Scraping/grinding noise

[key_lime]

Hello all,

I have a 1997 5 speed manual Boxster with 85k miles on the clock.

Under normal driving, I can hear a faint but distinct scraping/grinding noise. The noise is pretty much constant, and almost sounds as if a piece of metal is lightly touching a rotating component somewhere.

The mystery noise :

• Only occurs when the engine is warm
• Changes with RPM
• Is very prominent when driving in 2nd or 4th
• Is amplified if I open the lockable storage compartment by the handbrake (perhaps the issue is coming from somewhere directly underneath this?)

I didn't want to film while driving, so have been trying to find a way to reproduce the sound while the car is parked. Today I discovered I can replicate the noise by messing with the gear lever while stationary. The below video shows me moving the stick around and revving. The clutch is fully pressed the entire time. You can hear the noise intermittently throughout the clip...

https://youtu.be/BmuVz0H_Hfs

Please take a listen and let me know what you think -

Thanks in advance

PS - maybe related, maybe not, but sometimes I find it very difficult to move the gear lever from centre to left (for example at traffic lights, moving from neutral to 1st can take more than 1 attempt)

[key_lime]

Made an incredible discovery last night. In an attempt to pin-point the source of the sound I took the center console apart...

This can’t have helped:



The noise is still there, but it’s no longer being amplified by someone’s lunch money.

Will post again if I ever manage to eliminate the problem completely

[Racer Boy]

Now you know why Porsches are called money pits!