2011 N47 Timing chain noise when cold

2011 N47 Timing chain noise when cold

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Discussion

AllyBassman

Original Poster:

779 posts

113 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
Urgh,

Got out the car when it was running this morning (engine had only been running for 5 mins or so after a short drive) and I heard the dreaded woosh, woosh, woosh noise from the chain. it was fairly loud and could hear it from 10 meters away!

Spent the whole drive to work (15 miles, 40 minutes) thinking about how much it's going to cost me to fix the dam thing or is it better losing money and chopping it in etc. When I pulled up at work, I got out and the noise had gone?!

Background on car: May 2011 build 320d, 58k miles and oil changed every 10k since 20k miles when I bought it.

Has anyone else noticed that their timing chain is noisey when cold?

Serves me right for banging on about how great a car it's been for me!

AllyBassman

Original Poster:

779 posts

113 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
Ninja59 said:
Did you have HVAC system on in any description?

Is is audible when you hold the throttle down for about 30 seconds at or around 2k rpm?

These are some of the tests they did when considering to investigate further on the timing chain front.
No it didn't have the AC on, just the standard climate control with AC off. I will try the rev test later after work when the engine will be cold again.



AllyBassman

Original Poster:

779 posts

113 months

Friday 12th January 2018
quotequote all
Yeah i'm well aware of the potential issues, I did hope that buying a 2011 built car will help protect me as the engine was revised. The problem N47's were mainly around 07-09 I think.

Well the noise hasn't re-appeard today, very odd indeed. I can only think it's dependent on Oil temp? Maybe it goes through a stange of being louder than usual as part of the engine heat cycle.

Either way, I think I better start saving some pennies for a timing chain replacement!

AllyBassman

Original Poster:

779 posts

113 months

Monday 15th January 2018
quotequote all
Here's a video of the engine noise: https://youtu.be/F9JV4WqqxGY

Just incase anyone wan't to have a listen and see what they think?

AllyBassman

Original Poster:

779 posts

113 months

Thursday 15th March 2018
quotequote all
Just an update,

I've had my 10k oil change service as usual, when I got the car back I've found that the noise has quietened down alot.

My trusted indy listened to the chain before the oil change, they said it sounded fine.

Even more convinced that the N47 needs regular oil changes now!

AllyBassman

Original Poster:

779 posts

113 months

Thursday 29th March 2018
quotequote all
dmarkovina said:
I would add LM ceratec to help with both noise and fiction, especially handy with such a sensitive chain drive. In my experience it has been nothing short of miraculous - especially when the engine is cold.

Edited by dmarkovina on Thursday 15th March 22:18
I've taken your advice, added a bottle into my oil and I agree, it's quitened things down considerably! Will post up a video later.

It didn't work straight away, but I've noticed it working after a couple of hundred miles and a few good heat cycles with the oil getting nice and hot.

This morning, during my usual routing of getting out of the car when the engine is running (when I normally hear the dredded tish tish tish noise, I didn't hear it at all! Brilliant stuff.

AllyBassman

Original Poster:

779 posts

113 months

Friday 11th May 2018
quotequote all
dmarkovina said:
Give it some more time/miles to properly bed in.

If you happen to have manual gearbox, adding 6% of the said potion also helps there - you get ridiculously smooth shifting no matter how cold it is and suppression of noises if there were any. With my 17 year old E39 with 230k+ miles I can still just about hear it with windows down but before it used to be positively loud.
Still all good, it's had plenty of good heat cycles to properly coat everything.

Good stuff, highly reccomended!