Engine Rattle at Startup. Help.

Greetings everyone.
I have a 2002 Boxster that is about to turn 60K.
I've noticed lately an engine rattle sound for a brief moment when I star the car cold.
I'm certain it's not a cat converter rattle. This sounds like the rattle I've heard occasionally, but only when starting the car after it might have sat for a week or so.
Dashboard oil gauge shows normal.

The only other small issue I've noticed recently is a very slight squeak/whistle for a fraction of a second when I press the accelerator (even while sitting still in neutral).

Any ideas?? The rattle noise definitely makes me cringe as it's not a good sounds.

Many thanks,
-Dan

Could be early warning of IMS bearing failure. If thats the case change it with the upgraded Raby bearing before you lose your whole engine.
Good Luck
Rich

You seem sure it is the engine, but consider...... My heatshields rotted out and they would rattle shortly but would stop as soon as they heated up. The rattle got worse until it took about 30 sec to 1 mnt to stop.

The last time I heard a rattle, ended up being the water pump!

Good luck

Dan take a rubber. Mallet and bang the exhaust and muffler,My buddy sells used parts and he get a few calls for Carreras mufflers which have loose baffles inside. Maybe boxster baffles go after a while. I would also check for worn engine mounts.

Quote
DanV
Greetings everyone.
I have a 2002 Boxster that is about to turn 60K.
I've noticed lately an engine rattle sound for a brief moment when I star the car cold.
I'm certain it's not a cat converter rattle. This sounds like the rattle I've heard occasionally, but only when starting the car after it might have sat for a week or so.
Dashboard oil gauge shows normal.

The only other small issue I've noticed recently is a very slight squeak/whistle for a fraction of a second when I press the accelerator (even while sitting still in neutral).

Any ideas?? The rattle noise definitely makes me cringe as it's not a good sounds.

Many thanks,
-Dan

for his opinion. The noise may be normal but it may not be.

These engines can be a bit noisy upon startup due to lifter and chain tensioner bleed down over time. The type of oil, the miles on the oil, which is to say the amount of water/fuel contamination the oil has obtained while in service, all play their roles in this noise.

Based on my experience with my Boxster as the oil -- either Mobil 1 0w-40 or in the summer Mobil 1 5w-50 (not a typo for 15w-50) -- approaches the 5K miles mark given the same conditions as when the oil was fresh, the Boxster's engine is a bit noisier at startup.

If I let the Boxster sit longer, which only happens when I'm away for a week or so, upon my return and at the first start the noise can make me want to cringe a bit. But the engine quiets right down and appears to suffer not one whit from this initial noise.

But as I started out with if you think the noise cringe worthy... have the noise listened to by a ;pro.

Sincerely,

MarcW.