so...vanos? lifters? something else entirely?
 

truck is a 2001, 3.0, just turned 90kmiles. sounds like a diesel...figuring it's either the vanos or lifters. from what i've read, i'm not really getting the usual symptoms for vanos problem, other than noise. truck runs great...no loss of power, no rough idle, no hesitation. that leads me to believe it may just be lifter noise. this being my first BMW, i'm sure a lot of you may have a much better idea what may be causing the noise than i do.

any help is appreciated!! (ignore the sideways video..it's the sound we're concerned with here.)

http://youtu.be/xIhvV6uvP_o

vanos seals/bearing, see Beisan Systems, not affiliated, tons of info.

thanks...i did check out their site the other day. LOTS of info there. seems like a fairly straight forward job, so considering the truck has 90k miles, refurbishing the vanos is probably a good starting point...even if that doesn't cure all my noise issues. (hopefully it will.)

while i certainly don't doubt your input, it would be reassuring if a few others chimed in here to confirm it is definitely the vanos making all this racket...

THANKS!!

Almost sound the same as when the WP bearing goes out on my E39.
Or one of the pulley bearings. Your X5 is around the mileage that need to have those replace.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h_1222140e.jpg
Then it got worse
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h_71e3baec.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h_9c3ae898.jpg

wow...sound like there is a load of gravel in your engine! mine doesn't sound nearly as bad as that!

so if i'm going to go in and replace the seals and add the rattle kit to the vanos, based on the mileage of my X, what else should i do while i'm in there? i know i should replace the valve cover gasket/grommets, but this being my first BMW, i'm just not sure what else i should be addressing at this time. from your post it sounds like maybe water pump, water pump pulley, belts, idlers...what else? i'f i'm pulling the valve cover and vanos, i want to do everything i can while i've got things apart. thanks!!

well i would replace spark plugs too while you have the top end open :)

if you are doing vanos seals then yes valve cover gasket/grommets, spark plug tube seals which come with valve cover gasket, etc.


the tensioners, belts, water pump, etc is usually addressed when you do the belts and tensioners, not really related to VANOS that i know of

i realize they are not related to VANOS...just wondering what kind of maintenance should be done with my mileage (90k). i just purchased the truck a few months ago. figured since i'll be in there pulling the engine bay apart enough to remove valve cover and VANOS, i may as well do whatever i can at that time. all the things i mentioned so far seem simple enough that it would be dumb NOT to do them all at the same time.

but back to my original question, does anyone else concur that the noise is most likely VANOS related?

so...one vote for VANOS, one vote for water pump or pulley bearings. anyone else want to add their two cents?? bueller? bueller?

Oil seal between the filter housing and engine block. They become hard after a period of time and starts to leak. Alternator have to be removed in order to access the six bolts holding the filter housing to the engine block. The oil seal is about 5 bucks. BM Trouble U dealers charge about 500-700 bucks to replace it.

oil is everything with these engines, use Castrol oil and BMW filter, I had the same thing with my 4.6is and had to replace the lifters .
Oil flow is everything with BMWs,