Ticking noise eminating from engine compartment?

[Arm]

A few weeks ago, I bought a Porsche certified 2002 996 Turbo with ~5000 miles from a local dealership. While driving the car with the radio off, I noticed a mechanical whirring sound coming from the rear of the car and assumed it was the fan in the engine hatch blowing air into the engine compartment. After putting a few hundred more miles on the car, the noise became more pronounced and the ticking increases with RPMs. It seems to only be coming from the passenger side.

What could be wrong with my car? The dealer still hasn't given me a service appointment yet and I'm afraid to drive it in the interim (don't want to make the problem worse!). It's driving me nuts.

Because of this, some other problems, and a few comments made by the salesman last week, I'm begining to suspect the car was never actually inspected/certified. :angry:

[WARDHOG]

What remarks where said to make you think that? How competent are the Porsche technicians at the dealer? Any complaints against the dealer technicians about shady work? Have you checked the turbos oil and engine oil? I'd look further into it now before it gets worse. Good luck.

[adsach]

The noise became more pronounced and the ticking increases with RPMs.  It seems to only be coming from the passenger side.

I drive a Boxster :unsure: so it may not be relevant, but I had a similar noise when my serpentine belt tensioner loosened shortly after my 30,000 mile service. About 8 miles after the noise became prominent, as was I still deciding what to do, the serpentine belt exploded. Fortunately it didn't smash anything major.

What could be wrong with my car?  The dealer still hasn't given me a service appointment yet and I'm afraid to drive it in the interim

What could be wrong with your dealer that he can't make an appointment? An appointment can be made for the future even if they have no time right away. I wouldn't say it was fearful not to want to drive a misadjusted/breaking car - I'd say it was reasonable caution.

Your instincts are telling you this dealer might not be the best. Their inability to make an appointment sounds like a hint they don't feel comfortable servicing this car. Do you have any other dealer choices?

[Keyvan]

Does it sound like this?

http://iboston.com/myengineclick.mp3

[magcuda]

If your car did not get the Porsche Pre Owned inspection done correctly PCNA will be all over them. these motors are based on the 964/993 style bottom ends and do produce some cam chain noise. The whirring sound would have to be heard to tell. remember PCNA is the warranty behind a Porsche pre owned and they don't like to be jacked around by dealers

[Future_Owner]

Does it sound like this?

http://iboston.com/myengineclick.mp3

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Keyvan, what did that sound turn out to be? Is it normal?

Thanks

[duydle]

Does it sound like this?

http://iboston.com/myengineclick.mp3

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Keyvan, what did that sound turn out to be? Is it normal?

Thanks

Keyvan,

My 01 TT also sounded like this when I pulled my car over the road after hearing the same sound as what you posted. My car was towed to the nearest Porsche dealer and is waiting to be looked at. Does anyone know what could be causing that sound?

Thanks!

[1999Porsche911]

Does it sound like this?

http://iboston.com/myengineclick.mp3

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Keyvan, what did that sound turn out to be? Is it normal?

Thanks

Keyvan,

My 01 TT also sounded like this when I pulled my car over the road after hearing the same sound as what you posted. My car was towed to the nearest Porsche dealer and is waiting to be looked at. Does anyone know what could be causing that sound?

Thanks!

It could be many things, even external to the engine, but sure sounds like you have a stuck lifter. Are you using 0W40? That light of an oil used in hot weather can score the lifter and cause it to get stuck. The obvious checks also include proper oil pressure and oil level.

It also could be electrical arching from a plug connection which will also vary with engine speed, but if it is louder when you put you ear to the tailpipe (not on the tail pipe but NEAR it), I would bet lifter. Since the car is already at the dealer, you can't do this, but if they say it is a lifter and requires engine rebuild out of warranty, I would first flush the system with a good cleaner and put in some fresh oil. Stuck lifters can sometmes be freed up and will rehone itself so it works as designed.

Also check to be sure that a cable of wire is not rubbing against any of the belt driven assesories. You can eliminate the belt and pullies by removing the belt and starting the engine.

Edited February 19, 2006 by 1999Porsche911

[duydle]

I checked my oil level and it was fine, up to the second to highest bar.

If you don't mind me asking. What is a lifter and what exactly is it's function. I just had my oil changed at 29K with 10W40. Hearing about the engine rebuild doesn't sound very good.

[1999Porsche911]

I checked my oil level and it was fine, up to the second to highest bar.

If you don't mind me asking. What is a lifter and what exactly is it's function. I just had my oil changed at 29K with 10W40. Hearing about the engine rebuild doesn't sound very good.

