M30 valve ticking

[Kibokojoe]

Several months ago I found the M30 front oil train banjo bolt lying in the valve train. I reinstalled the bolts with new locking washers and readjusted all the valves. Since then I have been living with noisy valves. I adjusted the valves three times but they still make noise. I looked at the lobes on the cam but I didn't see any damage. I have checked the noise with a stethoscope up and down the valve cover and it is noisier at the front of the engine where the banjo bolt fell out...which makes sense. Does the M30 have hydraulic lifters and if so can I use a cleaner to fix a sticky lifter? Does the M30 have solid lifters and there for I need to replace the eccentrics? I have a M30 in my 89 535i and it is as quiet as a sewing machine so I know the valve noise is a problem.

[RockJock]

I’ve read that if you adjust them on the tight side, at almost operating temp, you can get them to the point where they hardly make any noise. I’ve never adjusted the valves on my 535i myself; I need to watch someone else do it first. I think it takes experience to get the right feel for it…

I’ve always been able to hear the valve train on my car (like a healthy Singer sewing machine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZdqD...eature=related), more so when I run 0-30 in the winter and quieter with the 20-50 in the summer. I’ve read that they’ll always be noisy when adjusted to spec on a stonecold motor.

I’ve always wondered what a new M30 sounds like (ie., one with less than 10K miles on the clock)?

I’d like to know what the gurus/pros have to say about adjusting them on the tight side on a warm motor. It’s a bad idea..no?!?

[whiskychaser]

The M30 has rocker arms with eccentrics to adjust the valve clearances. You can get wear on the rocker arm where it meets the cam lobe but more likely on the eccentric where the valve hits it. Over time it may make a dent. So when you put the feeler gauge in it doesnt measure the real gap as it will only fit between the highest points. I wouldnt really recommend reducing the gap. You dont know how much wear to allow for and it will vary from valve to valve anyway. Plus if you get it wrong it will run badly or you may actually cause the motor some harm. I dont know what the book says about adjusting clearances with the engine hot. But Ive always found cold steel and oil nicer to work with than hot

[e34.535i.sport]

I've done my m30 valves a few times now, took a while to get the hang of it. I adjusted them tigher the second time and they were actually noisier than before, so I re-done them a third time. I went for a slightly bigger clearance for 'health' reasons (supposed to be better for the seals etc if u set them wider) and I took my time and made sure they were all EXACTLY the same clearance by setting them, checking and checking again. This worked out much quieter dispite being wider, I assume I had made some small errors in adjusting them previously and they weren't all set the same. I think there's always going to be some level of noise from the m30 but the injectors add to it too don't forget. HTH

[e34.535i.sport]

... Ive always found cold steel and oil nicer to work with than hot

I'm with Whisky on this one... All the research I done suggested it's best to set them with the ingine stone cold. I've had success with this too.

[Kibokojoe]

Sounds like I need to replace the eccentrics and adjust them cold.

[RockJock]

I'm with Whisky on this one... All the research I done suggested it's best to set them with the ingine stone cold. I've had success with this too.

Haha, ouch indeed .

I've always had mine done to spec with a stone-cold motor but I know some people adjust them on the tight side on a warm motor...

Do you guys pull the plugs before doing your valve adjustments?

Anybody here ever have the opportunity to hear a new M30??

[whiskychaser]

Haha, ouch indeed .
Do you guys pull the plugs before doing your valve adjustments?

Anybody here ever have the opportunity to hear a new M30??

I've got an M50 so dont have to do them anyway But I'd certainly pull the plugs and rotate the engine only in the direction it normally runs. If you cant get to the crank bolt (you cant on the M50 unless you drop the sump guard) then just put it in high gear and push it forward. Health and Safety note: do not do this on a hill
Regret I've never heard a 'new' M30 but I'm sure they cant be as loud as that sewing machine you posted

[Kibokojoe]

Readjusted the valves after removing and checking each eccentric cam for any flat spots. If there was a flat spot I could not see it. Still sounds terrible. Wonder if I have a sticking valve or two?

I've got an M50 so dont have to do them anyway But I'd certainly pull the plugs and rotate the engine only in the direction it normally runs. If you cant get to the crank bolt (you cant on the M50 unless you drop the sump guard) then just put it in high gear and push it forward. Health and Safety note: do not do this on a hill
Regret I've never heard a 'new' M30 but I'm sure they cant be as loud as that sewing machine you posted

[Kibokojoe]

Found this on the Bimmerforum. I am going to try it after the engine cools down this evening.

"Adjusting the valves on the cam side is a great technique for a higher mileage enigne or one that didn't get a lot of love in its early life. Over time the valve stems can get some wear on them -- sort of a cupping. If you adjust for a cold .012 on the valve stem, you are not taking into account the "cupped" part of the stem where the eccentric actually makes contact because your feeler gauge is flat.

The cam side technique is essentially the same, but you measure between the rocker pad and the cam with the lobe pointed straight down at the cylinder. The best measurement I have found for this is .009. I tried .008 one time and it was too tight. The car idled poorly. Th idea is that .009 would be equal to a .012 on the valve side if there was no wear.

I recently had a valve that was very loud. The ticking was more of a clacking and it made me nervous. The conventional method of adjusting did not fix the problem. I went back and did the cam side adjustment and now the motor
sounds perfect. After adjusting to .009 on that valve (camside) I went and measured the clearance at the valve stem and it was .010. So that tells me that the engine has a little wear in the valve train. Anyway, hope this helps. There are some great technical write-ups on this stuff at mye28.com

Take it easy,

Paul"

Readjusted the valves after removing and checking each eccentric cam for any flat spots. If there was a flat spot I could not see it. Still sounds terrible. Wonder if I have a sticking valve or two?