifters replaced. The problem didn't 'go away' and I took my car in a week later and they are now having the cylinder replaced. I will know about whether or not this fixes things in a few days.
