Why Does BMW Valve Train Ticking Noise Come and Go?

Hey, BMW fans! Your car is a bunch of beauty, power, and comfort, but like any efficient machine, it can also give rise to different troubles over time, which can be a bit annoying and worrying, hampering the overall quality of the ride. One such inconvenience often experienced by BMW riders is hearing a weird ticking sound coming from the engine, especially while idling. This noise doesn’t always indicate something disastrous, but you must pay attention to it and understand why your BMW valve train ticking sound comes and stops on its own. Stick to the end of this article to learn about the same.

What is your BMW valve train, anyway?

Before proceeding further with the main focus, let’s understand how the valve train functions. Consider it as a group of elements performing together to manage the air intake, fuel delivery, and exhaust release. The components included are:

 Valves - These open and shut to allow air and fuel entry and push exhaust out.

 Camshaft - This monitors and regulates the timing of the valves.

 Lifters and Rockers - These function as messengers that carry motion from the camshaft to the valves.

All these components must work seamlessly to maintain optimal engine performance and efficiency.

What causes the ticking sound in your BMW valve train?

 Oil problems: The engine oil is responsible for keeping the moving engine parts lubricated. If the oil quantity is low, or if the oil is contaminated, the engine components can’t operate or move smoothly, producing an unusual ticking sound.

 Hydraulic tappets: Modern BMW models are engineered with hydraulic lifters, which automatically regulate to ensure everything stays secure and silent. With pressure drop or insufficient oil, they might emit a ticking noise.

 Usual deterioration: Like any vehicle component, the valve train components may also wear out eventually. This creates small spaces between the parts, generating a loud ticking noise while the engine operates.

 Cold ignition: During the first ignition of your vehicle, particularly on cold mornings, the engine oil takes a few minutes to spread throughout the engine area to lubricate the necessary components. At that moment, you may also hear this weird ticking sound until all components are well-lubricated.

Why does your BMW valve train ticking noise fluctuate?

 Engine oil temperature: When the engine temperature rises, the oil becomes more fluid and flows more effectively. If you hear the ticking noise only while the engine is cold and stops once the engine heats up, then it's due to the oil circulation throughout the engine area.

 Driving habits or traffic conditions: If you practice harsh driving or are stuck in traffic for a long time, your engine could run hotter than normal. As a result, the excessive heat can make parts expand a little, changing how they interact and temporarily stopping the ticking sound.

 Fluctuating oil pressure: With a malfunctioning oil pump, your car might encounter inconsistent pressure delivery. This may lead the lifters to create a ticking noise sometimes and remain silent for the rest of the time.

 Carbon deposits: Eventually, carbon might build up on the valves and lifters. These carbon deposits can lead to the emission of ticking sounds at irregular intervals, specifically if it changes with engine RPM.

The bottom line

In the end, a ticking sound coming from your BMW’s valve train can be unsettling but doesn’t always mean something severe. As we learned, in most cases, the ticking sound may result from oil circulation issues, lifter malfunctions, or standard wear and tear, but the noise can fluctuate based on factors like oil temperature, engine load, and driving conditions. While it might not be an immediate concern, it’s necessary to pay attention if the ticking keeps happening, gets louder, or is accompanied by other engine issues like rough idling, stalling, etc. You must change the engine oil periodically, use the right type of oil and additives, as well as treat the carbon build-up if you want to avoid these engine issues. Even after grasping these data, if you are not confirm about the issue, you must visit the nearest BMW service center and seek professional assistance to detect the exact issue by precise diagnosis and replace the faulty component with a new, high-quality part suitable for your BMW model to restore the peak vehicle performance down the line.