Found the true source of my "top noises"

[Dale_K]

The 2000 Boxster S I bought this week has been quite noisy from the top. Kind of a plastic clicking, ticking kind of sound over most any kind of bump in the road. So I've been cussing the top. Yesterday I smeared silicone grease over all the door and window weatherstripping and it helped slightly but the basic irritating plastic ticking was still there.

I put the top in the service position with the intention of checking the engine cover but as soon as I removed the speaker box (long box with sliding doors and speakers on both sides) I could tell it might be the source of the sound. It kind of clicked and ticked just holding it in my hands.

So I left it out of the car and went for a long drive up Arkansas Rt 7, which is right near my home. It used to be among Car & Drivers 10 best roads in the US and it's a great drive in a sports car. Anyway the irritating noise is gone. There are a few genuine top noises but they're not very bad and both sun-visors rattle a little but 95% of the bad sounds are gone.

Here are a couple pictures of the useless sound box. It is little more than a rattle waiting to happen. The speakers are mounted on a piece of plastic that is kind of wedged into a diagonal slot at the corner.

Here's a picture of the speakers removed. I haven't fixed the problem but it looks like a little trimming on the plastic that the speakers mount to might do some good. The main thing is if you have some nasty plastic noises behind the seats you might want to take out the speaker box and go for a drive.

Edited December 19, 2010 by Dale_K

[Q-Ship986]

The speaker mounts are supposed to be screwed in. In your photo, it looks like the screws are missing. --Brian

[Dale_K]

They were screwed in - I removed the screws to take it apart. Thanks for the reply.

[Q-Ship986]

If you suspect these parts are rubbing, I would apply some of the same silicone grease you used before (dielectric grease?) to the offending interfaces and screw the brackets back in. --Brian