Found this in the oil...
 

Recently my 2006 X5 4.4 started making a clicking noise in the engine. I especially hear it when going up steep hills. It seems to get louder and more prevalent once the engine gets to operating temperature.

I am attaching a couple pictures of what I found in the oil. Can anyone help me identify this material and help me identify what part of the engine it may have come from? There are no warning lights of any kind and the engine oil pressure checks out fine.

Ideas and help most appreciated! Thanks!

2006 X5 4.4

If it is plastic, could be timing chain guides breaking up. I wouldn't be driving the X until you fix it.

Thanks upallnight, the plastic bits are about the same size as seeds. They easily snap in half when I press on them. The metal shavings have me wondering too. Do you know some relatively easy things I can check before I get too far into it? Thanks, I appreciate your response.

Kinda looks like phenolic used in chain guides. Or whatever plastic they use now. Could it be from the filter itself? The shavings look like copper. A rod bearing would look like that and also make a knocking noise during operation.

Use a magnet and see if the shavings are magnetic. Also run a magnet through the oil and see if you pick up finer material.

I second the idea of not driving it if it's making noise. Hardware engine noise quickly turns from a $100 fix to a $4000 repair if driven too long.

Thank you stiubhartach. I appreciate your advice and assistance. I will not drive this until I figure out what it is and fix it. I will check the filter and timing chain guide to see if that is the issue first. The consistent tempo in the noise makes me feel like it could end up being the rod bearing.

I plan to use the Bentley repair guide as my main reference for these repairs. Do either of you or anyone else recommend a youtube video/feed or a forum post that goes into the nitty gritty details of what I am getting into here? Thank you.

It's a 2006. Chain guides aren't too common on the N62's, are they?

I've never done a rod bearing change on a BMW before, but this link has some good info. The front drive train will mean more work, but it looks doable. You remove the oil pan and running gear.

An experienced mechanic should be able to tell if it's a bearing by listening to it run. That should be your first step. And much cheaper than getting in there and finding that's not the bearing after all.

The flecks are brittle, so they could be carbon from a lower cylinder wall chipping off.

An oil test will also tell you if the bearing has come apart.

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/c-392-rod-bearing-kits

Suggest you remove the oil filter and see if it is intact or if there there is more there. They actually look like seeds. I have never seen foreign material in oil that has rounded edges rather than an irregular shape with ragged edges.

It doesn't take that long to remove the valve covers and take a good look at the guides. They are some sort of dark brown plastic. The copper is hard to explain - the only pure copper I recall is the various crush washers. The bearings are laminated, I think you would see some whitish metal also.

The rod bearings are easy once you get the pita oil pan off. Assuming the N62 oil pan is as bad as M62 oil pan, then it's a ~20 hour job (in and out) to drop the oil pan. Yikes!

You can drop the oil pan on the N62 easily. I did on mine without much headache.