1995 6 cylinder 525i with 33,500 miles. There's a tapping noise from the engine area that increases with RPM but goes away within a few minutes of driving. Any ideas where to look?

sounds like engine knock or something to do with the lifters

I'd agree on a lifter. I don't know what oil you are using, but something a mite more viscous might help. As an FYI, BMW oil runs a bit more viscous that the same weight in a US variety. So if you are using a generic 5w30, switching to BMW 5w30, German Castrol 5w30, or Mobil1 0w40 might be worth a try.

Switching oil sounds like the first thing to try. How difficult is it to adjust the lifters?

What engine? M20 or M50

This car has an M50 engine, which means that it has hydraulic liters and no valve adjustments.

If it's m50, it can easily be a worn VANOS unit... Try castrol edge 10/60, it will help on the tapping, and is a great oil for this engine

+1 on the heavier oil. For whatever reasons, the older engines really don't like the 5w and 0w oils that people are in love with using.

never liked using those. Always liked to go with a heavier oil if i could.

If it's m50, it can easily be a worn VANOS unit... Try castrol edge 10/60, it will help on the tapping, and is a great oil for this engine

Porb not the Vanos. a diff noise would of been heard not a tapping

i have the same prob with one of my e36's i get a clicking sound when i 1st start the motor when its cold but goes away after 2 or 3 mins ....

Porb not the Vanos. a diff noise would of been heard not a tapping
Your right... missed the part where he wrote it went away a while...
worn VANOS will make the tapping at all times, i know mine does :confused

Problem:
Not enough miles

Answer:
Drive the **** out of it!


;)

Change oil to DELO 15w-45 (deisel detergent oil)

I am not kidding. It wil clean your motor out so good. We break in 500hp+ rod motors on that stuff.

Change it after 2000 miles though.

Problem:
Not enough miles

Answer:
Drive the **** out of it!


;)

Change oil to DELO 15w-45 (deisel detergent oil)

I am not kidding. It wil clean your motor out so good. We break in 500hp+ rod motors on that stuff.

Change it after 2000 miles though.

Woah, thats cool, never knew that.

Woah, thats cool, never knew that.Few do.

;)

The noise wasn't the engine. When I took the fan belts off and ran the engine the noise wasn't there. The noise was coming from the ac compressor clutch and idle pulleys. Changed belts and after a while the noise went away.

I would have guessed tappets with that low mileage.

Ditto for the diesel oil.

I've been using Delo 15-40 and love the stuff. It also has better cold flow characteristics than GTX 10-30, if memory serves. It's good stuff, keeps the engine super clean. I use that in the summer and whatever synthetic 5-30 is on sale in the winter.

I'm at 235,000 miles and the head was spottless last time I had the valve cover off.

Not to start another oil thread... :devillook

Glad prob is solved.

It could also be piston slap. It goes away once the thermal expansion is complete.

The car just wasn't driven enough. When I got the car it was 12 years old with only 32,000 miles and most of those miles were driven when the car was new. So it sat around for a while. Lot of little things came out after I bought it. The biggest thing was the engine noise...the car ran fine and the noise went away after it warmed up but at initial start up it sounded like a piece of junk. It's behaving right now. So I'll just enjoy it while I can.

I think it's pretty cool to have such a low-mile classic.

Cars don't like to sit around without use. I'd change the oil a lot more often, but I'd also expect to encounter some leaks. Seals will dry rot pretty easily.

Right now I'm using a 01 Taurus at work... just putting some miles on it before it goes to auction. It has 21,000 miles but it leaks trans fluid. I can see some weeping on a drive axle shaft... I'd guess it got dry.

So keep an eye on your fluids, but enjoy

I think it's pretty cool to have such a low-mile classic.

Cars don't like to sit around without use. I'd change the oil a lot more often, but I'd also expect to encounter some leaks. Seals will dry rot pretty easily.

Right now I'm using a 01 Taurus at work... just putting some miles on it before it goes to auction. It has 21,000 miles but it leaks trans fluid. I can see some weeping on a drive axle shaft... I'd guess it got dry.

So keep an eye on your fluids, but enjoy

I never considered this car a "classic". It does have a timeless look that I like. It's like a good-looking old man.