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      10-04-2020, 02:26 PM   #1
owl1979
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Drives: E46 M3, Bolt EV, Tesla Model 3
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Help Requested - 2003 M3 SMG Sounds

Hello everyone,

I have a 2003 M3 Convertible SMG that I have owned for 4 years. I've driven it for everyday, nearby commuting and only added about 10k miles total. It's currently at 129k miles. I am located in the Central Valley in CA.

I have worked on my own cars for the past 20 years, and I can handle most things that I can do with just one person if I have the right tools and jobs that don't require a lift. I have fixed a variety of issues with this M3 over the years:
- clogged water drain holes
- convertible wiring cut/broken at bend points
- convertible top plastic latches cracked
- broken coolant connecting line
- window regulator and cabling broken
- stripped oil pan from drain plug being overtightened
- coolant temperature sensor malfunction that gave me a chance to replace the water pump, thermostat, tensions, broken pulleys, belts
- CPV Valve o-ring replacement
- a couple of tie rods

On my to-do list, if I keep the car for a while longer:
- full suspension overhaul
- convertible top no longer latching down at the very end (but still drivable and highway speeds)
- a rear pinion seal leak that I've had since day 1 but just resorted to filling the oil once a year
- some oil leak in the front that isn't too serious for me to address at this time

I've had two nagging issues that started in the past 12 months and have gotten a little worse - would love help from you. Not sure if they are related, but these have started around the same time - could just be coincidence.
1) A fluttering/ticking sound (not like marbles in a can, more like a wooden ratcheting toy) in SMG gears 2-3 (mostly) and around 1500-2000rpm when accelerating. The speed of the fluttering/ticking is directly related to the RPM, meaning I can keep the ticking at a constant rate if I hold the car around 1800rpm, for example, in 2nd gear. This does not happen all the time, and it used to be only once every few drives, but it is now happening about 75% of the time I drive the car. I can't isolate when it happens or not, and it doesn't seem dependent on whether the car is cold or warm. There are also no unusual sounds when I am in idle and rev through the RPM range in neutral. I used to think the sound was coming from the rear of the car, but now I am not sure if it is the front or rear, and I haven't brought it to any independent mechanic yet.
2) When decelerating and in gear, I hear a whining sound, mostly in gears 4 and 5... maybe gear 6 and from around 3000rpm down to around 1900rpm. I cannot seem to hear it outside of that RPM range, and I do not hear it when the car is in neutral (meaning I can shift to neutral, and the car will decelerate with normal sounds, but if I put it back in gear in 4th and the rpm range is within that which is listed above, I will hear the whining sound). Or, if I tap the gas pedal to hold the speed or accelerate, there is no whining sound. The sound is perhaps most noticeable in 4th gear. The whining sound is not dependent on the speed of the car. This does not happen all of the time, but it happens most of the time these days.

I have drained and replaced both my diff oil (BMW SAF-XJ+FM) and transmission oil (Royal Purple Synchromax), but this doesn't seem to have any difference on the sound.

I have made some recordings in the past, but the road noise and/or exhaust noise seem to drown out most of the sound I hear with my ears. I can post a sound clip or two if helpful, but I'll need to edit the sound clips first so that there isn't much extra sound footage.

Let me know if you also have a trusted mechanic who is in the Fresno/Central Valley area who has worked on the E46 M3.

Thank you in advance.

Last edited by owl1979; 10-07-2020 at 09:39 PM..
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