Urgent help/ advise

[themoog]

I started up the 4.4 this morning and there is a seriously loud rattle coming from the front of the enging. Sounds like a bag of spanners being shaken.
What is at the front of the engine that could cause this? Im hoping its not the timing chain- although it runs ok apart from the noise.
Any suggestions or advise welcome.  Ill try and do a video and post it on here to aid diagnosis.

[Reusch]

No idea they will be someone who nos on here my advice is don't use it.

[Alski]

Possibly alternator bearings? sometimes when these go, it can allow the metal fan blades on the front of it to contact the alternator body.

[grumpywurzel]

Personally I wouldn't risk further damage to the engine, unless you are 100% sure its not the timing chain and associated tensioners

[X5Sport]

+1 on that.

[themoog]

Ive had it running this afternoon with a mechanic listening. When the oil filler cap was lifted off the noise got a bit louder.. Its pointing to timing chain guides/ tensioner. It runs ok and there are no lights on dash or codes on my reader.
Im gonna whip the tensioner out tomorrow to have a look but other than that its a bmw garage I think. How annoying..

[themoog]

Update- had a quote from Bartlett Automotive in Huntingdon at £1900 all in and collected. BMW parts and 2 year warranty. Elms BMW at Cambourne quoted £3700 which I guessed at but obviously too high. It was Elms that put me on to Bartlett. When I spoke to the owner he was confident about it and they actually had a 540i in for the same fault as we spoke.
Its awkward as the car is probaly worth £4000 ish but pretty much worthless as it is. £2k wont get me another X5 or a decent SUV which is what I need. Better the devil you know... I think its going to get repaired but Ill see what the boss says.. I need to catch her in a good mood.

[grumpywurzel]

[quote="themoog"]
Update- had a quote from Bartlett Automotive in Huntingdon at £1900 all in and collected. BMW parts and 2 year warranty. Elms BMW at Cambourne quoted £3700 which I guessed at but obviously too high. It was Elms that put me on to Bartlett. When I spoke to the owner he was confident about it and they actually had a 540i in for the same fault as we spoke.
Its awkward as the car is probaly worth £4000 ish but pretty much worthless as it is. £2k wont get me another X5 or a decent SUV which is what I need. Better the devil you know... I think its going to get repaired but Ill see what the boss says.. I need to catch her in a good mood.
[/quote]

Good luck on the good mood front 

If the rest of the car is in great condition then it's a no brainer tbh, if you go out and buy another car you could be buying some eless issues. Then you'll be back to square one

[themoog]

Hmm. Mood not too good- ill wait until tomorrow. After ive booked it in..

[themoog]

It's gone.. The came and collected it on Friday. I have been advised to put a new chain tensioner in our other X5. Apparently they go weak after several years and on a cold start the chain has a bit of slack and hits the guides which can lead to failure.
I did notice that mine had a rattle at start for a fraction of a second where the other car doesn't. I also had a faint whine from the engine- a bit like a power steering pump- which, after lots of research, is the noise coming from the chain/guides before they break.
So, if you have a V8 and have over 70k on the clock, get a new (updated) chain tensioner in. Easy to do. Looking at the front of the engine it's on the left bank head under the vanos. Above the ac compressor. You can't see it but you can feel it once the air box is removed. 19 mm nut. Good luck chaps.

[Ryoken]

I think its one of the worries owning ones of these is the timing guides,  I know of a guy in Cleckheaton (up north) owns an engine rebuild company , he quoted me about a grand to 1500 do the BHG on my 4.4,  which includes new guides and timing chain, didn't need him in the end , turned out to be viscous fan ,
but +1 on the  tensioner,  although even with a new one , I still get a  rattle for a second  when I start it up
might buy another one just to be safe

[lezmtaylor]

Is there a ''How to'' anywhere on this?


I have a 2002 4.4, not making any weird noises at the moment, just wondering !!
This car has done 90K and I've had it for 10 years, It will stay with me till I pack driving in ( i'm 73) .

See you all  at the meet


Lez

[gchristofi]

[quote="themoog"]
Update- had a quote from Bartlett Automotive in Huntingdon at £1900 all in and collected. BMW parts and 2 year warranty. Elms BMW at Cambourne quoted £3700 which I guessed at but obviously too high. It was Elms that put me on to Bartlett. When I spoke to the owner he was confident about it and they actually had a 540i in for the same fault as we spoke.
Its awkward as the car is probaly worth £4000 ish but pretty much worthless as it is. £2k wont get me another X5 or a decent SUV which is what I need. Better the devil you know... I think its going to get repaired but Ill see what the boss says.. I need to catch her in a good mood.
[/quote]

Was the Bartlett quote to replace chain, guide and tensioners? Any other "while you're in there" jobs worth adding?

[themoog]

Don't know to be honest. What else is there? The water pump was done not long ago. The alternator housing is off so that funny little gasket prone to leaking will be swapped.I don't want the spend to go up and  I just need it back running. I went there today and the poor thing is halfway through open heart surgery...
The place is nice and clean and the tech was showing me all the bits he's took out of the sump.

I've noticed the other X5 has a leaking valve cover now. Grr.