Bad Vibrations! (318is coupe-E36-M44 engine-'99T-40k miles)
Discussion
My car has started making scary noises! I can split the symptoms into two parts...
Part A
Fairly quiet metallic sounding vibration when accelerating from approximately 1,200-1,500 rpm. Also happens at exactly 1,200 rpm when stationary and out of gear but no vibration at below or above 1,200 rpm. This started a few days ago. I already had it in my head that I'd get it checked-out sometime soon, when...
Part B
Started the car this morning. Usual vibration as per Part A, followed by the most appalling metallic grinding noise as I started along the driveway. Stopped car. Reversed back. Same noise. Pulled forward again a bit. Same noise again. Repeated a few times and then the noise went away and I was able to make my Sunday morning trip to the supermarket without further drama, except the vibration described in Part A.
After I returned from the supermarket I went to my local remembrance service. Again, the vibration was present but the grinding noise didn't return and has only happened the once so far. The vibration is worse when the car is cold and the grinding noise went away after the car had been running for a few minutes, so maybe both issues are related to the car being cold. Maybe something is loose but once the car warms up some expansion takes place which tightens it up.
The car is driving perfectly normally - normal acceleration, normal braking, normal gearchanges, normal clutch-feel, etc., so I guess there's just something loose underneath, though feel more reluctant to drive it since it made the horrid grinding noise that I heard this morning.
Obviously I intend to take expert advice, but in the meantime does anyone know what it might be? It seem to be coming from underneath the front - maybe the front end of the exhaust pipe is loose?
Part A
Fairly quiet metallic sounding vibration when accelerating from approximately 1,200-1,500 rpm. Also happens at exactly 1,200 rpm when stationary and out of gear but no vibration at below or above 1,200 rpm. This started a few days ago. I already had it in my head that I'd get it checked-out sometime soon, when...
Part B
Started the car this morning. Usual vibration as per Part A, followed by the most appalling metallic grinding noise as I started along the driveway. Stopped car. Reversed back. Same noise. Pulled forward again a bit. Same noise again. Repeated a few times and then the noise went away and I was able to make my Sunday morning trip to the supermarket without further drama, except the vibration described in Part A.
After I returned from the supermarket I went to my local remembrance service. Again, the vibration was present but the grinding noise didn't return and has only happened the once so far. The vibration is worse when the car is cold and the grinding noise went away after the car had been running for a few minutes, so maybe both issues are related to the car being cold. Maybe something is loose but once the car warms up some expansion takes place which tightens it up.
The car is driving perfectly normally - normal acceleration, normal braking, normal gearchanges, normal clutch-feel, etc., so I guess there's just something loose underneath, though feel more reluctant to drive it since it made the horrid grinding noise that I heard this morning.
Obviously I intend to take expert advice, but in the meantime does anyone know what it might be? It seem to be coming from underneath the front - maybe the front end of the exhaust pipe is loose?
sniff diesel said:
Could be a loose heat sheild?
Friend at work suggested the same today. The vibrations would be consistent with that and the other noise may have been caused by the loose part moving and fouling a moving part before moving again and the noise stopping. I don't actually need the car for a few days but first chance I get I'll have it up on a ramp and have a look.Had a look underneath with a torch when I got home from work today. It appears that a large panel underneath the engine is loose because one corner has completely rusted away around the fastening that was holding it on at that corner. Hopefully a solution can be cobbled-together until such time as the panel can be replaced.
Talkwrench said:
Want me to take a look, Mitch?
Yes please! I'm going away on Friday (back on Monday afternoon) but any evening before or any day or evening after I'm back would be great. I have loads of holiday left to take from work so I'd be interested to take a day off and have a good look myself when it goes on a ramp, though I guess poking a torch underneath while it's sat on the drive might be the place to start.sniff diesel said:
Undertray loose? Just rip it off Shirley?
With my extremely limited knowledge I'm thinking sump guard - Possibly best not ripped off! Also it appears to go 'behind' other things that may be damaged if I just ripped it off. I don't much fancy causing avoidable damage to my car.MitchT said:
sniff diesel said:
Undertray loose? Just rip it off Shirley?
With my extremely limited knowledge I'm thinking sump guard - Possibly best not ripped off! Also it appears to go 'behind' other things that may be damaged if I just ripped it off. I don't much fancy causing avoidable damage to my car.sniff diesel said:
Don't think you'd find a sump guard on any non 4x4 or rally car, certainly don't know of any E36 with one. Could be a heat sheild though, afraid I don't know about the 4 pot engined BMW's.
The thing is, there is what I know to be a heat-shield between the exhaust and the floor of the passenger compartment, and this thing that's loose under the engine looks like it's made of a completely different material. Hopefully it isn't the sump itself!!!Suffice to say, you wouldnt have made it to the supermarket and back without a sump...... not to mention the gallon of oil you'd leave behind!
It'll almost certainly be a heat shield or guard of some description.
Pop over to the workshop one day next week and I'll put it on the ramp and sort it out. Probably a 5 minute job.
It'll almost certainly be a heat shield or guard of some description.
Pop over to the workshop one day next week and I'll put it on the ramp and sort it out. Probably a 5 minute job.
Okay... just did an image search for 'E36 heat shield' and actually I think it definitely is she heat shield! I guess it A: goes a lot further forward than I thought and B: is very dirty under the engine so it looks like a different part to the bit which I know is the heat shield further back!
ETA: Images!
In the right-hand picture you can see a tab with a hole in it at the top left of the heat shield. That tab appears to be completely gone on mine!!!
ETA: Images!
In the right-hand picture you can see a tab with a hole in it at the top left of the heat shield. That tab appears to be completely gone on mine!!!
Edited by MitchT on Tuesday 11th November 20:31
Talkwrench said:
Suffice to say, you wouldnt have made it to the supermarket and back without a sump...... not to mention the gallon of oil you'd leave behind!
Yeah, I guess you're right there!Talkwrench said:
It'll almost certainly be a heat shield or guard of some description.
Pop over to the workshop one day next week and I'll put it on the ramp and sort it out. Probably a 5 minute job.
Great! I'll take a day off and bob up next week then. I'll be in touch beforehand to let you know. Thanks!Pop over to the workshop one day next week and I'll put it on the ramp and sort it out. Probably a 5 minute job.
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