E46 330i Suspension Metallic Clicking Noise

Gaygle

Gaygle

Gaygle

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Joined
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Hi all,

Right, i'm going crazy over this - basically when i accelerate or decelerate, i heard a clicking noise from the outside of the car (2 or 3 three clicks). It is easiest to hear this noise when i'm going at a slow speed and i am just pushing the accelerator then lifting off. It clicks once or twice when i accelerate, then clicks a few times when i lift off.

It is nothing to do with the speed of the car (as i can hear it faintly when accelerating or lifting off at 40-50mph too).

I have changed a front ARB bush, the front two wishbone bushes and the rear shock absorbers and it is still there.

I think it has something to do with either the gearbox, suspension, engine mounts, driveshafts or clutch, as these are the only things that are "under heavy load" when i accelerate or lift off.

Any advice/help would be greatfully received!

thanks!
 
Oddball suggestion: maybe some movement in manifold/exhaust, maybe a hanger is clicking?

Edit: Further oddball suggest: engine mount failing.
 
Last edited:
Biohazard said:
you changed one bush?

can you feel the click through the steering?
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The BMW guy said that ARB bushes are ok to be changed in ones, but i had to have both wishbone bushes changed.

And no, can't feel the clicking through the steering.
 
you got any play or that with the steering? is it simply a sound you hear?

check suspension top mounts perhaps, check all suspension components for play or signs of damage. cv joints can click when on the way out, but more a constant click when they go.

the clicking could also be the swirl flap perhaps? the solenoid for them can be quite brutal
 
I had exactly what you describe and it was the nearside engine mount (even though the noise was coming from the offside!).
 
Dont understand why you would only change one ARB. Suspension components should always be replaced in pairs and if one side has worn out the other wont be far off. Confused at that.

Anyway, engine mount is a likely cause - otherwise it could be the propshaft centre bearing. This was the cause of the metallic clicking noise on my 530i which I could hear applying power at low speeds. BMW replaced the propshaft under warranty at a cost of £1600. Sure an indy would be able to just replace the bearing on something, though.

Common on E46 and E39.
 
Biohazard said:
you got any play or that with the steering? is it simply a sound you hear?

check suspension top mounts perhaps, check all suspension components for play or signs of damage. cv joints can click when on the way out, but more a constant click when they go.

the clicking could also be the swirl flap perhaps? the solenoid for them can be quite brutal
Click to expand...

No play in ths steering and only the sound i hear. I replaced the rear suspension shock mounts when i did the shock absorbers yesterday. No change :(

I didn't think i had swirl flaps on mine, and anyway, wouldn't it be a constant sound rather than just on lift off and acceleration?

paradigm said:
I had exactly what you describe and it was the nearside engine mount (even though the noise was coming from the offside!).
Click to expand...

Ahhh excellent thanks. This looks like the best lead yet. How much was the engine mount? I can't pin point where the sound is coming from at all though.

[TW]Fox;17356409 said:
Dont understand why you would only change one ARB. Suspension components should always be replaced in pairs and if one side has worn out the other wont be far off. Confused at that.
Click to expand...

Well, the guy who did it strongly recommended that the wishbone bushes were changed in pairs, but said that the ARB ones are ok in singles. I don't know why, but that's what he said. He was a senior tech guy in 3 BMW dealerships for 22 years so i just accepted it.

[TW]Fox;17356409 said:
Anyway, engine mount is a likely cause - otherwise it could be the propshaft centre bearing. This was the cause of the metallic clicking noise on my 530i which I could hear applying power at low speeds. BMW replaced the propshaft under warranty at a cost of £1600. Sure an indy would be able to just replace the bearing on something, though.
Click to expand...

Ok thanks. The guy took me under the car and span the propshaft and it whined a bit, but we didn't think this was it. Worth bearing in mind though.

Just out of interest, are you still on your original shocks Fox/Para?

mejinks said:
A mates e36 had the same sort of thing and it turns out the rear shock mountings had torn out.
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Yeh i think the E36's were more renowned for doing this, but i replaced the rear shock mounts yesterday.
 
I had the same metallic noise (Sport suspension) on my car a year ago, the rear coils had cracked and BMW replaced it, the other side cracked a year later and that was then replaced too.
 
Gaygle said:
Ahhh excellent thanks. This looks like the best lead yet. How much was the engine mount? I can't pin point where the sound is coming from at all though.
Click to expand...

I paid around £30 for the part, and half an hours labour from an indy.

Open your bonnet, and place your hands on the intake manifold, then try to rock the engine sideways. Mine clicked/ticked when doing this, and you got a good few inchs of play out of it.
 
Ok, i've had a bit of a play with it and it seems as though the engine mounts are ok, or at least, i couldn't get them to making a noise.

It appears as though the sound is coming from the back of the car.

Interestingly, it seems to click a couple of times if you accelerate forwards from standstill, but will only click again if you put it in reverse and go backwards.

In other words:

1st gear -> Accelerate forward by lifting the clutch quite quickly = Metallic clicking noise

then if you want to get it to click again, you must:

Reverse gear -> Reverse by lifting clutch quite quickly = Click.

If you do not alternate 1st and reverse (forward and backward motion) = No clicking or very faint clicking


This has got me thinking - it's probably something to do with the differential/driveshaft/cv joints rather than the suspension?


Does that makes sense? :confused:
 
Gaygle said:
Ok, i've had a bit of a play with it and it seems as though the engine mounts are ok, or at least, i couldn't get them to making a noise.

It appears as though the sound is coming from the back of the car.

Interestingly, it seems to click a couple of times if you accelerate forwards from standstill, but will only click again if you put it in reverse and go backwards.

In other words:

1st gear -> Accelerate forward by lifting the clutch quite quickly = Metallic clicking noise

then if you want to get it to click again, you must:

Reverse gear -> Reverse by lifting clutch quite quickly = Click.

If you do not alternate 1st and reverse (forward and backward motion) = No clicking or very faint clicking


This has got me thinking - it's probably something to do with the differential/driveshaft/cv joints rather than the suspension?


Does that makes sense? :confused:
Click to expand...

Makes sense and sounds like balljoint shifting in its housing as its worn.
 
Thanks for your input ^^

Just spoken to my BMW specialist and he thinks it could be the rear handbrake shoes shifting about? Plausible?
 
Gaygle said:
Thanks for your input ^^

Just spoken to my BMW specialist and he thinks it could be the rear handbrake shoes shifting about? Plausible?
Click to expand...

Yes, they are noisy buggers and I had a similar metallic clicking noise in my Z4 and 325ci. I thought it was dodgy rear springs.

I didn't bother doing anything about it in the end, seems quite a common 'problem' and it wasn't loud enough to really annoy me.
 
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