F21 118i rattling from engine when warm

[modest walrus]

No error codes,
Oil level is at max
70k km on the car
Full service history at bmw
BMW dealer says its timing chain but the noise only comes when the car is warmed up

@old gazelle come take a look at this

[old gazelle]

it's a weird sound, is that older or newer than 2015

because the exhaust heat shield rattles

on the older ones

[modest walrus]

2019

[old gazelle]

could still be heat shield

[visual mountain]

@modest walrus Check your water pump. Both for leaks and excess play at the pulley.

[modest walrus]

Checked, no leaks and no excessive play

She drove the car today and now there’s an error message, I’ll read codes later today see what it says

[dull knoll]

Interesting. Keep us posted

[modest walrus]

@visual mountain @dull knoll error code says:
Exhaust cam shaft out of supposed parameters

Error code is set between 1200-2000 rpm

[visual mountain]

Okay, so your engine has veritable valve timing. This can be critical if the timing chain is making that noise. Should it be sloppy enough to hop a tooth, it can possibly destroy the valve assembly or worse the entire motor. Some Fords are known for this, as are Jaguars 5.0 V8 (including mine...grrrrr....).
I think you need a local euro shop to give you a second opinion, but move on it quickly. Yikes, you won't like the price it it is indeed the case!
My 2 cents

[dull knoll]

Reminds me of fords and their “phasors” I think they are called.

[visual mountain]

@dull knoll Yeah, Jaguars 5.0 used a hardened steel plunger to press against an aluminum tension guide. Funny how engines started tossing chains and destroying a $20,000 motor! Took them 3 years to correct with no recall issued, so those of us with the early 5L either pay $2500 to replace the part or live in fear!

[dull knoll]

2500 bucks!

[dull knoll]

Tension guide for the timing chain?

[visual mountain]

To replace a plunger and chain guide!

Tension guide yes

The plunger essentially wears a hole in the back of the aluminum guide... Jag upgraded with an embedded steel button for the plunger to ride on, and the plunger was set at a slightly different angle. Grrrrr...

[dull knoll]

Seems like big oversight wow

[visual mountain]

@dull knoll We had folks loosing engines as early as 20K miles, and class action went no where as most happened outside the factory warranty, so yeah, the first 3 years of an otherwise flawless engine are to be avoided. 😥

[dull knoll]

Makes sense why I don’t see to many of them.

[modest walrus]

I have 2 weeks off soon, I’ll take the engine apart and check chain and the vanos camshaft units then

Right now the car does not get driven until the issue is figured out

It has a variable camshaft on the exhaust side, maybe the module has a fault, it works trough oil pressure and has a little net that can clog up over time

So much work ugh, my polo needs a timing chain really desperately too

[dull knoll]

Looks like your going to be busy for sure. Sorry fam

[modest walrus]

I have so many cars that I want to fix, some of them have been sitting for years

[dull knoll]

I hear that!

[stiff dome]

It sounds like the timing chain is having one hell of a time. If it was a heat shield I feel like it would rattle more consistently.