E92 M3 Ratling Engine Noise 3000-4000rpm

Hi Everyone, I do have a ratling noise starting in around 3000 rpm moving up to 4000rpm range on a soft acceleration.
The car I just bought it 2 days ago with 59k miles on the clock, engine is new changed 15000 miles ago and rod bearing they been done at Evolve 2000miles ago, very likely the previous owner didn’t had aclue that the engine is brand new, I have the old bearimgs and they show a very little wear, you can barely see the copper.
After I took the car from the dealer friday afternoon I did spotted the noise in first 10min, the owner did agreed about the noise, after I did drove 120miles back the engine level was showing a bit low the sign to top up did come back again in the next morning after driving another 60miles.

Please review amd let me know how bad might be, Many Thanks!

Pull the oil filter and look inside the pleats. This sounds bad and pretty much like a knock.

I wouldn't drive it anymore until investigating further.

When you refer to remove the oil filter, what shall I look for? What I should observe?

Many thamks for your reply.

Anyway, I did sent it on the platform this morning to Evolve Automotive to be checked, I’ll update with the results on this.

ciorex wrote

When you refer to remove the oil filter, what shall I look for? What I should observe?

Many thamks for your reply.

Anyway, I did sent it on the platform this morning to Evolve Automotive to be checked, I’ll update with the results on this.

Bearing material! Glitter...copper...chucks of metal about the size of course-ground pepper.

I've heard this sound before.
At a min, you have a rod knock (but I wager you have a spun main). Once your rpms reached past 2500 with no load, you can begin hearing it knock. This is because the neighboring journal from the conrod, cannot supply enough bleed-over pressure where the main is not supplying pressure at all to the affected conrod. This is done by the conrod thrust-clearance.


Good luck, and post a pic of what you find in the oil filter.

Thanks again, the inspection is booked for Thursday, once I have all confirmed, I’ll add pictures.

But very interested that the rod bearing was changed 1 year ago amd only 2000 miles ago by a specialist… how is this possible? If you have any explanation, many thanks again!

ciorex wrote

Hi Everyone, I do have a rattling noise starting in around 3000 rpm moving up to 4000rpm range on a soft acceleration.
The car I just bought it 2 days ago with 59k miles on the clock, engine is new changed 15000 miles ago and rod bearing they been done at Evolve 2000miles ago, very likely the previous owner didn’t had a clue that the engine is brand new, I have the old bearings and they show a very little wear, you can barely see the copper. After I took the car from the dealer Friday afternoon I did spotted the noise in first 10min, the owner did agreed about the noise, after I did drove 120miles back the engine level was showing a bit low the sign to top up did come back again in the next morning after driving another 60miles.

Please review amd let me know how bad might be, Many Thanks!

I have a similar noise on mine. Here's my thread linked below with sound clips. I replaced both timing chain tensioners, and all four Vanos solenoids without success. Chances are you may have a broken engine mount according to feedback on my thread. My car has Vibra-Technics engine mounts which are apparantly known to fail. I plan to inspect them soon and get them replaced. Yours may have a loose engine mount nut which can also cause a similar noise due to resonance at certain rev ranges. See link.

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2142775

I think I have a similar sound, it could be drone from the exhaust system because I have a double x pipe, but it could also be something serious, can someone give me their opinion please

Rorougto wrote

I think I have a similar sound, it could be drone from the exhaust system because I have a double x pipe, but it could also be something serious, can someone give me their opinion please

The sound track does have some low frequency booming / drone resonance - BUT - the knock / rattle sound on top of the lower frequency boom signal sure sounds like the beginnings of rod bearing knock to me. I hate to say that, but I listened to the track five or six times before coming to that conclusion. Have the rod bearings been done yet?? IF not then please get a reputable mechanic / technician to get into the car and listen to the noise before it's too late...

Wow, it sounds very much like mine, now, because you said exhaust, I can be tempted to say exhaust too… let’s say mine is more like a knock sound…

Today 9am I’ll have the specialist diagnostic booked for my E92, I’ll let everyone know how it goes, but definetly take it to a specilist who is having experience with this type of engines to avoid any misleadings or misunderstanding.

They finally removed the oil pan and this appeared!!!. My car is a lci from May 2010, it seems to be copper...

