Rotational Clicking, Only When in Gear.

[ryanjboutin]

Got a new (to me) 1999 Boxster 5 spd recently. 166k miles.
Had a PPI done on it, returned with needing new LCA's and basic oil change (oil condition was good, no metal).

However, I noticed a rotational clicking coming from the left rear.
It sounds like a rock stuck in a tire, but that's just how it sounds.

The noise is only present when the vehicle is in gear.
Push clutch pedal in, no noise.
Let clutch pedal out while in first gear, noise is present.
Let clutch pedal out while in neutral, no noise.
Noise pitch varies with vehicle speed.
Braking introduces no additional noises.

Will be approximately a month before I can look at it at home.
Hoping to shed some light on the subject before taking it to a mechanic.
Found threads on other noises, but nothing this specific.



Thanks for the insight.

[steved0x]

Outer CV Joint on the driver side half axle? A quick check is to get under there and look at the CV Joint boots to see if one has a tear, although it seems like that would have caught in the PPI.

Does turning the car one way or the other increase or reduce the noise? If so possible wheel bearing issue.

[ryanjboutin]

Originally Posted by steved0x

Outer CV Joint on the driver side half axle? A quick check is to get under there and look at the CV Joint boots to see if one has a tear, although it seems like that would have caught in the PPI.

Does turning the car one way or the other increase or reduce the noise? If so possible wheel bearing issue.

I'll have to try and pop my face under there this weekend and look for torn boots, thanks.

Makes no difference, straight or turning.
I had originally thought a bearing might be going.

But when I get the vehicle up to any speed, in my test around 50 mph, and let it coast in neutral, no noise at all.

Literally only when in gear, accel or decl, noise is there.

[Smallblock454]

Hello,

could you do a video, or describe more detailed what clicking means / how it sounds?

Is that sounds related to one revolution of the rear wheel? Does the frequency differ if you change to another gear?

Thanks & regards
Markus

[ryanjboutin]

Originally Posted by Smallblock454

Hello,

could you do a video, or describe more detailed what clicking means / how it sounds?

Is that sounds related to one revolution of the rear wheel? Does the frequency differ if you change to another gear?

Thanks & regards
Markus

No video availability currently.

Clicking noise, as if you had a rock stuck in the tire tread.
Frequency only changes with speed.

1st gear accelerating, noise.
Clutch depress for shift, no noise.
Accelerating in 2nd gear, noise returns.

It's odd to me, but I am new to Porsche.
Car handles, brakes, shifts, and accelerates well.

[ryanjboutin]

Also, I doubt a video would pick up the noise as the car only has headers and cats, no mufflers.

[ryanjboutin]

Stuck my head under there after driving home, no torn boots or anything incredibly obvious.

No leaks, no dash warnings, nothing.

Checked the lugs, torqued to spec.

Guess I'll keep hunting around.

[BirdDog]

If it were me, before you do anything else, I would check that the inner axle bolts aren't loose or missing.

Seen in this image on the left. They attach the axle to the transmission.



If they are present and tight, then I don't know.

Maybe the outer CV joint? I don't know what those would cost new, but if it turns out to be that I bet you could get a good used one from Woody (ItsNotaNova) at a decent price.

Might try jacking up the rear wheels, and with the front wheels chocked, put it into gear and see if it will make the noise with the wheels spinning but not under load. Whatever you do don't get under the car!

[jakeru]

How about doing noise test in any gear with the throttle pedal lightly feathered such that there is no axle torque in either the accel or decel direction? (You know you have reached this condition when pressing in the clutch pedal makes absolutely no jerk on the car motion.)

Checking the inner cv boots is a good call as they are known to go bad after this many years and miles, and torn boots can allow grease to escape and dirt to get in, which could cause a vehicle speed related clicking that might also be axle torque sensitive.

[ryanjboutin]

Originally Posted by jakeru

How about doing noise test in any gear with the throttle pedal lightly feathered such that there is no axle torque in either the accel or decel direction? (You know you have reached this condition when pressing in the clutch pedal makes absolutely no jerk on the car motion.)

