1. Home
  2. BMW Cars and SUVs
  3. noisy top side on 328ci?

noisy top side on 328ci?

I bought this 2000 328ci about 4 months ago. Car has 98k and only 2000 miles since H ad he oil changed with BMW OEM oil and filter. Last week I stopped driving it when I noticed that the top end was very noisy, like valve train clatter. I haven't pulled the valve cover yet but from the filler hole it looks like the top side is sludged up.

Am going to pull the valve cover in the next day or so. If it is indeed sludged up, what can I do to get the top side oiling again short of disassembly? I dont have any oil light or any other indication that the engine has low oil pressure. Please post up your comments/advice

Mike in Dallas

Reply to
mike
Loading thread data ...

Peeking in the fill hole you will not see "sludge". Sludge will be down in the oil sump clogging up the oil pump intake, if it is there at all.

What grade "BMW OEM" oil did they use? THey may have used too thin an oil for your well worn engine. The noises you are hearing may be the VANOS (variable valve timing) mechanism which has a propensity for making a racket when you use too thin an oil.

Reply to
Fred W

Thanks for responding. I want to say it was 10W-40. If this was a case of oil being too thin, wouldnt it have been noisy right after the oil change? This noise didnt start until a couple of months after the oil change.

Reply to
mike

OK, it may be unrelated then. I was under the impression you just had that service done. Also, 10W40 should be OK, though it wouldn't be my choice. I prefer to use 15W40 or 20W50 in the heat of summer in my 325i which gets the dreaded VANOS noise if I use 10W30 Mobil 1.

Reply to
Fred W

screw it, I took it into the shop today.

MRT

Reply to
mike

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.