Ticking 325I

[twright]

I am in the process of resurrecting a 1986 325e coupe from the dead. No interior and no usable engine and transmission. Here's my problem:

I bought a known good 1989 325 I engine (M20b25) and put it in. before I installed it, I pulled the head and sent it to a shop to have the valves ground. (It all looked good, I just wanted a fresh top end.) The shop told me that all was well, except that it was warped and they had to skim .010" off the head to get it flat. (The head gasket was not leaking.)
I put the engine back together and installed it.
After sorting out a few minor things, I got it running. The only problem is that it has a ticking sound that sounds (to me) exactly like a valve with too much valve clearance. I've set the valves 4 times on this thing and none of the valves have, or had, too much clearance.

The ticking sound goes away after the engine is warmed up.

Here are today's questions:

1.) Can I take the valve cover off of this engine and run it at idle? (I'd like to see if there is anything visual going on.)
2.) Anybody got an idea what is causing the ticking sound?

Thanks for everyone's help.

[ADEN]

What oil?
Are you sure the sound is not light knocking, M20 piston knock is common when cold, Mine knocks with 10W40 fully synthetic and goes away with 20W50.

[cheffy30]

M20=sewing machine!
I run Castrol 5w20 dino oil.
she purrs... knocks when cold then stops... ticks away as usual...

sent fresh from hell using tapatalk

[twright]

What oil?
Are you sure the sound is not light knocking, M20 piston knock is common when cold, Mine knocks with 10W40 fully synthetic and goes away with 20W50.

I have Mobil 1 0w40 synthetic in the crankcase.


The noise is not piston knock. Its coming from the head and is too slow to be the pistons. It has to be valve train.

[cheffy30]

I have Mobil 1 0w40 synthetic in the crankcase.


The noise is not piston knock. Its coming from the head and is too slow to be the pistons. It has to be valve train.

The knock should be the pistons I thought.... once they warm and settle it should stop...

sent fresh from hell using tapatalk

[It's Soda Not Pop]

M20's tick. Even when the valve clearance is set correctly. Even if the head has brand new components. I run 20w50 Valvoline VR-1 in my M20 and it still sounds like a sewing machine.

[twright]

Mine does not sound like a sewing machine. I have one valve that is making a ticking (knocking?) sound that drowns out the rest of any valve train noise.

This is not a normal noise.