I have a 2007 base
Cayman
, 55k miles. Like all of the other cars on this forum, it has its share of rattles and buzzes and noises (most of which have been identified through the very helpful P9 forums). However, one noise has remained elusive and really frustrating. I spent more than 3 hours of my weekend trying to solve this and I've gotten nowhere.
The noise sounds like it's coming from behind the driver's seat, near the strut tower/speaker cover trim piece. It happens on take-off (from a dead stop) and it's more pronounced on higher-RPM starts... It's as if the sound is specifically being caused by torque. It is a distinct plastic/rubber creaking noise - not metal. The car was just in for major service and my mechanic said the suspension looked fine. He also checked and lubricated all of the various bushings and rubber parts. I know the noise is not in the hatch trim/third brake light/hatch struts because I can raise the hatch and still hear it.
I've been all over the forums reading about trunk clunk, hatch strut rattle, loose seatbelt bolt, etc. It's none of those. I've also jammed pieces of weather stripping all around the trim in the rear with zero improvement. I even removed the big plastic piece covering the c-pillar and I still couldn't pinpoint the issue. Any other suggestions? I'm quickly losing my mind.
Possibly from the B-pillar? See this thread (read carefully and do not over-tighten)...
http://www.planet-9.com/987-cayman-...an-and-boxster-problems-and-complaints/34768-b-pillar-seatbelt-bolt-squeak.html
This is another possibility...
http://www.planet-9.com/987-cayman-and-boxster-chat/83076-mystery-left-rear-creaking-solved.html
The airbox was a really good idea, but no luck. I took off the engine cover and examined the box. The grommet seemed to be making a similar creaking noise when I tried to move it with my hands. I put some thick PVC foam around the grommet since I don't have any silicone spray/grease. Went for a short drive. Immediately I could tell the noise was still present. This is driving me nuts. Any other ideas?
Have you searched for "interior squeak"? There are several threads that may be worth reviewing. Also, have you tried to remove the trunk privacy screen?
Not the trunk privacy screen either. That makes a different buzzing noise. I have removed it to help isolate this particular problem. I'm really tempted to just remove all of the interior plastics and carpets and call it a day.
i understand how annoying those sounds can be and how difficult they can be to track down....
a friend can help track down the sounds (usually works best as a 2 person team) and as a last resort you could take the interior parts out and slowly put it back together with some extra "padding" to prevent recurrence....
the covers for the rear "hidden" compartments beside the engine can also cause some noise (i find occasionally opening and closing them helps!)
and check the rear suspension top mounts. its made of compressed foam which can wear out over time.
Great ideas. I will try those when I get home today.
So this is ridiculous, but I believe my problem IS the airbox described in
Mystery Left Rear Creaking Solved
. I went back in there and doused the grommet in more lithium grease (which is an unholy mess) and then wrapped PVC foam all around the grommet/pin so that the airbox barely moves at all. I went for a drive and didn't hear anything. Fingers crossed. Two follow up questions:
1) this clearly isn't a permanent fix... has anyone actually purchased a new grommet, part # 987 110 141 00, and had it installed? Has anyone tried to install it themselves? How big of a PITA is it? Looks like the whole box has to come off.
2) the airbox seems pretty isolated from the rest of the engine. If one of the PVC foam pieces got dislodged, is there anything hot it could fall on underneath (i.e. melt/catch fire)? Should I be concerned?
Again, many thanks for all the great suggestions and advice.