My rod bearings

Rorougto wrote

They finally removed the oil pan and this appeared!!!. My car is a lci from May 2010, it seems to be copper...

Sorry this has happened to you. The rod bearing shell in the photo you posted actually doesn't look too bad IMO. I've seen much, much worse. However, I'm surprised this debris wasn't caught by the oil filter. Those copper shards came from somewhere - such as a rod bearing. I believe pre-LCI cars (2007 - mid 2011) used the same early bearing design with a copper substrate. The main bearings probably also use a copper substrate. Post some photos of the other rod bearings. Like I said in my post above, I suspect various bad rod bearingS (plural).

Link to "Official Rod Bearing Condition Thread"
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1253084

Need a response from OP.

I'm at the shop, I had the bushings in my hand, they all look good, from what I can see the metal of the crankcase is metal with copper, the shavings are huge, I find it hard to believe that it's real, I almost think that my mechanic did it on purpose to leave them there to charge me more, the main bushings also have copper as far as I know, but with that level of shavings the engine should already be destroyed, what do you think?

What I think is shock at how people seem to think obvious signs of bearing wear along the entire length of the bearing surface is "ok". Those aren't the worst examples by any means, but they clearly show signs of at least some oil starvation and contact with the rod journals. This forum has seemed to normalize bearing wear as just BMW doing BMW things but properly clearanced bearings assembled with appropriate assembly lube should not show much if ANY wear. I've seen torn down engines with broken piston ring lands that show less wear.

As to the debris in the oil pan, that can be from anywhere. If you really suspect the mains are shot you don't have much choice but to pull them and inspect them which is best done engine out.

Here's an extreme example of one of the more horrific S65 rod bearings I've ever seen - or - perhaps it's a main bearing:
.

And here's an image of one of my own S65 OEM rod bearings with 118K miles on it:
.

Well, main bearings 1 and 2, be careful, the rod bearings are not the only problem.... Regards

Rorougto wrote

Well, main bearings 1 and 2, be careful, the rod bearings are not the only problem.... Regards

Wow that's such a shame. It looks like the crank is toasted. What's the mileage? What were the usage circumstances? Normal road use, or track use? Well, I guess you found where the copper came from. It's probably worth posting these examples in the Main bearing thread. What do you plan to do next?
.

.
S65 Crankshaft repair:
https://store.langracing.com/products/bmw-s65-crankshaft-repair-service-e92-e90-e93-m3?_pos=10&_sid=c55d2fdc9&_ss=r
.
Carbahn Rebuild:
https://carbahn.com/products/s65-4-2l-engine-rebuild
.
S65 Rebuild Service:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/222602243953

Oil passages look intact on the #1 main so it might not be a totally shot block. Might be able to line hone and rebuild if the block isn’t cracked.

DrFerry wrote

Wow that's such a shame. It looks like the crank is toasted. What's the mileage? What were the usage circumstances? Normal road use, or track use? Well, I guess you found where the copper came from. It's probably worth posting these examples in the Main bearing thread. What do you plan to do next?
.

.
S65 Crankshaft repair:
https://store.langracing.com/products/bmw-s65-crankshaft-repair-service-e92-e90-e93-m3?_pos=10&_sid=c55d2fdc9&_ss=r
.
Carbahn Rebuild:
https://carbahn.com/products/s65-4-2l-engine-rebuild
.
S65 Rebuild Service:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/222602243953

The car had 55,000 kms (35,000 miles), never used on a race track, only on the street, I bought it in August, basically a dishonest seller sold me his problems, it's my second M3 e92, I thought I already knew everything about the M3, but one never stops learning. I will auction the car in the condition it is in. Greetings

Rorougto wrote

The car had 55,000 kms (35,000 miles), never used on a race track, only on the street, I bought it in August, basically a dishonest seller sold me his problems, it's my second M3 e92, I thought I already knew everything about the M3, but one never stops learning. I will auction the car in the condition it is in. Greetings

Tragic… Main bearings blown after 35K miles. If I were you I’d be questioning if the displayed mileage is factual. It maybe correct but this is just how my mind works. Does the previous owner have service records showing the mileage? Perhaps the BMW Dealer can verify the mileage by reading the key fob? Something seems off to me. Let’s see if other forum members think blown main bearings at 35K miles is odd or not. Good luck with the auction.