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2003 E46 318ti compact has engine rattle, possible loss of power!

17K views 35 replies 6 participants last post by  mikeykc 
#1 ·
Hi everybody! Mine names mike,

I bought a BMW 318ti compact sport about 5 months ago, after I bought it i noticed it had a small rattle from the engine, I've done a lot of searches on the web to find out what he issues could be, I've replaced the chain tensioner with a genuine BMW one, a long life oil and filter change with no fix! I hen inspected even more by taking the rocker cover off etc to see if I could see anything out of he norm, it all looked ok. I unplugged the valve tonic worm gear that's ontop of the rocker cover and the noise had gone! I then replaced this for a new one from BMW and had it coded by a BMW specialist, still no fix!

The noise happens on and off, it sounds like it at the top of the engine near the vanos. I can start it on a cold morning and the noise is there, I could start it on a different cold morning and it's fine? If he car is warm and the noise isn't there if I just rest my foot on the acelerater pedal the noise is there, I can hear it through 1st and 2nd gear nearly all the time, it getting on nerves now and can't seem to enjoy driving the car because I'm listening for the noise. Also I find car seems to be fast sometimes but the it can be very sluggish, especially below 2k rpm?

If anyone can help I would be very grateful thanks.
 
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#4 ·
Great! I thought it was something to do with vanos, is there anything I can do to fix it? I'm a Audi technician by trade so good around engines but I've heard there are a lot of special tool needed. Ive seen a thread on someone replacing the vanos on you tube it was the straight 6 engine tho, I did get a quote from a BMW specailist to fix this and they 1k?
 
#5 ·
You'll need the N42 timing/locking kit (around £200) to change the vanos/cam adjuster unit. So many people chasing noises on their N42s. Rattling chains, chattering valvetronics, knocking vac pumps etc. If you can get hold of DIS it can test the vanos and for wear on the valvetronic intermediate levers. Could try a couple of the cheaper options first like engine flush, lifter treatment and also worth checking the oil cap is nice and tight, if it's drawing air in it will cause rattling and knocking. The loss of power under the 2k sounds like an air leak problem.
 
#6 ·
Brill thanks very much, yeh I'm gonna do a couple of other things first like reseal the vac pump and rocker cover, because I have very small oil leak there that creates the smell of burning oil inside the car, and I will replace the oil cap cover because I think the seal is abit poor on that also. If that doesn't fix it the local BMW specailist said they would check vanos timing on there diss for £45 so I will no for sure then.

I'm always abit unsure about using engine flush etc because I think it can loosen things up to much but I didn't no the prob with the vanos is sticking so I might just give it ago!
 
#8 ·
Hi, everybody I thought I'd post a vid of the noise on YouTube so you can hear it but the video isn't very good bacuse I was on my own so couldn't get someone to rest there foot on the throttle so I did it myself so the volume is very low so to hear it your gonna have to turn your volume up on your laptops etc...

YouTube - BMW 318ti e46 n42 engine rattle

Does this sound like vanos? Or could it just be that vac pump? I'm thinking it might not be vanos as I'm hardly revving the engine so why would the vanos be moving then?? But I don't no when they do move, icould be talking rubbish or just wishful thinking!

Also if it is vanos can I just replace them without taking the chain off? I've seen a vid on YouTube of some guy replacing the vanos unit on a BMW 330 and it didn't look much of a job! Is the 318 the same??
 
#10 ·
YouTube - BMW 316i, E46, n46, motor noise I'd say it sound just like this one on cold start! And then it goes when warm and tongetbit to do it then you use have to slightly rest your foot on the throttle!.

Really d so you don't have to lock the cams up etc just slacken the chain by removing the tensioner or just slacking it by u screwing it, then is it just a case of unbolting off the cam? Is it one big unit?,
How much do they cost? Can you get them from anywhere else apart from BMW? Sorry for 20 questions but I want to get it sorted thanks for your help tho.
 
#11 ·
You can do it without the timing/locking kit but there is a vanos alignment tool for replacing them. There is a guide about I'll have a look for it in a min. IIRC a vanos unit is around £90 from BMW you can try places bmwpartsonline, bmminiparts or some of the vendors on here.
 
#13 ·
Thanks for all your help, that information is spot on, just what I was after! The vanos alignment tool is built up in the locking which is nearly £300 :eek I can't seem to find it on its own.

I did another video today with someone sat in the car so you know exactly what I'm hearing and just to double check vanos is the cause from the sound of it!

YouTube - BMW 318ti e46 n42 engine rattle when pressing throttle vanos??
 
#21 ·
I have only tested the lock off using the timing kit. The guides normally snap at the top, so you should see that straight away. Just make sure that when you are done, you replace the valve cover gaskets, it's a set of two gaskets and four spark plug tube o-rings. If you don't do this, you will have trouble in the long run, with oil leaks and air leaks.
 
#22 ·
Yeh I've had the valve cover off already to see if I could see any breaks in the guides and they looked fine and quite sturdy, I would expect them to be loose at the top if they were broken. I've already got a new gasket set, because like you since taking it off to inspect I've got a oil leak, they are £90 from BMW but got one off eBay for £25 and I've ordered a new oil cap from BMW for £13.

So if I got the locking, I've found this on Sealey VSE5911 Petrol Engine Setting Locking Kit - BMW N42 N46 - Chain Drive and lock it up, the cam that doesn't line up in position is because the vano is faulty? Prob be easier to get it diagnosed by my local BMW specailist for £45 to see which one is out of time?

So at worst if I do this my self £460 for vanos and £220 for locking kit total=£680 harsh!
 
#23 ·
The timing being out doesn't always point to faulty adjustment units. When the adjustment units lock when the car is switched off, there should be no movment in them at all.

I would get the engine timing checked and adjusted (if needed), then go from there. If you can get it done cheaper at a specialist (who knows the engine) with the correct tools, then go for it. The N42 is a real PITA.
 
#25 ·
Apologies about that price. Looking through the old notes I've got the cam unit at £196. :silly:silly:silly
Another quick, cheap try would be swapping the solenoid valves over and checking the o-rings on them, if they slide in and out without any force then the o-rings are shot and you could be losing oil pressure to the vanos.
Good luck with it and keep us posted.:thumbsup
 
#27 ·
UPDATE!

Hi, sorry for not getting back very fast but I've been busy!

So the car was booked in at two different BMW specailists to find what the faulty part was that was causing my engine to sound like a diesel!

The first one said to me they would need to do a complete chain overhaul at £1500 est and if it needed vano units more money so I said no! They also said if i was them they would just live with the noise!
I took it to the second one, I told them that I suspected the noise was the vano units. they said that they would replace them for around the £700 mark! I thought that wasn't to bad of a price so I dropped it off with them. The next day they rang me to say that they didn't think it was the vanos unit causing the noise and they suspected the top half of the engine was to blame, and to fix it would mean replacing pretty much everything! Cams, lifters, the lot! He couldn't quote me a price but he said it was pretty much an open cheque book job! And it's up to me but he said I would be better off trading or selling the car!

After all this I was gutted! I liked the car so I thought I'd try and live with the noise but I couldn't! I was scrolling an auction site when I came across some used vanos! I bought them for £137. Me and a friend decided to fit them without buying the very expensive locking kit. Well today we tackle the job and fitted just the exhaust vano because when the rocker cover was off and you turned the engine round by hand you could see the exhaust vano clicking every half turn! So we replaced it and the car is fixed! I'm so happy we took our time making sure we hadn't knocked the time out etc. it no longer sound like a diesel and it's got so much more torque I'm soooooo pleased! So if you engine sound like mine (vid above) its the exhaust vano!!
 
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