Checking the inner cv boots is a good call as they are known to go bad after this many years and miles, and torn boots can allow grease to escape and dirt to get in, which could cause a vehicle speed related clicking that might also be axle torque sensitive.

Funny you mentioned that.

I did that same this this morning and the noise is not present.

Do you have a diagnosis for my condition? lol

[ryanjboutin]

Originally Posted by BirdDog

If it were me, before you do anything else, I would check that the inner axle bolts aren't loose or missing.

Seen in this image on the left. They attach the axle to the transmission.



If they are present and tight, then I don't know.

Maybe the outer CV joint? I don't know what those would cost new, but if it turns out to be that I bet you could get a good used one from Woody (ItsNotaNova) at a decent price.

Might try jacking up the rear wheels, and with the front wheels chocked, put it into gear and see if it will make the noise with the wheels spinning but not under load. Whatever you do don't get under the car!

Ok.
I'll see if I can get under there this weekend.

Supposed to monsoon here at some point.
Weather is yuck in Vegas right now.

[ryanjboutin]

Now I'm thinking that maybe it's not rotational.

Has a ball joint or sway bar end link ever gotten so worn and fubar'd that it clicks?

On one of my old lowered trucks, I had a sway bar end link under so much stress that it would click, but only when turning at slow speeds.

[jakeru]

If the clicking varies with vehicle speed, I'd first look into dry (torn boot allows grease loss) or worn cv joints, since they are common wear items (especially the rubber boots) at this age, and could certainly cause the symptom described. If not cv joints, I'd look at the final drive of the transmission, such as the ring and pinion, because I wouldn't know what else it could possibly be.*

* That is, assuming the clicking is proportional to vehicle speed. Suspension noise would be sensitive to road roughness or bumps and not necessarily vehicle speed. If you aren't sure what you're hearing, you could try recording it and posting it here, perhaps.

I've had multi-piece wheels making a clicking noise proportional to vehicle speed, but it wasn't torque sensitive. Plus, I don't believe you have multi-piece wheels. But for good measure, you might as well check your lug nuts for proper torque, if you haven't already. Good luck. Check out those cv boots closely!

Also, even if the boot isn't torn, it may still be possible that the previous owner could have done a sloppy/incomplete repair on a torn boot that allowed grease to escape, dirt to enter, and cv joint to wear. Simply replacing the boot in this case wouldn't have properly repaired the problem. You might be able to get a hint if the boot is origiginsl or not if you look at details like if it has original looking clamps. At your boxster's mileage, I actually would be surprised if it were on its original cv boots and they weren't torn.

My 2001 boxster base with 115k miles has inner cv boots that are just starting to crack, by the way. They aren't completely torn all the way around yet, but are in need of service soon. Outer cv joint boots are OK. Hope that helps; good luck!

[Smallblock454]

Hello,

besides the axle this could also be something hitting something under load conditions. For example a minimal too long wheel bolt.

Just put the car on a lift and inspect everything.

Regards, Markus

[ryanjboutin]

Thank you guys for the areas to look at.

Much appreciated.

[ryanjboutin]

Finally able to get some time & space.

Pulled the wheel off, and a damn weight fell out of somewhere...



Guess I'll go get it balanced before I pull the axles.

Got ahead of myself and ordered a pair of gently used axles from that good eBay store.
Car has 166k, maybe I should just go ahead and replace them while it's in the air?

via GIPHY

[itsnotanova]

I still think it's your axles. I've seen what a broken axle can do and it's not pretty. 166k, they're no spring chicken

[Anker]

I had a broken universal joint many years ago. Sounds exactly like your description. Needs to be taken care of right away.

Anker

[ryanjboutin]

I'll probably still end up replacing the axles since the car is in the air.

[AZ986S]

Clutch depressed = no noise... not driveshafts/axles then, more like flywheel or clutch...