bad day yesterday!!!!

[rs4pro3]

There is a shop down here on Signal mountain but a hour or so drive for you, or tow. Unless you towed it down when ever your friend comes to pick up my 87 325is rolling shell. If I knew anything about M42's I'd take a look at it for you. I'm sure there is a shop somewhere in Nashville or Knoxville. Contact John A on this board he is in Knoxville and may know of a good shop(he does most of his own work so maybe he'll know).

[Stu]

Like Charlie said, probably a timing chain tensioner or a chain-rail has worn down all the way. You say it's coming from under the valve cover, it's possible that a lifter got so dry (no oil) that it got snicked and is chattering, but that seems unlikely, those usually go away when you add oil and pump em back up.
You say the noise happens at idle, but goes away if the revs are increased? If so, at about what RPM?

[randywalters]

I am not sure yet what is wrong with my motor. heres what happened:
Started making a funny noise at idle. kinda sounded like there was no oil in the car. It was very low on oil. I added oil, but it stiill sounded funny

When you say it was "very low on oil" how many quarts low was it ??

And i gotta ask WHY ???

The engine might not be too far gone to have rebuilt, or you may just have head damage of some sort with the bottom end being fine. Don't drive the car - it'll only make it worse.

[jex]

The timing chain tensioner on the car only about 1 year old.
The car was about 2.5-3 qts low. BIG mistake on my part. Don't worry, learned my lesson.

[Stu]

:? that's not much oil at all going through that motor. Any idea how many cold-starts the motor had with that level of oil?

[Streetspec_iS]

dasc equipped e36 m42

[jex]

probably lots of cold starts. I 'm not really sure how long it was that low on oil.