What is this squealing noise? [Solved]

[iendless]

Hi everyone,

2015 BMW M3
There is this squealing noise coming from the engine bay area.
Sounds like it's closer to the driver side. You could hear it pretty loud by the wheel well. The noise is not there or that noticeable on cold start.
You start to hear it when it's warmed up. You don't hear it when you RPM is above 2500. Turning off the A/C didn't change anything.
Thank You for the help.

**SOLVED**
So it was a faulty valve cover assembly, or it could just be the PCV valve/crankcase vent valve that is bad but it's built into the valve cover so BMW replaces the whole valve cover to fix the issue.

If you have this whining/whistling noise link in the video and you open the oil cap (where to add oil to the engine) and the noise goes away or lessens, then it's your PCV valve/crankcase vent valve that's bad.

I'll attached the receipt from BMW.

[avantix]

Sounds like alternator bearings in my opinion. The fact that you hear it lower in the wheel well also corroborates this since it's mounted lower in the engine bay. In any case that needs to go in and be properly diagnosed.

[Iceman51sn]

Originally Posted by iendless

Hi everyone,

2015 BMW M3
There is this squealing noise coming from the engine bay area.
Sounds like it's closer to the driver side. You could hear it pretty loud by the wheel well. The noise is not there or that noticeable on cold start.
You start to hear it when it's warmed up. You don't hear it when you RPM is above 2500. Turning off the A/C didn't change anything.
Thank You for the help.

Just got this today too. Exact same noise. After doing some searching around it may be the PCV system. I'll let you know if I find anything.

[iendless]

Some more details about the issue/sound.
I got under the car today and remove the covers under the car.
The sound seems to be coming from somewhere around the transmission or so.
Here is a video of it,

[noone]

I guess you may have missed this thread below which sounds like the same issue.

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1587003

[iendless]

Originally Posted by noone

I guess you may have missed this thread below which sounds like the same issue.

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1587003

Thank You. This sounds exactly the same. I guess there isn't a easy way for me to see exactly where the issue is so I would repair/replace myself.

I will be dropping the car off at BMW next Monday.

[noone]

I would visually inspect around the valve cover and also see if you can feel air being pushed out. Sounds like an easy DIY fix to change a valve cover and seal. I'm sure you can google it and get a tutorial for it. $2000 for that job is highway robbery.

[iendless]

Originally Posted by noone

I would visually inspect around the valve cover and also see if you can feel air being pushed out. Sounds like an easy DIY fix to change a valve cover and seal. I'm sure you can google it and get a tutorial for it. $2000 for that job is highway robbery.

I will try it out first.
Even if air is being pushed out around the valve cover, would that whining sound come from around the transmission below the car?
Because I don't really hear the whining sound around the engine bay or near the valve cover, it's the loudest around the transmission under the car(you can really hear it in the 2nd video I posted).

Thanks again.

[iendless]

So it was a faulty valve cover assembly, or it could just be the PCV valve/crankcase vent valve that is bad but it's built into the valve cover so BMW replaces the whole valve cover to fix the issue.

If you have this whining/whistling noise link in the video and you open the oil cap (where to add oil to the engine) and the noise goes away or lessens, then it's your PCV valve/crankcase vent valve that's bad.

I'll attached the receipt from BMW.

[K4503]

Originally Posted by iendless

So it was a faulty valve cover assembly, or it could just be the PCV valve/crankcase vent valve that is bad but it's built into the valve cover so BMW replaces the whole valve cover to fix the issue.

If you have this whining/whistling noise link in the video and you open the oil cap (where to add oil to the engine) and the noise goes away or lessens, then it's your PCV valve/crankcase vent valve that's bad.

I'll attached the receipt from BMW.

Sorry to bring up an old thread just wondering if it happened when the engine was cold as I’m currently getting a similar noise but only when the engine is upto temperature

[TideMD]

Originally Posted by K4503

Sorry to bring up an old thread just wondering if it happened when the engine was cold as I’m currently getting a similar noise but only when the engine is upto temperature

I'm taking my F82 in for the exact same issue - high pitched whining sound diagnosed as faulty valve cover / leak.

It only occurs once the car is warmed up and then, only at idle and up to ~2k RPM.
Thank goodness for the extended warranty. Just sucks that it's quoted as an approximately 10hr job.

[uluwatu06]

So... this sound is PCV again? Expensive repair i reckon.....

[uluwatu06]

Originally Posted by uluwatu06

So... this sound is PCV again? Expensive repair i reckon.....

Repaired at the dealer, $2725 USD.

Replaced:-

• Front crankshaft seal
• Cylinder head cover assembly

[bsmf8x]

BMW is quoting me 3300 for this exact job lmfao.

[Tangent]

It's about $700 for an OEM valve cover from FCP Euro. The job is tedious but not really difficult and took me about 4-5 hours. I'd recommend replacing the vent hose that attaches to the front of the valve cover while you're there since it tends to get brittle.