I posted this on e46fanatics.com so I'm just going to copy and paste it here.

Ok. I was at the grocery store and I was putting the groceries in the trunk. I close the trunk and I hear something rattle as if it was loose. So I open the trunk and do it again thinking it was something in the trunk, same result. When I got home, park the car open the trunk and I hit the bumper hear the rattle again. Sounds like it was coming from the rear near the muffler. Took a test drive with the windows down and hit a couple of little dips in the road to see if something is loose. Hear the same noise as I did when I close the trunk, also hear the same noise when shifting in 1st and sometimes in 2nd. What is loose back there? I have a 01' 330ci with 80K on it. Is this something I can fix or does my baby needs to head to the shop?

8/15/2005 10:42:18 AM

what does that have to do with the heads?

they are in the front of the car, with the rest of the motor.

8/15/2005 10:46:55 AM

it just soudns like something is loose and rattling. just get a buddy of yours to open and close the trunk a few times while you have your head under the car and see if you can locate the source of the rattle. when you find it post what it is in here and i'm sure someone will know what to do.

8/15/2005 10:49:35 AM

Quote :

"what does that have to do with the heads? they are in the front of the car, with the rest of the motor. "

As in Mechanics and people that work on their on cars, but hopefully I will be able to find it out.

8/15/2005 11:17:49 AM

aha

oops

8/15/2005 11:23:17 AM

lol...

8/15/2005 11:37:42 AM

Quote :

"what does that have to do with the heads?"

I thought the same thing

8/15/2005 11:49:56 AM

i thought you were just being an ass about it

i'm surprised no one has mentioned muffler bearings yet, knowing this crowd.

8/15/2005 11:59:14 AM

i had a problem like that and it turns out that the jack was loose.

8/15/2005 1:31:24 PM

muffler bearings

8/15/2005 1:32:52 PM

take it to a shop, if they want your business they will check it for free

8/15/2005 4:47:59 PM

Quote :

"what does that have to do with the heads?"

same

8/15/2005 6:23:06 PM

I know when I was serious into getting a 300i (I didnt), there was a lingering issue with sub-frame damage. The subframe pulls away from the uni-body in rare cases. There are enough users on E46fanatics that the problem was appeared many times.

I am not saying you have sub-frame damage, but read these threads to see if you can observe their issues with your car.

Good luck.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=195602&highlight=frame+damage
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=157603

8/15/2005 8:44:23 PM

^Thanks for one of the few useful posts.

8/15/2005 8:45:52 PM

^^I have been doing the searching of there for the past couple days. I think I could possibly be added to that list. Hopefully I'm not and maybe my differential could making the noise. I've been close attention to the noise its the same all the time. I'm gonna find some where that I can get it up on a lift and check it out. I just hope its not subframe damage, been reading the horror stories over there.

8/16/2005 8:23:54 AM

Just got back from BFI (Black Forest Industries). Turns out no subframe damage, no loose shock mounts, but a loose differential!!!! DAMN!! When I say loose I mean like barely on there. Guys tightened it in no time flat, and I'm forever grateful to the guys at BFI.

8/16/2005 7:19:11 PM

After I posted that, I noticed on e46fanatics that some of the damaged was also located in the differential mounts too. That may be your issue.

I wasnt trying to scare you, but its a serious oversight not to find that damage. Good luck.

Nice, clean 330ci. I still want a 2003.5 330i.

8/16/2005 7:19:38 PM

You need to replace your flux capacitor

8/16/2005 8:27:10 PM

^^Well we throughly checked for any cracks or damage. Solid as a rock. Also the subframe damage happened more or less on 1999/2000 323s, 325s, and 328s. I guess the 330 being a step down from the M3 its more rigid. Only saw 1 330 with that problem and it was a 2000. After they tightened the noise is completely gone. Basically it was my differential moving back and forth because it was loose. You could hear it and feel it. Crazy thing it was loose on the left but the noise was coming from the right. I'm just glad its fixed and don't have to come off a grip to have it serviced.

8/16/2005 9:54:35 PM

I have read a few stories of the subframe damage on that board too. I have yet to see it in person........4 years now.

8/18/2005 7:12:22 PM

I wonder how hard the drive their cars. They gotta be abusive to those things!

8/19/2005 11:34:04 AM