Noise on a cold start only, lasts a split second

  • Thread starter Thread starter mrk
  • Start date Start date

mrk

mrk

mrk

Man of Honour
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
104,667
Location
South Coast
I have had the car quickly seen to by the dealer who said they could not spot an issue but of course by the time I got there I could not replicate the noise as the engine is warm and the noise is only there in the mornings or a cold start and not when revving either, just during startup for a very brief moment.


I know it's been mentioned before that it's probably the aux belt and I did mention this to them and they said the belt was fine :confused:

Perhaps some lube is needed somewhere then?

FWIW the car drives fine and sounds fine too in motion, it's only when cold starting.

Edit*

Who rated it 1 star ffs! :p
 
Last edited:
Sounds very similar to the noise my mate's E46 316Ti was making (like a metallic rattle), as though the oil wasn't reaching the head immediately or something.

Does it do it all of the time? His went away almost completely after we gave it a service.
 
Only on cold starts, it must be a tensioner somewhere - of course belts/tensioners/etc all get warm quick so it's not easy to find the fault lifting the bonnet and checking with the engine running and there's no signs of a leak or anything either.

It's not a metallic rattle as such either but more of a kind of noise you'd expect to hear when something needs some lubrication like a pulley or squeeky wheel/cog on a bike for example.
 
No, oil service is due soon though (1k miles)

agw_01 said:
Does it do it if you start the car, turn it off and then turn it on again?
Click to expand...

If the engine is cold and I start, turn off, start, turn off and start again for example then yes brief noise at each start but if I start, leave for 5 mins, turn off then start again then no as everything has warmed up a bit.
 
Last edited:
agw_01 said:
Sounds very similar to the noise my mate's E46 316Ti was making (like a metallic rattle), as though the oil wasn't reaching the head immediately or something.

Does it do it all of the time? His went away almost completely after we gave it a service.
Click to expand...

Agree with this, sounds like just the cold weather and oil not getting to the head as fast.
 
I did start noticing it when the cold weather started late last year so perhaps this is it - hmm! it just never really bothered me as a major issue since everything else is in check I guess so wanted to keep it on hold until the next service schedule (MOT was done with no caution notes in Nov btw).
 
Fox is right, the MOT is a safety check, not an all over health check like many people seem to think it is - they don't know or care if the car has no oil in it, a slipping clutch, rattling tensioners, no coolant etc. That's your problem.
 
Yes I use the oild that BMW supply, Castrol SLX is what they use, with 6+ discount it doesn't really warrant me sourcing my own oil and parts.

Lopéz said:
Fox is right, the MOT is a safety check, not an all over health check like many people seem to think it is - they don't know or care if the car has no oil in it, a slipping clutch, rattling tensioners, no coolant etc. That's your problem.
Click to expand...

I'd agree but I did mention the noise and that it could be the aux belt/tensioner during MOT to the dealer (Snows) and the guy who was seeing to my car came out to say that he couldn't find a problem with that.

The weather is warming up now though so perhaps I should see how it goes and get it seen to again during the oil service coming up shortly.
 
My MX5 makes that kind of noise on first cold start where the oil hasn't quite got to the lifters and you get a clattering noise that quickly goes. Some oil grades in the MX5 will make that noise constant, but it can be a sign that you need an oil change.
 
mrk said:
Hmm looks like I should schedule a date in soon then :D
Click to expand...

Well, it might not be the oil, but sounds similar to what my mx5 sounded like before I changed the oil. But if its due soon then it's a plausible explanation. I doubt any damage is being done so that you should run out and throw money at it.
 
That's true but since it's due soon anyway it would be out of my mind then too but then again if it's not the oil then it's back in my mind!
 
Which noise are we talking about? The clatter that starts at 5 seconds in and lasts for about a third of a second? Sounds just like HLA clatter while the oil gets up around the top end, as said.

My MX5 did the same, for 1-2 seconds when cold. Perfectly normal apparently. But when I changed the oil (to a different grade) it went away totally :) I dare say the oil change/service will cure it, I wouldn't worry
 
Yes that noise, not the noise made by a mere 4 cylinders of NA awesomeness ¬_¬
 
Hydraulic tappets on that? 4/16 tappets will always be in compression, if they're hydraulic then the oil is pushed out very slowly, they take moments to fill up when you start it, and during that time the tappets rattle.

A good test would be to start it cold, hear the noise finish, stop it, wait a moment, then start it again. If the noise happens again then it is not tappets.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom