Engine Noise

My 1999 C2 Tiptronic has developed a "squeak" noise when the engine is switched on. Roughly seems to be coming from the passenger side. Noise only lasts approx a few seconds then disappears until the engine is swiched off and restarted. Any ideas?? Regards

Hi Philippe. I don't think that you're fighting a loosing battle - but I do wonder whether those hydraulic tappets needed replacing at all...? My car is a 3.6 2003 model (20,000 miles) and I always get a tappety sound on cold start if she's been stood for a while - maybe a couple of weeks in my case. One thing I can say is that it does it a lot less now that I've got rid of the awful Mobil 1 0/40 oil that Porsche insist on using - it's just too thin for our climate, I now use a 10/40 and she's much quieter. I would get to an independent as soon as you can before you start throwing your hard earnt money at any (currently, very desperate) OPC. IMHO they'll only find something else for you to worry about anyway. At the very least I would get a second opinion from an independent, in my experience they're just better at what they do than OPCs are - it's that simple. All the best - let us know how you get on. Adrian.

Hello Adrian Thank you and your email made feel a bit more posative, yes my car has mobile 1 in it and maybe not the best oil for it. The same as you my car sits in the garage for somtimes a couple of weeks at a time and even if it is left for a day or two then the sound is there its not for a long time but longer than i would say it should be for this kind of car. I would be honnest i think this sound has been there since i have had the car almost 4 years, when they replaced the tappets last year i went in and they showed me a few of the warn ones, but if there was somthing deeper this would have been a good time for them to have found the problem (under warranty) If i dont get anywhere with them and Porsche i will take it to an independant, and am not going to pay for Porsche to take the engine out and then tell me i need a new one. I have used my OPC for over 3 years and they have been very good, i get a good deal (-25% of labour -10% Parts) as i am not near an independant the nearest over an hours drive i have found it easy to use the OPC. However i think this would be a good time to speak to someone else. Look forward to hearing some more comments from the people that know these cars. Phil

Phil If you've had this noise for 4 years, surely it can't be too serious. I would second Adrian's suggestion of using a different oil. I used to get the occasional clatter on startup (bearing in mind I use it every day) but since changing to a 5W-40 oil it doesn't happen any more. Where are you located? Maybe someone knows of a closer indy.

About 2 years ago, when I was looking for a 996 I tried a few and 2 of them sounded dreadful for the first 5s on start up. I posed the question whether this was normal and got a mixed response. Some people said 'no', yet others said theirs always sounded like that. I also spoke with some 'experts' and was told that a 'sound like a bag of nails' was not uncommon on older (97 / 98 & 99) model cars and had something to do with hydraulics tensioning a chain within the engine ?! I'd agree with Richard, that if its always done it then don't worry, but changing the oil sounds like a easy step to try.

Thanks again guys, I am bassed in Cambridgshire and always have been looking for a local Indy, i am going to Classic Le Mans followed by a 1500mile trip around france and as you all say if it was there in the first place then hopfully all should be ok, i think i will still take it up with Porsche as they should have sorted it in the first place, but dont think i will get far, and then look at a good Indy to have a look at it in the winter when it is due for a service. Any recomendations on a well respected Indy not a million miles from Cambridgeshire. Thaks again Phil

I would get this looked at. Mine had started to sound tappetty before the engine went bang. May be a complete coincidence but with my new engine, that type of sound has completely disappeared.

Hello Rob Didn't i read that you had a lot of other problems with your engine and not just a small tappet sound when it was cold, maybe i am getting mixed up with someone else? Phil

There were some complications with the previous service 12 months earlier but they were all resolved at the time and it was running ok from then until it let go.

Intresting so does the tick mean there is a bomb in the engine waiting to go off? As Richard mentioned his was similar and a thicker oil stopped this, i think it is worth getting checked out by an Indy when i find one close(ish) to me.