Found the Ticking Origin!!!

[nunezfrancisco30]

Soo the other day while driving, I noticed that there was a ticking noise that started to get louder! I got home and it seemed to come from under the valve cover. I opened it up and noticed one of the clips that hols the rocker arm down was completely off!!! there was little damage to the valve cover. I snapped it into place again, put everything back and started the car to see if That would stop the tick.NOPE, I opened the valve cover again and noticed the rocker had moved away from the valve!!!!! I have never messed with valve adjustments or removing the rocker arms, can anyone help with suggestions as to why it happened or what can be done to fix this?! I tried moving the rocker arm back to its place by hand but it wont budge, took the clip off and still din't move. :(

[Andy.B]

Take the valve cover off.
Turn the engine over by hand until the rocker in question is unloaded. (Not opening the valve).
Loosen the eccentric bolt on the rocker.
Try and return the rocker to it's correct position. Give it a GENTLE tap with a rubber or brass mallet if necessary.
Once it is in the correct position, check the tolerance as per Bentley.
If it checks out, put the clip back in, making sure it snaps into the grooves on the rocker shaft.
Adjust the valve eccentric (might as well check the rest while you're in there), put the valve cover back on with a new gasket, and fire it up.

If any of the above steps reveal a problem, your likely going to be replacing some rockers and the rocker shaft.

[SpecM]

rocker shaft may be bent

[nunezfrancisco30]

I see the Bentley manual points to using a special BMW tool to adjust the clearances. Are you guys using this tool or is there something else to use, they mention you can use a thick wire instead, but I can't figure out what type of wire it is, nor where to get it? Should i replace that clip? it dint have any sings of damage but it was defenetly effortless to remove it! all of the others are either more harder or just dont budge.Also what would be reasons for a bent rocker shaft? The engine has 220k miles :) sorry to bomb this response with more questions.

[Andy.B]

I see the Bentley manual points to using a special BMW tool to adjust the clearances. Are you guys using this tool or is there something else to use, they mention you can use a thick wire instead, but I can't figure out what type of wire it is, nor where to get it? Should i replace that clip? it dint have any sings of damage but it was defenetly effortless to remove it! all of the others are either more harder or just dont budge.Also what would be reasons for a bent rocker shaft? The engine has 220k miles :) sorry to bomb this response with more questions.

Pelican parts sells a tool. I've never used it myself. Cut a metal coast hanger into a 6 inch rod, and bend one inch in from the end into an acute angle. Stick it in the hole on the eccentric you are adjusting, and put LIGHT pressure on it with the correct feeler gauge inserted, and tighten the eccentric bolt.

I would take off a known good clip and compare it to the one in question. That should reveal if it needs to be replaced. If it looks the same, try the known good one on the rocker in question and see if it holds well. If a good clip doesn't hold, the problem is the shaft.

If the valves have not made contact with a piston, a bent rocker shaft is likely caused by a bad rocker bushing binding and exerting rotational force on the shaft, rather than 'rocking' freely. Keep in mind that the shaft is hollow, not solid, so it wouldn't take that much force to bend it.

Oil delivery problems could be the cause of a bad bushing.

You are likely going to find something amiss once you start comparing good clips/rockers/tolerances to the rocker in question.

Aside from having to pull the timing belt (which is cheap to replace, and a maintenance item anyway), you may have to jack up the engine off the subframe to get clearance past the core support to slide a rocker shaft out. I've never done it with the cylinder head in the car on an e30 before, but I imagine you can find a way to get proper clearance without pulling the head or entire motor. Either way, once the belt and cam gear is off, and you find a clear exit path, getting the shaft out is pretty easy.

Let us know what you find.

[Andy.B]

I just thought that maybe, if the cam lobe is worn at a severe taper, it could be pushing the rocker off to the side. I've never heard of that happening, however. Just a crazy thought. It can't hurt to inspect the cam lobe and make sure it isn't worn.

[jlevie]

The special tool is a tightly coiled spring with a wire on each end. You don't have to have the tool to adjust the valves, but it makes the job easier and removes subjective judgement from the adjustments. When using the tool you unlock and loosen the eccentric, slip the feeler between the eccentric and the valve stem, tighten the eccentric until there's about a 45 deg bend in the spring, lock down the eccentric, and remove the feeler gauge.

[Andy.B]

Did you make any progress yet?

[NeedaE30]

I just use a small allen key to adjust the valves and make sure there is slight drag on the feeler gauge

[nunezfrancisco30]

I haven't had a chance to, work has been pretty busy. I have a free day today, hopefully It isn't something serious, Im actually nervous in doing this lol I hope I don't make anything worse, wish me luck guys! and thanks for all of the knowledge!! Its really helpful, il keep you guys updated. Hopefully will be done before nighttime!

[nunezfrancisco30]

Ok so I switch the clips for known good ones and adjusted the rocker with the .25 feeler gauge( which seems too big in my opinion) I was nervous like I said so I left the rest alone. All the others that i dint adjust had less play in them. Put everything back and the tick seems to have toned down. I opened it back up to make sure everything was still in place and it all looked ok :). The tick seems to originate from the injectors. I will drive it around for a bit and keep a close eye on that rocker arm and clip.

[Andy.B]

The injectors make a racket, that is totally normal.
I would pull the valve cover and check the clips again after a few drive cycles just make sure everything looks OK.
I would pick up the valve adjustment tool from pelican parts of your nervous about doing it. Proper valve adjustment is important.
Glad it seems to have worked out though!

[nunezfrancisco30]

Thanks, I dint know pelican sold such a tool. I will look into it for sure. Once again thanks to everyone who helped, I'd be dead without people like yourself :) lol

[bddog]

I take an eight penny nail to the grinder. Flatten the end. Take a little off the circumference. Then I put a bend in the end. Viola-- specialty tool. Works great.

[Simple_Smith]

is this piece still in your head?
that could cause the rocker shafts to rotate and pop off the clip