All 2006 Non M Z4 Drivers Read! Important Information About Our Engines

[A267839885568]

Apparently if you didnt know, our N52B30 engines have a design flaw in our cylinder head that causes the lubrication/oil to drain when our engine is off. So whenever we start the car in colder weather or after a short distance before the engine heats up, there will be a clicking noise. I have noticed this clicking noise forever already, thinking its just engine sound. ITS NOT. IT IS VERY DAMAGING TO THE ENGINE. BMW has already designed a new checkvalve integrated into a new cylinder head. BMW has already issued to dealers the problem. They have a standard operation procedure that they do firs tbefore they replace the valve if you have the symptoms.

BMW SIB 11.09.07

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13504

Read that post. I know we dont drive E90s, but we use the same engine. This problem is widespread. Just thought to share with you all.

I just got back from my dealership for them to do the bleed procedure, which BMW requires them to do prior to changing the cylinder head. The clicking noise is there. If you dont know how the clicking noise sound like, here is a video to show.

This is an 2007 X3 with the N52 engine (same as the 06+ Z4s). If you have this clicking noise, get it checked out. BMW already knows about it.

[A267839885568]

Another video:

[scottyD]

From the way the bulletin sounds, it doesn't seem like a major problem. The bleeding procedure is pretty simple...


SI B 11 09 07 Engine
January 2009

This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI 11 09 07 dated April 2008.

SUBJECT
Intermittent Hydraulic Valve Adjuster (HVA): "Ticking" or "Rattling" Noises


MODEL
All E82, E83, E85, E86, E88, E60, E61, E70, E90, E91, E92, and E93 with the N51, N52 or N52K engines


SITUATION
An occasional ticking or rattling noise from the HVA elements may occur during cold engine starts or frequent short-distance driving.

CAUSE
In these situations, the HVA elements may not yet have been supplied with sufficient amounts of air-free oil. This condition will not cause any damage to the engine, and usually remedies itself with a longer driving distance or operating times at full operating temperature.

CORRECTION
In the event of a customer complaint, please perform the following the HVA bleeding procedure.

PROCEDURE
Important notes:

The bleed time may take anywhere from between two minutes and (in rare cases) to a maximum of 30 minutes. This procedure is to be performed on a level surface with the vehicle stationary, and in a properly ventilated area.

Procedure preconditions:

Engine oil level correct – neither underfilled nor overfilled

Engine running at operating temperature

1.) Bring the engine up to an operating speed (no load) of 2000-3000 rpm and maintain this condition for three minutes (bleeding procedure).

Let the engine idle for 15-30 seconds and reevaluate whether the noise is still present or not.

2.) Engine quiet – procedure is finished.

3.) Engine noise is still present – repeat the procedure; perform steps #1 and #2 up to a maximum of 5 times.

4.) Only if the noise remains after performing the bleeding procedure 5 times: proceed by performing the procedure for a final time, also at an engine operating speed of 2000-3000 rpm, but for a total time duration of 15 minutes.

WARRANTY INFORMATION
Covered under the terms of the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

[A267839885568]

But also keep in mind, BMW has already made a new cylinder head that corrects this problem. BMW would not have created a whole new cylinder head to replace the stock ones with unless its not a big issue.

When BMW Bleeds the engine, it forces it to run to the higher temperature where the engine wont make that noise. However the moment u dont do that anymore, it will return. Thats why BMW has a cylinder head released. The bleed process is a temporary fix.

[scottyD]

I don't follow your logic there...

If the bleeding procedure is all the dealership is going to do, you can save the time and hassle and do it yourself. If the engine continues to make a noise even after that then it's probably something more severe than what this bulletin is meant to address.

If bleeding does not fix the problem, and the real solution is to replace the cylinder head, then the service bulletin would include that as the final step after all the bleeding procedures were completed.

[A267839885568]

I mean BMW has a cylinder head made already that solves this problem specifically. I mean if its a simple annoyance/click, regular driving on the highway will solve it. But the moment u start up cold again, or drive around the city (like I do), the clicking will start up again. This clicking causes damage to the engine eventhough BMW says it wont, in the long run because the cylinders are running with low oil and lubrication as you have to pump it back up using high RPMs.

BMW already recognized this as a bigger problem then what they say it really is already because if it isnt a big deal ,why would they go and redesign a completely new cylinder head with a check valve to solve this problem?

[scottyD]

This clicking causes damage to the engine eventhough BMW says it wont

Says who?... I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion.

They probably replace the cylinder head for the few people that complain enough about it, and the dealership is eventually tired of dealing with them.

[A267839885568]

Its on the forums, and some SA did say it. I also called up BMWNA and they did confirm that anything that causes mechanical clicking like that will damage the engine as its sign of the engine running without proper lubrication.

