Re: Cayman motor mount

Hey guys and girls,
At the beach, and need some help. Pulling into parking place today, and noticed a strange noise. Going very slow, or even at a stand still, when I turn the steering wheel, I'm hearing what sounds like a belt stretching / rubbing, with some vibration, that seems to be coming from the front right wheel. Noise can clearly be heard in the cabin, almost like its just forward or inside of the passenger side dash. I know theres not a belt up there, but thats the only way I can describe the sound.
The wheel liner looks ok. Nothing in obvious contact with tire. No work done recently. I did spray wash the car yesterday, but I heard the noise just before the wash, so don't think I blew anything in there.
Any help appreciated.
Roll Tide,
Clam

... upper strut support.
It's made from the same material as the front motor mount and will deteriorate with time.
Unfortunately you'll have to compress the spring in order to swing the strut out, to be able to check it.
While you're in there check, clean and grease the strut bearing.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Thanks for the replies. To set me straighter, ....y'all are in agreement on the front strut support?? Not something I would replace myself, so any recommendations of what to ask for / do when going to my shop for repair?
PS. I'll post some pics from the tournament that my wife's tennis team is in, if we get more helpful advice And to be more specific, some pics of the waitresses from the Hangout, who's management must be requiring a MAXIMUM ,0.5 in. inseam on all shorts worn by female staff.
Thanks guys,
Clam

Back in the day, under warranty, the dealer replaced my 2000S strut bearings and did an alignment all courtesy. Apparently there was some sort of TSB out on them but was classified something like "if you like your customer, then replace gratis". I kinda figured they improved the design but did not. The creaking came back after a few years. I have since had them replaced a few years ago when I replaced springs and shocks and had some quiet for a while, and now its back. My old creaky friend.

... the bearing, but the top-most support.
They did revamp it with better rubber material, the same way they revamped the front engine mount in the Caymans.
Porsche has never been known to supply quality plastic or rubber products.
Look at the A/C foam, the plastic armrests, the radio buttons, the front motor mount, the upper strut support, etc., etc.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

I don't mean to steal the thread, but Pedro you said Porsche improved the front motor mount on the Cayman. Does that included the 987 Boxsters too? Just wondering as you've said the front motor mounts go at around 40k miles. I'm now at 52k miles and don't seem to have any symptoms of the front motor mount going. Shifting is still smooth, no clunking sounds when going from acceleration to coasting down and back, no excessive vibration around 3,000 rpm. Just curious.

Guenter
2014 Boxster S
GT Silver, 6 Speed Manual, Bi-Xenons, Sports Suspension (lowers car 20mm), Porsche Sports Exhaust, Porsche Torque Vectoring, Auto Climate control, heated and vented seats, 20" Carrera S Wheels, Pedro's TechNoWind, Sport Design steering wheel, Roll bars in GT Silver
[www.cyberdesignconcepts.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2011 11:13AM by Guenter in Ontario. (view changes)

I dont know when the running change came, but as of now, all replacement parts are the cayman S part. Since they specify that ( via my dealer parts guy and the pelican parts website) i must assume that for some period all other than cayman S models received a lesser mount.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Porsche had a revision in 2005 which made them last longer.
Then in 2007 they offered the best iteration yet, the one for the Cayman S.
They still offer a "lesser" mount for the Boxster, Boxster S and Cayman so make sure you buy the one for the Cayman S.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

They still equip most cars with the lesser one and sell both?

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

... the new engines on the Caymans have slightly different requirements than before.
The new Cayman S mount was redesigned and although slightly different in geometry it fits our cars perfectly.
The redesign included new rubber formulation which is MUCH stronger and stiffer synthetic rubber material therefore so not to transmit vibrations, they reduced the amount of material used.
It actually works very well.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Unless its resonance is "tuned" differently to improve dampening and/or absorption of engine vibrations.

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

It's stiffer and therefore las less transmitting (not absorbing) material.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

... the issue.

If your engine wasn't connected to the chassis it could not transfer any vibrations.
If you solidly connect the engine to the chassis it will transfer most of the vibrations.
So the key is to make a connection (Motor Mount) that gives your engine a solid support but transmits the least amount of vibrations.
So, any material on the mount will transmit, not absorb, vibrations into the cabin.
Initially the synthetic rubber material in the core of the motor mounts was very soft (low density) so that it wouldn't transmit too much vibration, but because of the material's softness it would not last long (less than 40,000 miles)
So Porsche started modifying the material's density (strength).
By making it more dense more vibrations would be transmitted so they started putting less and less material in the core to balance the longevity of the mount and the most vibration free as possible.
And that's how less material transmits less vibration.
If you compare the old cores and the new cores you'll find that the new ones have about half of the amount of synthetic rubber of the originals.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

I am around 43,000 miles and will be hitting the end of warranty around April or May. I would sure like to get it replaced by the dealer rather having to pay for it myself when I go over 50,000.

Lawdevil
2013 Boxster S - Agate Grey,
2016 Macan Turbo - jet black
Cashiers, NC & Atlanta

Then you have the "Heat Shield Rattle" in the back,

Stay on fast roads and avoid parking lots and your problem is solved.

The technical discussion here is accurate. Must do a alignment after replacing part. Creak comes back way too soon. I once tried a spray lubricant, that just made a mess

SJ

You might consider checking the following if it is certain that the noise is out front:
-P/S fluid (Pentosin 11s)
-front strut bearings
-sway bar bushings
regards