540i tappet death rattle? - BMW Forum

harryinsaudi · 11-07-2009, 12:19 AM

just started it this morning and instead of the usual peace and quiet....a loud "tappet" noise from pax side (LHD) rear cylinder head. quietened down after a few mins but still a mechanical noise when i blip it.....

seen some advice to rev it to 3000 for a couple of mins in neutral to fill up the pots of the hyd lifters.... not sure i want to do that. Used to rev my mini to 5000 to straighten bent valves but that was 30 years ago.....

any tips/ how do i tell? bmw dealers are VVV expensive out here.

Harry

witeshark · 11-07-2009, 09:14 AM

How long since the last oil change?

harryinsaudi · 11-07-2009, 10:43 AM

only 3000 Km..... i change the oil every 5K and the filter every 10K.....

just changed the oil, flushed with a flushing oil and spent $40 on 7 ltrs of castrol mag... 10w/40....

maybe last oil was 20w/40.... i'll see... when hot/ revved a bit it quietens... can't hear it with the bonnet down.

it's an old engine... and it's worked pretty hard since i bought it.... if needed ,i'm thinking of just changinf the lifters on the "stuck" cylinder.... at $ 40 a piece here X 32 it's a lot!

Harry

witeshark · 11-07-2009, 11:40 AM

That seems like it should work.

Katmandu · 11-09-2009, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harryinsaudi

i change the filter every 10K.....
Harry

That's why you have a sticky lifter.

Filters are CHEAP. Changing them is a lot cheaper than fixing a lifter!

e34lvr23 · 11-09-2009, 01:41 PM

my 540i did the same thing........@ 140,000miles....it turned out to be a fairly common problem with the oil pump bolts shearing off and it not sealing correctly! (dropping the oil pressure) maybe you should check into that? i payed 600$ to have it fixed at a bmw shop! so i'd imagine it's DIYable if thats the case!....hope this helps!

harryinsaudi · 11-12-2009, 09:47 AM

yep, i'd heard that the oil pump bolts can work loose on these engines i'll have a look into that. I don't think that leaving the filter in for 10k km is an issue, the oil is always still clean when i change it and i change the filter twice as often as recommended ...... i get 4 oil changes in between the green lights turning to amber.....

e34lvr23 · 11-13-2009, 03:01 AM

i usually run my filters around 10k also and all three of my past bmw's have ran over 300'000miles. i don't really think theres a science to it but i feel it to be needless money saved if after 5k the oil is still clean!