e39 3.0 petrol metallic noise when running

[funkyrobot]

Looking at a 51 plate example of the above. Everything seem ok apart from a few things.

1. When running, it is making a rather loud metallic noise. Not really a rattle, more like metal parts in motion noisily (like a chain running rough). It seems to be running ok, just making this noise.
2. There is a large coating of oil around a black circular reserviour thing that sits above the radiator.
3. The engine bolts on the top left of the engine have a bit of red sealant around/under them. Trader told me engine was reconditioned 10k miles ago. Is this stuff just sealant for the bolts?

Any of the above a concern on a £1500 car?

Thanks.

[Matt UK]

I had a 530i, lovely thing it was.

Any £1,500 car is starting to become a gamble really.

It should be a smooth quiet engine. They are chain driven though so maybe the noise is a tensioner letting go or the chain has stretched a bit. Both of which will ruin an engine given time.

Sorry can't really help further.

[funkyrobot]

Thanks.

Yes, know that price point runs a risk. Not bothered about much other than the engine and gearbox working.

Didn't think this noise was normal. Not a mechanic though.

Its done 107k miles. Not mega mileage.

[twoblacklines]

Sounds like vanos.

Or it could be the exhaust manifold leaking

or it could be the exhaust heatshields rattling. I cut mine off with a dremel on my 330ci and it solved that.

Can you get us a good video?

IMO M54B30 is one of the best engines ever made when healthy.

Edited by twoblacklines on Saturday 15th April 18:52

[Guttered]

Could it possibly be the timing chain guides or the tensioner?

[Patrick Bateman]

DISA valve on the M54 can sound quite rattly, diesel-like.

Easy way to check-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRhDpADB87s

[funkyrobot]

Thanks. Definitely not a rattle. Its a constant metallic noise that dips and rises with the revs.

Can't get a vid as the car is 20 miles away from me now.

Whatever it is, its not normal I guess so its put me off getting it. As I said above, I can live with things being wrong as its £1500. Potentially major things like timing chain put me off.

Ive looked at a few YouTube vids and it doesnt sound like the vanos.

[ChemicalChaos]

If it sounds like this metallic noise (thats an M62 petrol v8 doing its best diesel impression) then its your Vanos seals that have failed. You'll be able to confirm by booting it in 3rd gear on a sliproad - you'll find a power dip when the engine is supposed to come on cam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Smluekutk&fe...

The good news is that you can ignore it if you can live with the noise and power loss (mine has done 20k miles since this fault happened). The bad news is that if you do want to fix it, its £700 for a new vanos unit or a very fiddly job to take the supposedly non-serviceable unit apart and fit a new seal kit

[funkyrobot]

It might be normal.

If you watch the vid below from the cold start, its like the running sound of this engine at idle but a bit louder

https://youtu.be/bsLKhwUh4t0

I'm new to these engines maybe I'm worrying about nothing.

[ChemicalChaos]

Hard to tell from your video but it sounds like a mixture of vanos rattle and a metal-on-metal scraping noise to boot. Weird!

[funkyrobot]

Thats exactly it. The metal on metal sound. Its quite loud on the car I looked at today.

It may be completely normal. The vid I linked isnt the car, but its the closest thing I could find.

[Sa Calobra]

£1,500 is alot of anyone's money. Add on ongoing repairs then sell as spares or repair?

Why not wait for the right car.

[ChemicalChaos]

So it definitely doesnt sound similar to my video then?

IN which case, I can only imagine the nasty things that would cause a scraping noise - mostly to do with spun bearings or broken rings.....

[funkyrobot]

ChemicalChaos said:

So it definitely doesnt sound similar to my video then?

IN which case, I can only imagine the nasty things that would cause a scraping noise - mostly to do with spun bearings or broken rings.....

No. Not like your vid, more like mine.

I think i'll leave this one and keep looking.

[ChemicalChaos]

funkyrobot said:

I think i'll leave this one and keep looking.

Indeed.

By the way, the "reservoir" things (there are 2 ) are a remote oil filter housing (big silver one with a black lid) and the power steering pump reservoir (smaller black plastic one)

[SWoll]

IME post 'efficient dynamics' 6 cylinder petrol BMW engines all sound a bit rattly when cold, especially at idle. I had a 2001 330i (S54) which sounded great but the later 2007 530i (M54) I had sounded bloody awful at idle and when cold, almost diesel like.

[funkyrobot]

Thanks.

This isnt a rattling noise though. More like metal on metal. It reminds me of a chain rubbing on a bike.

Anyhow, ive realised that I need to up my budget for something better.

[XFRFred]

funkyrobot said:

It might be normal.

If you watch the vid below from the cold start, its like the running sound of this engine at idle but a bit louder

https://youtu.be/bsLKhwUh4t0

I'm new to these engines maybe I'm worrying about nothing.

I think i know what sounds you're talking about, and i had that on my last 530 for nearly 4 years and on the 530 prior to that.
To me, it was just part of the engine noise.

However, to answer your questions.

2. There is a large coating of oil around a black circular reserviour thing that sits above the radiator.

The one of the right, i believe, is the power steering fluid reservoir. The 'O' ring may have cracked and it's seeping out from the top. The one on the left is the oil filter. It may have not been tighten correctly and so oil is seeping out.

3. The engine bolts on the top left of the engine have a bit of red sealant around/under them. Trader told me engine was reconditioned 10k miles ago. Is this stuff just sealant for the bolts?

Sounds like liquid gasket has been used to seal up the nuts holding the valve cover in place.
The gasket become really brittle over time, like hard plastic, and if disturbed, will seep out the oil.
Or the bolts sheer off and the nut cannot be held in place. So extra sealant may have been used.

Edited by XFRFred on Saturday 15th April 21:46

[lufbramatt]

They should be pretty much silent at idle. Find another one, they're not rare. Could be something simple like a belt tensioner bearing failing, or it might not.

Vanos seals on an m54 are easy enough to DIY, seal kit is £25 and you don't have to re time the cams, the vanos unit just unbolts off the front of the engine, nothing tricky about it if you have a spare weekend.

Oily black reservoir is the power steering fluid. There's a big black o ring in the lid that perishes, couple of quid for a new seal.

These engines are pretty bombproof but the cooling system is marginal and needs to be looked after. A reconditioned engine suggests it's been cooked in the past, as you don't really hear of them needing to be opened for anything else. It's an alloy block and has a reputation for stripping head bolt threads when being rebuilt so I would steer clear if I were you.

Edited by lufbramatt on Saturday 15th April 21:46

Edited by lufbramatt on Saturday 15th April 21:49

[funkyrobot]

Thanks for the info.

As you say, even if the engine noise is normal, it looks like this one has had some major work done on it.

I'll leave it and look out for something else.

Ive just remembered that the trader told me he cleared a load of white gunk off the oil cap innards. Yeah, the more I think about it, the more it puts me off.