[doughboy]

Originally Posted by MSH_

Same. Took mine in a couple weeks ago and they said "all sounds normal" I bought my '20 M2C from a Services Tech Lead at a BMW dealership in FL and he told me.... "The direct injectors and the 2 fuel pumps are a bit noisy. We get a lot of concerns with them but it's just how it is" The local dealer here in CO also says all normal so I'm just going with it. Warranty ends in August and then its time for a mild tune with Enabled

Here's mine.... https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UwWLDIEQMgQ

That sounds completely normal to me too, be happy! Nice regular injector tick, just like any other DI petrol engine. That's how mine sounds now it's had the fix applied.

The loose cam tap / knock in previous videos is a totally different sound in additon to the injector tick. Any decent mechanic would spot the cam knock straight away.

All the parts involved (except the bare head itself) are not S55 specific, the same bearing ledges, fixing bolts, dowels, cam adjusters, lifters, chain etc etc have been around for 17 years on N52, N53, N54, N55 & S55.

Fuel injectors and even the cams themselves are the same on N55 and S55 so 14 years old, nothing unique there for S55.

This issue must be down to an S55 assembly problem that manifests itself on some not others either due to component tolerances or the variability of the incorrect tightening. I've not heard this issue for the other engines above.

[m2ss]

Originally Posted by MSH_

Same. Took mine in a couple weeks ago and they said "all sounds normal" I bought my '20 M2C from a Services Tech Lead at a BMW dealership in FL and he told me.... "The direct injectors and the 2 fuel pumps are a bit noisy. We get a lot of concerns with them but it's just how it is" The local dealer here in CO also says all normal so I'm just going with it. Warranty ends in August and then its time for a mild tune with Enabled

Here's mine.... https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UwWLDIEQMgQ

This sounds exactly like mine and the other M2C we heard.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by m2ss

This sounds exactly like mine and the other M2C we heard.

So yours is fine too, no tapping, just how it should be

[turnsignalslol]

Update: The second dealer I went to basically said there was nothing on their Technical Service Bulletin that stated a fix for the lifter tick issue: there was nothing about an issue like this at all. At this point, I give up lol, if anything happens in the future, I’ll have evidence that I’ve tried to correct this issue twice during warranty, hopefully nothing happens though

[m2ss]

Originally Posted by turnsignalslol

I give up lol, if anything happens in the future, I’ll have evidence that I’ve tried to correct this issue twice during warranty, hopefully nothing happens though

And how will this "evidence" help you once out of warranty?

[turnsignalslol]

Originally Posted by m2ss

And how will this "evidence" help you once out of warranty?

Maybe BMWNA would be willing to do something about it if something were to fail and I sent them the receipts of the two separate times I tried to have it fixed? No idea tbh

[m2ss]

Originally Posted by turnsignalslol

Maybe BMWNA would be willing to do something about it if something were to fail and I sent them the receipts of the two separate times I tried to have it fixed? No idea tbh

I guess anything is possible, certainly can't hurt to try.

[turnsignalslol]

Originally Posted by m2ss

I guess anything is possible, certainly can't hurt to try.

I guess two different techs from two different dealers basically saying it's nothing to worry about kind of relieves my fears a bit... Hopefully it really is nothing to worry about!

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by turnsignalslol

I guess two different techs from two different dealers basically saying it's nothing to worry about kind of relieves my fears a bit... Hopefully it really is nothing to worry about!

Go to BMW and reference PUMA case #64203791-02

PUMA isn't an official TSB or recall or anything, but worldwide knowledge base of issues. (now called TSARA I think?)

Mine started ticking in 2020, a bit more into 21, then by summer 22 it was more pronounced and other people started noticing (like my wife - what the hell is that noise? you car sounds like a piece of crap).

So September 22 I talked to the indy I use who instantly knew what it was (had done several others base on PUMA info), booked it in, done, never a tap since then.

[m2ss]

Originally Posted by doughboy

So September 22 I talked to the indy I use who instantly knew what it was (had done several others base on PUMA info), booked it in, done, never a tap since then.

What was the fix?

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by m2ss

What was the fix?

Exhaust cam ledge bolts replaced and retorqued.

Cam checked for bearing damage, all ok.

