This knocking noise (above cylinder head) only happens after the car has been driven for 20 or more minutes and occurs 1 out of 10 times, I can go a week or more without hearing it. I remember the last time I heard this knocking noise, it was about a week and a half ago. When I move my mic (in You Tube video) over the cylinder head I hear it clearly above the cylinder next to the timing chain area (we will call it cylinder #4) and when I move my mic over the timing chain section of the valve cover the sound diminishes, same if I move mic over cylinder #3. I had my timing chain replaced a year ago and add 1/2 quart of oil every 1000 miles or 3 gas-ups. I check the oil religiously!

Any ideas what this knocking noise could be?

Appreciate any helpful input!


Regards,
Systemlord.

 

If you can hear the individual tap, tap, taps, it's likely that you have a lazy lifter. Try doing a complete oil and filter change. If it's more like a clatter, you may have more timing chain issues.

 

I thought lifters were like push rod cars, I thought OHC's have no lifter , but I could be mistaken.

 

You can call them "cam followers", but they're basically the same thing. In our cars, they're hydraulic, so we don't have to keep adjusting them.

 

Part #4 here is kind of like a lifter, more like a lever
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...26&hg=11&fg=25


Gen 1 MINIs have rocker arms 6,7,8 here:


http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...96&hg=11&fg=25

 

So the alignment (#8) element is hydraulic or #4? What would cause a lifter to be lazy?

After listening to it for a few minutes it does sound like a tap, tap, tap in-between the knocking or dieseling sound at idle. I thought it was a valve tapping because that's what it sounds like, a tapping noise. It seems I can get the tapping to happen at will, all I have to do it drive it like I stole it.

How easy is it for a DIY person to change out the upper valve components?

I appreciate the replies so far!

 

Part 8 is the lifter.

Here a picture of a typical lifter (not necessarily from a MINI)

 

I take it that there's fluid inside the lifter, if so it could have lost a tiny bit of fluid which would explain the laziness. The first time I heard this lifter it was much louder, then it quieted down to a slight tic about once or twice a month and is almost ticking all the time now. I remember I had just got off the freeway and when my RPM's went down to idle that was the start of it. The ticking goes away after 1500 RPMs until I'm idling again.

I expect it to get louder with time, I would like to know how to replace it without removing the cams.

 

The lifter is filled with the oil from the engine. Another reason it's important to change the oil more frequently than 15,000 miles.

 

Did you try pulling the vacuum hose off the top of the pump to see if the knocking goes away? My 09 MCS vacuum pump causes a knock from time to time that goes away when I pull the hose. I ordered a new pump because my car has over 100K on it.

 

I didn't know that the engines oil is what fills up the hydraulic lifters, that's why the sound was diminished after my oil change, I switched from Royal Purple 5W-30 to Mobil1 0W-40. I'm not that experienced when it comes to removing the camshafts without screwing up the timing, seems like a little to difficult for the DIY.