There is a lifter for each valve and what a lifter is is and cylindrical housing that has a small barrel inside of it. You can google and find pictures. This barrel is tight against the valve housing and has engine oil under it which ceates a hydraulic effect when the barrel is pressed down into the housing. This oil is constantly drained and replaced with engine oil as the lifter cycles.

Sitting against the top of the lifter (barrel) is the valve stem. The lifter if moved up and down by the lobes on the cam. As the lobe on the cam lifts the lifter, the valve stem is tight against the barrel in the lifter and causes the corresponding valve to open. The oil inside the lifter keeps the barell snug against the valve stem so there is constant contact between the 2. As the cam lode releases the lifter and it moves away from the valve stem, the hydraulic pressure created by the barrell pressing up against the valve stem pushes the barrell back up to the top of it's stroke, again, keeping the barrel snug against the valve stem at all times. (Like a sping would)

When you hear valve noise, it is tippically a result of the valve stem not keeping constant contact with the barrell in the lifter and the noise you hear is the stem hitting the barrell. The most common casue of this is insufficuent hydrailc pressure build up in the lifter which does not allow it to maintain contact with the valve stem. It can also be a result of other things, but this is the common cause.

Now, when the barrell is squeezed down into the lifter housing, some oil is allowed to be pushed out of the housing. The speed at which this bleeding occurs directly effects whether the stem and lifter stay in contact with each other. If the oil escapes too fast, there will not be enough oil to maintain contact. This is why you hear more noise with a bad lifter at slower engine speed.

An oil that is too thin will bleed faster that will a thcker oil. Further damage can occur if you do not have sufficient pressure is that this will allow the barrell in the housing to cock slightly, scoring the side walls and eventually lead to athe barrel getting stuck in one position.

[Loren]

[duydle]

I checked my oil level and it was fine, up to the second to highest bar.

If you don't mind me asking. What is a lifter and what exactly is it's function. I just had my oil changed at 29K with 10W40. Hearing about the engine rebuild doesn't sound very good.

There is a lifter for each valve and what a lifter is is and cylindrical housing that has a small barrel inside of it. You can google and find pictures. This barrel is tight against the valve housing and has engine oil under it which ceates a hydraulic effect when the barrel is pressed down into the housing. This oil is constantly drained and replaced with engine oil as the lifter cycles.

Sitting against the top of the lifter (barrel) is the valve stem. The lifter if moved up and down by the lobes on the cam. As the lobe on the cam lifts the lifter, the valve stem is tight against the barrel in the lifter and causes the corresponding valve to open. The oil inside the lifter keeps the barell snug against the valve stem so there is constant contact between the 2. As the cam lode releases the lifter and it moves away from the valve stem, the hydraulic pressure created by the barrell pressing up against the valve stem pushes the barrell back up to the top of it's stroke, again, keeping the barrel snug against the valve stem at all times. (Like a sping would)

When you hear valve noise, it is tippically a result of the valve stem not keeping constant contact with the barrell in the lifter and the noise you hear is the stem hitting the barrell. The most common casue of this is insufficuent hydrailc pressure build up in the lifter which does not allow it to maintain contact with the valve stem. It can also be a result of other things, but this is the common cause.

Now, when the barrell is squeezed down into the lifter housing, some oil is allowed to be pushed out of the housing. The speed at which this bleeding occurs directly effects whether the stem and lifter stay in contact with each other. If the oil escapes too fast, there will not be enough oil to maintain contact. This is why you hear more noise with a bad lifter at slower engine speed.

An oil that is too thin will bleed faster that will a thcker oil. Further damage can occur if you do not have sufficient pressure is that this will allow the barrell in the housing to cock slightly, scoring the side walls and eventually lead to athe barrel getting stuck in one position.

Thanks for your explanation! I found the original email posted by the Keyvan and he said it was a blockage in the oil system. They drove the car around it until it was unblocked!

[MH996TT]

Do a search for "intermediate shaft" for clicking noise. As for the whirring, I'm not sure...

Do you live in Socal? If so, I had a great expeience when I took my car to Callas Rennsport in Torrance. Let me know if you'd like more details...

Matt

[duydle]

Matt - It's been a while since I got back to this thread but the clicking noise that was coming from my engine was actually a bad idle pulley and it caused the belt to start slipping. Took it the dealer and it costs $600 to replace the pulley and belts, plus 3 hour labor. Another $300 to have it towed on a flat bed for 75 miles to the dealer.