Occasionally, I notice a ticking/crackling sound from around the engine while the car is running. It doesn't have a steady rhythm, and sounds almost exactly like the ticking you hear from under a car when it's cooling down after being shut off.
Is this normal? Any explanation of the sound?
Is it there when you drive or just when idling?
Have only heard it while idling.
I was concerned when I heard a sort of "ticking, valve tap" sound as well. apparently that's just how the engine sounds, when I first got the car I took it to the dealer for that reason and they turned on anotherr new porsche for me and it made the same sound, even a GT3 they had was louder. I was also concerned because the RPM needle would be a little sparatic "wiggling at idle" the other cars were worse as well. Even at idle with the door open a new GT3's door window shakes a lot. After getting software, APR and now Softronic that problem is no more. The car idles a lot smoother now, especially with the new Softronic X51 program
P4ed is right. What youre experiencing is some cultured sound from a Pedigree Engine.
But it's not a rhythmic ticking like a valve sound would be, it's totally random sounding.
If it truly concerns you, take it into the dealer and have it examined under warranty. Honestly, the Internet is a marvelous thing, but we can't possibly guess at what this might be because we can't hear it for ourselves.
If I had to make a wild guess - just like the heat shielding makes noise when it cools-down, it also makes noise when it heats-up - you don't hear it as much as on cool down because the motor is running.
brad
This may not be your problem, especially if the ticking is not tied to RPM, but the click-click-click lifter like sound is not normal.
My original engine had a minor tick, then a major click, and then a complete failure of the variocam actuator. This is actuator is what is clicking and since the actuator is in the head, it sounds like a lifter.
The clicking could be controlled with the PIWIS through enabling or disabling this actuator. When the actuator was replaced the ticking went away completely.
My new engine, with all new actuators, makes no sound at all. Not even a minor ticking.
I can not say that all clicking, ticking, or whatever is from this unit, but it is worth checking, because when it fails completely it causes the cams to move out of time and causes quite a racket.
Also, FWIW, I have run both the 2006 and 2007 MY OEM headers and the metal shiedling on the 2006 headers make more noise when heating and cooling.
Cheers,
Engine noises difficult to diagnose over web so all I can do....
is point out some things.
1) These engines are reciprocating and many pieces of hardware are moving back and forth, up and down, around, opening, closing, turning off, on, sparking, etc.
That they don't make enough noise to drive one crazy is I think a minor miracle.
2) The lack of rhythm suggests noise normal. What you can hear is a lifter or more likely an injector then another as they make noise then stop and the noise appears at another location.
3) Freshness of the oil plays a role. I've noted as the miles add up on the oil the engine gets a bit noisier. (And is more prone to smoking upon startup.)
4) These engines run better, act better, when they are used. And *used* in this sense is not spending 5 or 10 minutes of slow speed driving with lots of idling.
A Porsche tech mentioned to me the other day -- he just came back from training on the new engines -- in Germany people buy these cars to drive and drive them they do while here in USA people buy these cars to store.
Drive the car more often.
Of course, if noise gets louder, becomes more distinct and engine develops untoward behavior then you need to get it looked into pronto.
Sincerely,
Rockster.
