996 Vibration - Inspection Failure

Hi, I hope someone out there can help me. I am currently very actively looking for a well priced early 996 however have been put off of quite a few cars for the same reason now and am beginning to think its just something I should expect. I am afraid I haven't owned a 911 before and as such I have no idea what the norm is.. I have had one car inspected by a Porsche specialist last week to find out there was a vibration from the engine that was noticeable on idling, when pulling away and on starting the car up. The inspector advised me to look for a better car instead of taking a chance on this - he said the vibration pointed to an underlying engine problem. I have since looked at 2 other early 996 cars which have both suffered from the same slight vibration on start up, idle and pull away. I am beginning to think that this is normal and there is nothing wrong with the first car I had inspected. The vibration is noticeable if you look for it, however I wasn't aware of this in the 1st car until the inspector pointed it out to me. The vibration strong enough to slightly shake the passenger chair. Also the latest car I have looked at which I am quite keen on has a crème colour liquid in the oil cap, the owner has said this is condensation however I am concerned it is something more. Can anyone help me? Are these problems as a result of specific problems and should I walk away from the cars? Thanks, Matthew

Can't help with the vibration question although I will see if mine does it later. Not something I have noticed though. The oil cap is probably condensation especially if the car isn't used very often or only does short drives. A better indicator is to check the colour of the coolant apparently.

The lumpy idle is a known 996 problem. Mines has always been like that.

I'd agree with Paul that the lumpy idle can sometimes be a problem, but not usually enough to make the passenger seat rattle. It's the sort of thing you can feel through your bum and back when sitting at idle. Mine is a bit more noticeable when cold, but usually pretty much disappears when warm. Dodgy MAF, Coil Packs, or Variocam solenoids can sometimes cause it, and the fact that you notice it when pulling away might indicate that it isn't just a lumpy idle. However, if your independent inspecion included a full diagnostic check with a PST2 it should have recorded one of these faults. As for the light coating of mayonnaise in the oil filler cap and tube - yes, that is common. Do a search for 'mayo' and you'll get enough threads to reassure you.

Hi, I have a well priced 996 for sale at present - email me [email removed] for info and pictures if you are interested. full service history and porsche warrenty included (renewed in December). Dec 98 manual, coupe, zenith blue with black leather interior. 73K miles. The vibration at idle is common when cold, I asked the same questions when I purchsed my 996.

Hi, There is enough informnation on this site to give you a good idea what to question your " Porsche Specialist " about. Has he checked whether there is a RMS leak? What condition are the Aircon condsensers in, these are fairly costly to replace (by an OPC). The lumpy tickover/running could be one of a multitude of cheap/very expensive problems but, Is the passenger seat rattle just caused by the seat belt bumping the seat, because they all do that if it is not hanging in the right place. Why not try to get the owner/dealer to put it through the 111 point check? My past experience tells me that if a car has had a previous reocurring problem (fixed by OPCs) then it will not be accepted onto the Porsche warranty scheme. There is a recent thread where a member bought privately and what a nightmare.If you buy from an OPC, it may be slightly dearer but you will get the warranty and will get the opportunity to renew it (up to 9 years old). Ask local members to put you in touch with a trusted dealer (OPC or Independant). After all there is no substitute for experience. There are many 996 cars that have covered 100k plus without problem so don,t be put off, just buy from a reliable source. Happy motoring.[ ]

I sometimes feel a slight vibration (wobble) which I put down to the dual mass flywheel.

Matthew, I just bought a 2000 model C2 and I noticed, when cold, what I'd describe as a vibration at idle, but only noticeable when it is cold. Had the OPC 111 point inspection done before buying and specifically asked the Porsche mechanic about it - he said it was a very smooth engine - smoother than a lot of other's he'd seen. No faults on the diagnostics and it passed with flying colours and I took out the warrantee. My only recommendation would be to get an OPC to check it out and ask specifically about it and get the warrantee. At least then, if something goes, you're covered.

Tried mine today. Hot cold, no vibration as described. Mines seems well balanced. Steve

no vibration from mine niether.....

Mine does sometimes, but not always . It is inconsistent. When it does though, and I'm stuck in traffic, I'll turn the aircon on which raises the revs slightly after which the lumpy-ness disappears.