BMW cars are known for their incredible levels of performance and endurance, making them one of the top-selling performance vehicles in the world. Ongoing vehicle care is important in order to keep these machines running well, especially under certain circumstances. However, most vehicle designs are flawed in some way, causing them to need specialized care and attention in certain areas where failure may be imminent.
Specialized care for BMWs allows drivers to be able to address issues that commonly occur in specific models. For instance, The N52 engine in BMWs was a huge development in the brand’s engineering and design in the past decade; however, it came with a certain ticking noise that developed over time, driving BMW owners nuts. If you drive a BMW with an N52 engine design, read on for some more information on what to expect and how to avoid the lifter ticking noise that so commonly occurs.
What causes the lifter ticking noise in a BMW?
The N52 engine is no longer used in BMW vehicles because of a few glitches that drivers began to notice, including the infamous lifter ticking noise. This ticking noise commonly occurs while the car is in-transit in particularly colder temperatures or after a series of stop-and-go trips around town. Furthermore, once the vehicle began to climb up in mileage, the symptoms became even more troubling and noticeable. Despite how well drivers cared for their vehicles, this tick was still imminent. BMW automotive technicians are the only people who can help address these issues properly.
Possible causes of lifter failure
The N52 engine ticking noise was found to be related to issues with the hydraulic valve adjuster, or lifter, receiving enough lubrication to function properly. This part is critical for your BMW’s engine in order to make room for the parts of the engine that tend to get slightly larger or smaller, depending on the external temperature (heat makes parts expand, cold makes parts contract). The hydraulic valve lifter will begin to make ticking noises when ill-lubricated that becomes a serious nuisance to drivers, and must be addressed by professionals promptly to rule-out other potential causes of similar noises your engine might make. A BMW specialist will know where to look first in the case of a BMW with an N52 engine expressing “ticking noises.”
How you can address the problem
Luckily, as the years have passed, BMW got enough complaints about the issue to help out drivers who got stuck with the N52 engine tick. BMW recommended that drivers have the cylinder heads replaced with a more effective design that addressed the inadequate lifter lubrication. However, depending on what automotive shop you bring your BMW to, they might employ different methods of temporarily fixing the issue, but many BMW drivers are dissatisfied with the solutions average shops provide. This is why it is critical for you to bring your BMW to a shop that specializes in German-engineered cars. While there is inconclusive research about the N52 lifter ticking noise and its determinants of later engine malfunctioning, many BMW enthusiasts will argue that it takes a toll on overall engine performance as time goes by.
