Strange "ticking" noise from front of engine
12-22-2009, 12:05 PM
#1
Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Wheaton, IL
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2004 545i Sport, 6spd
Orient Blue Metallic
Complete MTech Kit
Hello everyone,
I'm hearing a "ticking" noise from the front of the engine. I originally thought it was a valve noise, but after popping the hood, and listening carefully, I have located the noise to the front of the engine, near the belts.
Any ideas what it could be? Perhaps something that is driving the belts? Alternator, A/C compressor, etc?
Thanks in advance!
Jake
I'm hearing a "ticking" noise from the front of the engine. I originally thought it was a valve noise, but after popping the hood, and listening carefully, I have located the noise to the front of the engine, near the belts.
Any ideas what it could be? Perhaps something that is driving the belts? Alternator, A/C compressor, etc?
Thanks in advance!
Jake
12-22-2009, 12:29 PM
#2
Contributors
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Milky Way, Earth, N. America, CA, San Jose, 95136, Latitude N 37� 16.837, Longitude W 121� 50.461
Posts: 3,561
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2004 530i | Sapphire Black | Sport | Premium | NAV | Logic 7 | DPE R07 Variant S Gloss Black with Polished Lip 20x8.5 front 20x10 rear | Falken FK452 tires 245/30/20 front 275/30/20 rear | H&R Coilovers | Smoked Tail Lights | M5 trunk spoiler | AC Schnitzer style roof spoiler | HID 8000K headlights & foglights | 35% tint all around | Sprint Booster | Speed Innovation ECU tuning | M5 trunk finisher | M-Tech body kit | Remus Quad Exhaust | AC Schnitzer style pedals | Euro Stickers | RPi Ram Air Induction | Smoked LED Side Lenses | AC Schnitzer style e-brake handle | AC Schnitzer style shifter | AC Schnitzer style iDrive knob | AC Schnitzer style carbon fiber diffuser | carbon fiber hood/trunk/steering emblems | carbon fiber grilles | carbon fiber door pillars | MTEC v2 Angel Eyes | Hamann style carbon fiber splitter
If you've made any enemies recently, I'd run away as fast as you can from your car... could be a bomb 
12-22-2009, 01:06 PM
#4
Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Wheaton, IL
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2004 545i Sport, 6spd
Orient Blue Metallic
Complete MTech Kit
Originally Posted by BMWRINO' post='1078442' date='Dec 22 2009, 03:29 PM
If you've made any enemies recently, I'd run away as fast as you can from your car... could be a bomb
12-22-2009, 01:08 PM
#5
Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Wheaton, IL
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2004 545i Sport, 6spd
Orient Blue Metallic
Complete MTech Kit
Originally Posted by billeul' post='1078443' date='Dec 22 2009, 03:35 PM
Could be the water pump. I'm hearing the same thing. Passenger side, front of the engine.
Does yours seem to get louder as time goes on? I originally heard this sound a few months ago, however, very faint. But lately, my 545i sounds like it's powered by a Detroit Diesel.....
Thanks,
12-22-2009, 01:29 PM
#6
Members
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had the same problem on my 07' 530. Brought it in 2 times for ticking in the engine. First time they replaced the camshaft and the lifters and told me the problem was fixed. Second time i brought it in the car spent two weeks in the shop while they replaced the entire cylinderhead and all of the components. Cost bmw around 10k the second time.
hope that helps
hope that helps
12-22-2009, 01:32 PM
#7
Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Wheaton, IL
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2004 545i Sport, 6spd
Orient Blue Metallic
Complete MTech Kit
Originally Posted by blindboy79' post='1078476' date='Dec 22 2009, 04:29 PM
I had the same problem on my 07' 530. Brought it in 2 times for ticking in the engine. First time they replaced the camshaft and the lifters and told me the problem was fixed. Second time i brought it in the car spent two weeks in the shop while they replaced the entire cylinderhead and all of the components. Cost bmw around 10k the second time.
hope that helps
hope that helps
hmmmm, well water pump scared me a whole heck of a lot less.....but thanks...
12-22-2009, 03:05 PM
#9
Senior Members
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Warwick, RI
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2005 545i Sport 6MT
A similar tick happened to mine, the waterpump was shot. Try grabbing the water pump pulley and moving it up and down. If there is play, thats more than likely the noise you are hearing. It requires replacement.