Hi everyone. I have a problem everytime i start my car it make a weird sound i cant really describe it but it does. I took it to a shop and they spent hours on my car and finally said it was a throw out bearring. But i took it to another shop and he found out that the sound was comming from my valve cover. i listened to the sound with some device he had and i think it is the valve cover to. has anyone had this prob or do any of you know what or how i should try and get it fixed. Thanks.

 

what year, engine do you have?

 

Need more description...tranny, engine, when do you hear it? cold, warm, only in gear, only when car is in a particular gear, only when car is moving, does it change with wheel direction, is it tapping or drone.

not going to get any help unless you can describe it better.

 

I have a 2001 1.8t Q 5 speed the sound comming from my valve cover happens when ever i start my car cold start or warm.

but i also have another sound, that sounds like metal vibrating agaisnt something this happens in 1st adn 2nd gear in low rpm.

thanks for your replys.

 

Yes the 1.8t makes this noise at start up. It is not a throwout bearing. I have a 00 A4 with 38k on it. I have had it for 15 months. It had 25k on it when I bought it. It was a lease vehicle. I bought for the BMW/ Mercedes dealer I worked for. The car only makesthis sound until it warms up. It is OK. All engines make odd sounds when cold....after all they are cold and have all of these metals clashing together. Remeber that engine works best at proper running temp. and that the car burns richer at start up to help warm up the car.

 

I had this same noise even when the car is warmed up. I traced it to the valve lifter noise and it has something to do with the oil. I changed the oil to synthetic 5W40 and added some Lucas stabilizer and the noise disappeared.
You may want to change you oil and see if that helps.

 

I dont think its becasue its cold i have had my car since it was new and it never happened before until a couplemonths ago.

Hey dudley did you ever get your vavles adjusted or anything? i was thinking about getting mine adjusted since i have been using mobil 1 syn for a while now.


I also think i have a clutch prob but thats easily fixable. but the vavle could be very costly depending on wut i need done. thanks everyone for your replys

 

I never have my valve adjusted. I just changed the dino oil to Royal Purple 10W40 synthetic with Lucas stabilizer and the noise disappeared.
I am now using 5W40 Bardahl XTC without the stabilizer and the noise has not shown up yet, mind you I only changed the oil last week.

 

Aznek. Does it sound like a "tapping" sound? And does the frequency of the tapping change if you increase the rpm's? If that sounds like what you've got, that's what I had. Long story short I ran a quart of ATF in my oil for about 100 miles, changed oil and added another quart of ATF, drove it about 200 miles, dropped that oil and filter then replaced the entrire pickup screen and oil pump "all one pice on the ATW" not so on the AEB. Anyway, after cleaning it out thouroughly and replacing the clogged sump sxreen she purs just like she should. No lifter noise since that repair. Worked like a charm for me. Search for "sump screen problem" and you'll see my entire post on the prob;em and the fix, Hop this helps. Oh, and welcome to the forums. ope you like it here.


Doose

 

Hi thanks for all your responses. hey dudley whats a dino oil?

hey doose. i dont think i have a constant tapping sound or i just cant hear it. but i get the sound when i start up my car and its some kind of tapping or some sound from the valve cover. oh and whats ATF? is that a type of oil or additive?

oh and how much did it cost you to get a new pick up screen and oil pump?
my engine type is awm is it similar to change?

thanks everyone for your help.