As per Puma details that everyone except most BMW dealers seems to know about 🤣

[AlpsRider]

My car had a tic sometimes when cold until about 20k miles then it disappeared. I change the oil every 5k miles with pennzoil euro platinum 5w-40, it might be worth a shot. If it's lifters a different oil could help.

[doughboy]

Yep a dodgy self adjusting lifter does give an uneven tick, but it's not as metallic sounding as the cam carrier issue.

[turnsignalslol]

Originally Posted by allinon72

These engines are noisy, that’s just the way it is. Both my 2015 M3 and 2020 M2C tick like crazy on cold start, and while unpleasant, doesn’t signifying anything wrong. Without more symptoms, what are you expecting the dealer to do?

Edit: I forgot to mention that I took my car to the dealer again (different one) and this time, they actually knew what I was talking about. This was all thanks to another forum user who referred me to the dealership they visited to rectify the ticking issue.

A buddy of mine who’s very familiar with the f8x platform (I believe he got formal training from BMW) said that the problem is the exhaust camshaft being loose due to the aforementioned incorrectly torqued bolts. He says that if not taken care of, it could lead to timing going out and causing the dreaded crankhub issue (crankhub codes always point towards exhaust camshaft). I believe that getting your crankhub done would fix this issue because they have to take off the valve cover and lock the timing anyways, in which they’d retorque these bolts.

Anyways, it seems that the dealer I took it to was well aware of this issue on the S55, and the tech was able to hear the noise and sent a video to BMW NA. Just waiting on their response now to see what can be done. Fingers crossed it can get fixed!

[doughboy]

Its not really anything to do with crank hub or timing, it will just get more noisy and damage cam bearings eventually. Unless it jams up or something and lunches the engine..

They don't touch cam ledges doing crank hub, but they could easily as the cover is off.

You can't retorque ledges, you HAVE to replace all the bolts as they're TTY stretch bolts which can never be used twice.

Any mechanic that doesn't replace them is basically incompetent and doesn't know what they are doing.

[turnsignalslol]

Originally Posted by doughboy

Its not really anything to do with crank hub or timing, it will just get more noisy and damage cam bearings eventually. Unless it jams up or something and lunches the engine..

They don't touch cam ledges doing crank hub, but they could easily as the cover is off.

You can't retorque ledges, you HAVE to replace all the bolts as they're TTY stretch bolts which can never be used twice.

Any mechanic that doesn't replace them is basically incompetent and doesn't know what they are doing.

Well having an exhaust camshaft loose definitely is not good for the longevity of the engine, could cause catastrophic damage as you said.

And I confused retorquing the bolts with replacing them and torquing them to spec, that's my mistake. To my knowledge BMW takes off the bolts, inspects the exhaust camshaft, then puts everything back together with new bolts and gaskets and torques everything to spec, therefore remedying the problem.

[doughboy]

Quite a few comments are folks saying just retorque the existing ledge bolts.

You can't reuse existing bolts. They have to be new bolts (15 off) as they are stretch bolts.

Any decent tech would know that as soon as they see the TTY torque spec.

[No_curebimmer]

Originally Posted by MSH_

its time for a mild tune with Enabled

Sorry to derail…but interested in a custom map as well. Tried to PM Enabled but the inbox is full.

[turnsignalslol]

Update:

BMW fixed the issue under warranty, still in for other issues but to all of you who said it’s “normal,” it clearly isn’t, and you should get it fixed asap, especially if you have warranty

[inTgr8r]

That's good to hear!!

[doughboy]

Excellent news for a non existing problem of course

Even out of warranty like mine, it only cost 4 hours labour plus about £75 oe bmw parts (15 bolts and cover gasket etc) at a good indy.

And they fitted a new set of plugs i had waiting for free while they were there.

[chris719]

I just had mine fixed. I was fortunate the tech heard it and agreed, because it was not quite as bad as some on YouTube.

The tech and SA insisted it was the lifters and insisted on replacing the lifters. I really don't believe it's the lifters because it comes from the back of the exhaust cam area only and it's consistent with the loose cam ledge noise documented on this thread and the PUMA/TSARA cases. However, I gave up and let them just replace the lifters anyway since they have to remove and re-install the cam ledge anyway during that process.

Either way, it is much quieter now on cold start and from 2k-3k RPM when cold. I was surprised how much quieter it is now and I would definitely recommend people get this done if they have that metallic tapping when you put your ear next to your front passenger wheel.