RE: Valve Tapping on Startup

["Legerlotz, Alan" <alegerlotz@xxxxxxxxxx>]

At one point I thought that I has some sort of valve tapping during startup
and I noticed it a few days after a driving school.  I figured that it was
the beginning of the end for my motor.

I spoke to my mechanic about it.  The tapping sound was only during warm up
and the weather had gotten cool (in the 30's in the morning).  The tapping
WAS a valve, it just wasn't my engine valves...

It was an emissions valve bleeding off air (the EGR valve, I think).  It
will make a tapping sound that will stop when the engine gets warm.

SO, don't panic if your car is a bit louder on startup during cold mornings.
If you've been driving for 15 minutes and its still loud at idle, then you
might have something to worry about.

- -Al
1996 328is
1990 735i

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