[scottyD]

Even if the official word from BMW to the dealers in a service bulletin is that it won't cause damage...?

The nice folks on the BMWNA customer service line aren't the engineers who designed the engine, and neither are the people on the forums or the service advisor you mentioned.

[A267839885568]

Yeah....but if you think about it, if it doesnt do any real damage, why would BMW go as far as developing a new cylinder head and replacing the stock ones with them? I mean if its not a big problem, they could've just done a periodical bleeding for it. It just raises suspicion on it thats all.

[scottyD]

Do we have part numbers for the "old" vs. "new" cylinder head? Is there any kind of documentation that shows they changed the design, and maybe what models the "new" cylinder head was incorporated into? That might be helpful. However, you have a 2008 and have the problem, and the people on the E90 forum were complaining about it back in early 2006...


I don't mean to be an a-hole, I'm just skeptical since there isn't much hard evidence about the requirement to replace the cylinder head. Thanks for bringing it to this forum's attention though since there's plenty of N52s here as well.

[A267839885568]

yeah, on the forums, theres a picture of an extra valve after the installed the new cylinder head. Im trying to find out what the cylinder head OEM parts are lol

[M_Six]

Well that explains the ticking I sometimes hear. When I test drove the car, both I and the salesman heard the ticking before the test drive, but it was gone after a lengthy test drive. I still hear it occasionally, but it goes away after a longish drive. No big deal, I guess, since most of my drives are long.

[Excitmnt94]

Originally Posted by scottyD

They probably replace the cylinder head for the few people that complain enough about it, and the dealership is eventually tired of dealing with them.

yep. pretty much.

[nickpapa]

Originally Posted by A267839885568

I also called up BMWNA and they did confirm that anything that causes mechanical clicking like that will damage the engine as its sign of the engine running without proper lubrication.

a lot of cars have a continuous ticking sound which actually come from the injectors. so this statement doesnt make much sense to me.

im gonna go with the idea someone mentioned above, that it's to stop customer complaints

[scottyD]

I finally watched those videos (couldn't at work), and I can say that I've had that noise a few times as well. It was always gone by the time I had stopped driving the car though. If those guys were raising the issue to BMW back in 2006, you would have thought this "new cylinder head design" would have made its way into the later production 2007 and up N52 engines...

Seems like simply driving the car fixes the problem for the majority of the owners, who even notice that the sound is occurring in the first place.

If the noise continues more severely after driving the car and it doesn't go away, the next step is the bleeding process outlined by the bulletin.

That must solve it for 99% of the owners, since the bulletin doesn't address the cylinder head replacement.

For the last 1% who really have a horribly bad problem with this (bad tolerance stackup), or, are just complaining too much, they move to the cylinder head replacement. I'm not really believing it's a different and "updated" design, just a replacement of the same one...and they hope there's better luck with that one.


That's what it seems like to me, anyway...


"ages944" in post #179 shares that the noise came back in January 2007 after "repair" in March 2006. The noise went away though when he revved the engine and drove to work - pretty much the bleeding procedure outlined by the bulletin.

[A267839885568]

Yeah, I just talked to my dealership again today after the bleed procedure doesnt fix it. According to the delaership, they said my Cylinder head and lifters might not be "in specifications" and they are gonna help me by submitting a PUMA to BMWNA for the new cylinder head. 6th one they've done this year for the N52 engine.

[Hawkeye]

Thanks for the heads up Too bad you couldn't have outlined the problem I am having though... I am pulling my hair out over it as BMW cannot seem to figure out what is wrong and is doing everything in their power not to replace parts.... ahhhh.

[A267839885568]

Yeah, my car is now been in the delaership for 2 days already...they gave me a Kia rondo for rentall *cries* a kia of all things!!! Keep It Away!! (KIA) But yeah...seriously though, the dealership is waiting on BMWNA to authorize the cylinder head change.

[MontereyZ]

I have to check this out on my 06 that I just bought. I did hear a ticking sound the other day, but I want to verify it and track it before I go to the dealer. What I heard the other day was not very loud at all. I have read on other forums about getting a new head, new lifters, and something about a check valve. More research is needed.

[A267839885568]

I got my cylinder head replaced already. Car has higher gas mileage but dunno about performance yet.

[rps]

I had my car into the dealership two days ago for the ticking noise. Of course the car would not make the noise when it was there and they said that they couldn't proceed until they heard the noise. It does not do it all the time, but there are times when the ticking is present. At least they have it in the service history for the car so if it continues to make the noise or it gets worse, it is on file. I hope the problem does not continue and the car runs correctly.