Symptoms
A brief rattle on a cold start that goes away on a quick restart, on a BMW 4.4 whose guides may still be fine.
The fix, step by step
- Before condemning the chains, change to a good fully synthetic 5W-30 or 5W-40 with a quality (Mann or genuine) filter.
- Owners report the rattle stopping after the filter change alone.
- Next, replace the VANOS solenoid seals and the oil non-return valves behind the solenoids.
- Some say the real culprits are two non-return valves in the block under the head gasket.
- If it still rattles, move on to the tensioners and then the guides, which means dropping the sump.
Tools & part numbers
- VANOS seal tool
- ground-down 32 mm deep socket
- quality oil filter
Where to buy the parts
M62 VANOS seal kit (search)Atlantic British ↗
L322 VANOS / non-return valve parts (search)Rovers North ↗
Hunting a used or discontinued part? Search eBay Motors for Land Rover Range Rover L322 parts →
Rated for a competent home mechanic with a decent tool kit. Confirm torque figures, fluids and procedures against the factory service manual for your VIN, support the truck on stands rather than a jack, and work at your own risk (disclaimer). Some parts links are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission at no cost to you.