HELP Please!!!! 92 381i

[joeperry97]

I have a 92 318i and I have a loud noise that's hard to describe, it almost sounds as if the engine is running rough but it's not coming from within the engine. I sounds like the fan or possibly the altenator (sp?). It's like a loud clicking rough sound. It somewhat goes away at higher than idle rpm's but as soon as I push in the clutch and the rpms drop, it's back. I looked and the fan doesn't run at idle (should it?) but I'm not having any temperature problems. I could really use some ideas on this one.

 

[aussie320]

If the alternator bearings were the problem then the pitch of the sound would increase as the engine rpms increased. As you stated the sound is louder at lower rpm then this would indicate a balance problem. If the sound is not coming from the engine, I assume the sound is not from the engine bay, then I would be looking more towards the unijoints of the drive shaft as being worn or needing grease.