loud tapping on cold start, not tensioner

[spike318is]

hi i have a 90 e30 318is, after reading many forums about this problem i bought and fitted a timing chain tensioner for the m44 because i heard this was a more reliable part and would solve the loud ticking on cold start but with no luck. am i gonna have to rebiuld the head?

[colin86325]

You might just have some lazy lifters.  Pour about 1/2qt of ATF in the oil and run the car at moderate rates (that is, don't go above 6k) for a few hundred miles. Then change the oil.

If you still have noises after this, then you can test the lifters individually to see which need replacement.

[spike318is]

cheers colin, have a bottle of ATF in the trunk for my leaky powersteering pump, will put some in this evening and see how it goes. thanks again.