Rear end noises, any advice appreciated

Hey everyone...I'm brand new to this site, and still somewhat new to Porsches. I'm 25, and have recently owned a 944 I purchased from a collector. That is when I caught the "bug". There's no substitute for these cars. I have since sold that vehicle and I bought a '99 996 w/ tiptronic. I know, I know. WHY!? Believe it or not I test drove both 6 spd and tiptronic, and the type of traffic I am dealing with here in Virginia Beach, the auto would help. PLUS....I noticed very little difference in accelaration and shift speed. Actually, shifts almost as quick, but a guarunteed shift everytime!! Either way, thats not the point of my post. (By the way, I love this car) I have a rear end noise. I can't tell if it's from the tranny, maybe the rearend??? Only at low speeds (between 1 and 20 mph), and it seems to whine WITH the RPM's of the engine. Higher pitch whine w/ higher RPMS. Also, seems to be more predominant w/ colder conditions. I'm not sure of what work has previously been done, so I said screw it. I'll just pay for a complete tranny flush/kit, I'll do the 60k maint. on it. I'd rather have it done correctly than end up needing a new engine, tranny...sumthin.. Either way, has anyone had this type issue??!! Plus any pointers on this particular car would be great. I have one local specializing Porsche shop around here (besides the dealer), and I'm sure they're used to people in their 50's and 60's who have all the money in the world and are ready to blow it. I, on the other hand, am only 25 years old w/ a medium sucessful company and I can't just drop tens of thousands in my car. ( and yes, I realize what kind of car I bought, and if it's needed I'll spend the money, but of COURSE I'd prefer not to!!!) Your advise is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!!!!

I have been test driving 6 speed 996's and the ones that perform better, seem to have this whining/whistling sort of noise when I accellerate. It comes from the engine.

It actually could be coming from the air intake, but it likely wouldn't be 'that' high pitched a whine. Alternatively, any chance the whining sound be coming from the radio?

Just a thought. It might not be engine noise but tire noise. Have you looked at the inside side of the rear tires?.

Preventative maintenance is the key to preventing rear end noises. Take some Beano before the meal and you should be fine.

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Sorry. I saw a setup for a punchline and I took it. I am just giving dnsellers a hard time for joining the forum and not posting pictures. Come on, you know the rule: new members post pictures of their ride. Anyway, it is all in good fun. Congratulations on your 996 and welcome to the board!

Unfortunately noise diagnose is almost impossible via the internet. There is a whole list of possible problems. that being said here are some thoughts. Did the car just develop this noise or is something that has been building or maybe just something you noticed? The flat six in the 996 has a definite �whine� to it that changes with rpms and the location makes for it to be quit noticeable. Could coming from a front engined car just make you not use to this noise? Check out a Boxster (or an excuse to drive a new Cayman S) for an even louder and more noticeable version of this �whine.� The 996 (contrary to what many claim) is not a quiet luxury car. There is limited sound deadening material (check out under the front seats) and road and tire noise can definitely be heard. Combine that with certain tires that make more noise than others and you can have a raucous cabin. Other possible but not overtly expensive culprits to check out include the main serpentine belt. Also a failing/failed wheel bearing could be the cause (but hard to diagnose). All that said the preventive maintenance is always good. If you can even remotely turn a wrench you can save yourself some money by doing some of the following yourself. A flush and replacement of all the fluids (coolant, brake, transmission and oil) is highly recommended along with a replacement of all of the filters. You didn�t mention the mileage but if you are getting close to 60k the spark plugs should be replaced and if I remember right the main serpentine belt is replaced then also. Good luck.

First of all, I'd love nothing more than to post some pics of my car here, but I couldn't figure it out. When I have a few minutes I'll mess around w/ it As far as the noise, it is most definately NOT any radio and/or electrical noises, and I highly doubt it is from the tires. It sounds and feels more "mechanical" I noticed it backing out of my driveway this AM. Some posts say it could be bearings, but even while sitting still, I hear a slight moan.

The car looks great! Thanks for posting the pictures! Is there some vibration associated with the noise? Does the vibration get more pronounced at higher RPMs? If you step on the clutch does the noise/vibration go away? Just trying to get a better idea of what the noise may be. Like bet said, it is hard to diagnose noises over the Internet.