What oil are you using, Bob? *NM*

My 08 is still under warranty and I plan to bring it to the dealer for a look see regarding a clicking I hear when it is cold. I'd appreciate thoughts (or even better, direct experience) about what this might be so that I am better informed when I hear the mechanic's explanation.

The sound is like a clock or watch ticking. Not very loud, slow at idle, and like a rapid fire watch as rpms increase. It begins at start up only when it is cold out, say under 45F, and goes away as the car warms up. It is clearly from the rear, so related to something in the engine or engine component, and it picks up speed with engine speed. When the engine is warmed up, it is totally gone.

I'd say it sounds like a valve, but the car has only 15k on it, and I thought that nowadays valves are self-adjusting.

Thanks for any ideas about what this might be,

Bob

1999 Arctic Sivler/black/black (sold)
2008s Silver/black/black - so predictable
2011 Outback
8/24/2011 first Grandson

... a lifter which is hydraulically operated.
When it's cold and the oil is more viscous it's harder for it to get to every nook and cranny.
Also, check the oil level.
If you're not generating enough oil pressure because of low oil level the lifters can tick as 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

Quote
Bobtesa
My 08 is still under warranty and I plan to bring it to the dealer for a look see regarding a clicking I hear when it is cold. I'd appreciate thoughts (or even better, direct experience) about what this might be so that I am better informed when I hear the mechanic's explanation.

The sound is like a clock or watch ticking. Not very loud, slow at idle, and like a rapid fire watch as rpms increase. It begins at start up only when it is cold out, say under 45F, and goes away as the car warms up. It is clearly from the rear, so related to something in the engine or engine component, and it picks up speed with engine speed. When the engine is warmed up, it is totally gone.

I'd say it sounds like a valve, but the car has only 15k on it, and I thought that nowadays valves are self-adjusting.

Thanks for any ideas about what this might be,

Bob

a slow to pump up zero-lash lifter might account for the noise.

However, I have come across only one Porsche with a bad lifter (a relatively new 02 Carrera) but the lifter was I was told noisy all the time.

I assume the oil level is ok the oil is the right oil and is reasonably fresh? Oil with lots of mile can become diluted with water and unburned gas and the oil being thinner can lead to a noisy lifter or even some other noisy internal engine component.

The noise might not even come from inside the engine, it might instead arise from an exhaust leak that as the exhaust system heats up the leak (crack) closes up and the noise goes away.

Or the noise might be due to a noisy fuel injector.

Or the noise might be due to a loose plug or a bad coil and it is possible that the CEL can remain off since the condition of whatever is not yet bad enough to cause engine misfires.

And in some models an oil pressure control valve can make some noise that can sound like a noisy lifter might sound like, although in the case of the pressure valve it may not be a regular, as in time with the engine's speed, as a noisy valve lifter.

The best thing I can advise is to arrange to with the engine making the noise have the car lifted in the air and the mechanic using a stethescope clearly identifying the location of the noise. The nearer the location can be determined the more accurate the diagnosis.

Sincerely,

MarW.

Bob, SilverBox is also an 08 and has always had a slight ticking sound noticible when doing a totally cold start up and with the top up. I don't notice it with the top down since then I am enjoying the PSE symphony and in fact I drive with the top down probably 90% of the time. It recently had its oil and filter change at the dealer and there was no noticible difference in the ticking before and after the oil change. I have always taken the attitude that it was quite normal to hear with the engine and related mechanics so close to your ears. SilverBox has never had any codes, gets excellent milage when driven reasonably (about 25% of the time ) or when cruising on the highway and has not ever needed to have oil topped up between changes.

jwdbox,

I have PSE too. Do you have an RS? I heard this clicking the first winter I had the car and they replaced the PSE. It may be that again, but then it maybe something else and replacing the PSE didn't fix anything. If the clicking is coming from the PSE, I'm not sure what to do. The sound may be normal with PSE, and no big deal, but I'd hate have the PSE fail after warranty. It is a VERY expensive option. Not one I would get if I spec'ed the car myself.

Bob

Not trying to start the fur flying via another oil thread, but I had similar issues with our 06 Boxster on startup the last few years using M1, either in 0
w-40 or 15W-50 weights. I switched over to Castrol Syntec and then to LubroMoly--both on the Porsche approved list--and haven't had a recurrence.
BTW, when I had the dealer look at it, they thought it was a collapsed lifter. I think I have a short video of how it sounded and can post it if it might help.

are not necessarily anything to worry about, so long as they eventually fill up and work right. Lifter noise at start-up can be a combination of viscosity (generally thinner is better for this); cleanliness (varnish causes lifters to stick) and level (low is sometimes a real problem, even a little low).

Audis do a lot of this. Or did. Mine does. As did the last 4.

So dont panic.

(see, i went a whole post without referring to a standard or a brand)
Grant

Grant

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

Quote
grant
are not necessarily anything to worry about, so long as they eventually fill up and work right. Lifter noise at start-up can be a combination of viscosity (generally thinner is better for this); cleanliness (varnish causes lifters to stick) and level (low is sometimes a real problem, even a little low).

Audis do a lot of this. Or did. Mine does. As did the last 4.

So dont panic.

(see, i went a whole post without referring to a standard or a brand)
Grant

Isn't Audi a brand?

Bob the clicking or more like ticking is definately not from SilverBox's PSE. Also I do not have a RS. The PSE has a very distinct sound that occurs when you engage it (and have a means of hearing it such as in a garage or parked by a wall). It occurs only once when you hit the switch to turn on the PSE. The ticking I hear is more similar to injectors or something very rythimic like valves, and again, I really only hear it when I first start her for the day and if I have the top up. If the top is down there typically are too many other sounds that easily over-ride my ability to hear the ticking.

Better description then mine. Good to know it is probably not the PSE, so I can make sure other things are checked out.

I listened to SilverBox this morning for the ticking. At least in SilverBox it has nothing to do with the PSE. The ticking was identical with the PSE on or off, and did not alter when manually switching the PSE on or off. It (the frequency of the ticks) is definitely rpm dependent, with a direct correlation to engine rpm, slow when rpm is at lowest idle, increasing as rpms increase. In all cases it is so faint that I only can detect it with the top up and windows closed. Once the top is down other noises and/or PSE 'music' mask it entirely. Also once the engine is comfortably warmed up even with the top up, the ticking is greatly diminished in volumn. IMHO it is not an issue and very typical for the engine and it's placement.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/2012 01:03PM by jwdbox. (view changes)

Hi Bob,

Did you bring your car into the dealer and if so, what did they say regarding the clicking?

I haven't pursued the clicking sound yet. It has been quite warm in the DC area and it happens mostly notably in cold weather. I plan to bring it to the dealer when I can leave it overnight and have them listen when the temp is around freezing in the a.m. I'll certainly report back what I learn.

Thanks. It is back to the 70s here in Vegas so the top is down and all I hear is the sweet sounds of SilverBox's PSE

is fuzzy but I seem to recall the newer models making a ticking noise that proved to not be a lifter or something else 'on top' but coming from an oil pressure relief valve down in the bowels of the engine, down around the oil pump area.

Sincerely,

MarcW.