Got a Bmw e39 M5 at work, Drove it about 500 yards and turned it off, Went back about 30 minutes later and when it started it sounded like the pistons were trying to make there way out of the block It literally sounded like metal to metal, I turned it off after about 5 seconds but haven't had time to investigate further so wondered if anyone had experienced something similar? There was no reason for it to do this and had been running perfectly up until now, Obviously there is oil etc.... Any ideas people

 

Vanos units at a guess....

 

It could be but this was much louder than your average noisy vanos units, Sounded like the Pistons were slapping the valves or something I'll just have to investigate tomorrow, Sat at home bored though and it's playing on my mind

 

Rookymatt is your man if you can find him.

 

I know they are no good at towing caravans or crossing cattle grids

 

before of after you took the wheels off?

 

Before, I was going to nick the engine but don't think I'll bother

 

Could be anything from that description (apart from the wipers)

 

Wish I'd of seen this at work, I would of checked the brake lights Seriously though, Done a compression test today amongst other things and all seems ok, Nothing showing on the diagnostic either and now it will start and run for about a second or 2 then cut out

 

Have you checked the oil?

 

it's fucked

 

How much to tarmac my drive?

TX.

 

How big is it, **** the bimmer, More profit in tarmaccin

 

Is it just idling too slow?

 

You rang???

 

By the sounds of it, you have had a catestrophic failiure of one of the vanos units.
However, my crystal ball is on the fritz and trying to diagnose an engine knock without seeing the car physically isn't an easy task.
The first thing you need to check will be the oil level.
Then the oil pressure.
Then the rocker covers need to come off and the timing has to be checked.
If all this is well, you'll need a gt1 to be able to activate a vanos sytem test.

 

For the second time, pull the car onto some level ground at your travellers site and check the fecking oil!

 

Turned out to be duff cam sensor, Replaced and all is good, Never had symptoms like that from a cam sensor before though, Learn something new everyday

 

Didn't you get a CEL?

 

Knowledge FAIL.

 

Sensor won't always give a CEL, sometimes it's scalling goes out the window and the car retards or advances timing by massive levels instead of tiny ones.

 

Still very random though!!