Tapping noise while revving.......common for VANOS?

[SharkedM3]

I had this inspection for my extended warrenty today, and this cock gobbler of an inspecter failed my pride and joy. He grabbed the throttle cable and made the car rev, and as the revs came down you could hear this tapping noise coming from what i think is the silver bulge area of the engine, maybe close to the engine cover. I have never really noticed this noise when driving. Can anyone tell me whats up? Is this common? Thanks for the help guys.

[M///_Wraith]

Low oil pressure can cause valve ticking.

[back_in_black]

I've noticed that noise on my car as well. From the silver case in front of the valve cover. It occurs when you rev, but is heard as engine winds down. It worried me the first time I noticed it, but then I checked other people's M3's and their's did it to. More noticable after hard driving. I am not familiar with what it is though. Hope someone can shed some lihgt on this for all of us.

[steve]

It's the vanos gear. It's common in all of em so don't sweat it. Ask ths same question on the E36 message board and I'm sure they'll tell you that same thing. We had a drive last week here in maryland and two of the guys with E36's had the same noise. Actually we stopped to check out Kip's car because he was also worried that he had a problem. It's normal.

[back_in_black]

Originally posted by steve
It's the vanos gear. It's common in all of em so don't sweat it. Ask ths same question on the E36 message board and I'm sure they'll tell you that same thing. We had a drive last week here in maryland and two of the guys with E36's had the same noise. Actually we stopped to check out Kip's car because he was also worried that he had a problem. It's normal.

Didn't I just say that Steve? HA HA j/k

[scansp7]

heres the deal on this one. my car is doing the same thing right now and the regional manager of bmw in my area checked it out and told me that it was a problem that occured in the older m's, the vanos unit was later updated and revised to fix the problem, they can also be adjusted (mine was adjusted twice but the noise keeps on coming back)but it is probably just best to replace the unit with the newer version, maybe thats why my car goes in next week for a new vanos unit.....

[SharkedM3]

Thanks for all the help guys. Well it looks like i will have to have a BMW tech say that it is normal and then fax the report to the warrenty people. I hate visiting the stealer. I can picture those bastards now: "yea its a major problem, but $3K will solve it". If anyone has the hook up on a dealership that will let me pass, please let me know. Anyways this is Jim Conforti's opinion on the matter, its towards the end. http://www.bmw-m.net/FAQs/whatis.htm Goes along with what most of you said. Thanks again, I appreciate the help.

[///Emtree]

I had the same problem about two months ago. I took my 95' m3 to my local dealer & they told me it was my timing chain tensioner. I asked the mechanic if this was happens alot & he told me that on the M-Coupe's he's seen it alot but on the m3's it was rare. I dont' really know but I ended up getting it fixed. So $550 later my car was back to normal.

[steve]

hahahaha, wait KIP, has your name always been back-in-black?? where the hell have been, someone needs to take away one of my votes lol. anyway so yea ask kip he knows whats up lol.

[shragon]

i think the older vanos systems are generally noisy.

my friend had his adjusted a few times, and also replaced twice. the sound comes back.

it's normal.