Engine Problem?? - United Bimmer Community

**petethemanc** · 04-16-2007, 04:18 PM

Ok i was driving yesterday and i noticed a rapid clicking noise coming from the engine when i tried to accelerate. I dropped down a gear and tried accelerating again and the same noise. So i pulled over and pulled up the bonnet, and it was steaming. I waited for about half an hour and put some coolant in had steam from the radiator overflow hole, and coolant didnt seem to be filling the header tank as much as it should. The temp did go down in the end, but after i was towed and the temp was right down i tried starting the engine, but it seemed like it was trying to start but did not. Some people have said i may need a compression test. Firstly what is a compression test and would that be the way to go?? Any help appreciated guys.

**MTurboPower3** · 04-16-2007, 05:05 PM

it sounds like there's nothing wrong wit the compression mayb u fried somthing in the engine like a piston ring

**RSF5** · 04-16-2007, 05:21 PM

Anyone think maybe his water pump went bad?

**theSMELSINATOR** · 04-16-2007, 06:05 PM

^could be, that would explain a lot, but the clicking?

how new are your parts, have you had any maintenence done recently, etc?

**mullethunter3** · 04-16-2007, 06:22 PM

A compression test is simple. It measures the pressure that each cylinder will hold. You can use the data to compare to the other five cylinders and with previous knowledge to help diagnose a engine problem.

An example of this test can be see here: Comprssion Test about 2/3 down the page. All credit for that goes to resident member Dudesky for that info.

**Naif** · 04-16-2007, 06:38 PM

Yeah , the water pump might be the problem,, if i were u , i would try the cheapest solution of the two( athe comprssion or the pump )

good luck

**Dudesky** · 04-16-2007, 07:01 PM

If you ask me, there's not enough detail in the description to make any kind of guess. Where was the steam coming from? Did the clicking noise vary in speed with the rpm's? What part of the rpm band were you at? Have you looked at your fan blades? A grenading water pump impeller doesn't make much noise; once it goes, it goes- even if you could hear it, the noise wouldn't linger on like that. If I had to make a wild guess, I'd say something's not right in the cylinder head . . valves?

**RSF5** · 04-16-2007, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudesky

If you ask me, there's not enough detail in the description to make any kind of guess. Where was the steam coming from? Did the clicking noise vary in speed with the rpm's? What part of the rpm band were you at? Have you looked at your fan blades? A grenading water pump impeller doesn't make much noise; once it goes, it goes- even if you could hear it, the noise wouldn't linger on like that. If I had to make a wild guess, I'd say something's not right in the cylinder head . . valves?

Yeah lets hear some more details. Dudesky do you think a retainer could be going bad?

**Dudesky** · 04-17-2007, 04:43 AM

Who knows. People don't always tell you the whole story. For all we know he could have money shifted and bent a valve.

**RSF5** · 04-17-2007, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudesky

Who knows. People don't always tell you the whole story. For all we know he could have money shifted and bent a valve.

True, true.

**petethemanc** · 04-17-2007, 01:43 PM

Ok ill try more detail. I was driving along fine. Then i noticed when i put my foot down it would stay at the same speed, so i shifted down a gear and tried again still the same speed. When i did hit the accelerator though i could hear a sort of ticking noise but a rapid ticking noise. So when i pulled over i lifted the bonnet and there was steam coming from the radiator. Took the cap from the header tank and waited. About 20-30 minutes later i put some coolant in the tank( a few times in the last 4 weeks in car lcd info said check coolant level, but then sometimes it didnt when i started the car) after i put the coolant in there was steam from the airlock hole (which i unscrewed) next to the radiator cap. the temperature did go down, and when the recovery vehicle got there i did try and start it to get on the ramp. But it wouldnt start, the recovery guy said there was a weird compression but was not sure what was wrong. Hope that helps?

**B_w.** · 04-19-2007, 02:47 PM

valve float? bad vanos? that wouldnt explain the steam but could for the ticking.

maybe a leaking headgasket? has the car ever over heated?
if you are having problems over heating look for a leak in the cooling system, replace the thermostat, and check the water pump. those are all easy things to check.

if you have bad compression maybe it was overreved and the valves are damaged. piston ring damaged would cause low compression as well.