Went to the dealer acouple days ago in regaurds to startup noise
 

They said that in the mornings or when most the oil has found its way back to the oil pan (about 2hrs after driving it), It is totally normal for the engine to rattle or klack for about 1.5 seconds until the oil pump has forced oil through the entire engine....Is this true, cause when my box hasnt been driven for atleast 3 hours, I can here some rattling like a shakey exhaust heat sheild for about 1.5 seconds then its gone.....but if the car is warm or im about to start her back up after siting for 15 minutes, no noise...its just starts quietly. Is that normal?

I didnt have a chance to demonstrate the noise for the dealer so i dont know...

Sounds like the lifers to me. I have noticed this when the car sits for some time.

Tomorrow when I start the car, I will listen more carefully.

When was your last oil change?

last oil change was paid for by the dealer before i took possesion of the car, done with mobile oil by a mobile oil service shop/gas station. So Bruce, Does it not sound normal to you?

Hi,

It could well be what you first described, a Heat Shield. Porsche uses a Fastener which is essentially a self-tapping sheet metal screw and the Heat Shield is a light gauge metal, not a very effective design, except perhaps cost effective for Porsche I assume.

Over time, the Heat Shield metal experiences some fatigue and the hole gets a little out-of-round causing the screw to lose some grip and allowing a rattle.

Once the Heat Shield heats up, it expands slightly and it's resonance frequency changes slightly, but usually enough for the rattling to stop. My Driver side bank has such a rattle and I'll probably replace the screw with a small SS machine screw and nut to fix it for good. Start you car cold and get on the ground by the Heat Shields and see if this isn't your issue as well. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

I was thinking that it was the heat sheild BUT, Say i start the car in the AM for the first time in 8 hours....Ill hear the rattle at start up for 1.5 seconds then it goes away, So i turn the car off after 5 seconds and turn it back on and i have no rattle at start up...I dont think the exhaust or heat sheild would expand that quickly with 5 seconds of idle.

Hey Bruce, did you listen to your car this morning?

CJ,

This noise you have for 1.5 seconds is common on a number of european cars ( Mercedes, porsche, VW....)

It is the bucket style tappets ( lifters). My '99 boxster 27,000 miles and well maintained does this noise exactly as yours does. 1.5 seconds and only if sitting all night or more than a few hours after a full drive in the morning, like going out to lunch from work. But, no noise from restaurant after sitting for less than 30 minutes. This noise drives me crazy, sounds like it is killing the engine!

Nothing you can do about it.

Sounds like lifters, or chain rails to me... This is common with M96 engines with 60K miles+ on them.

err.....
 

Considering this thread started in 06', I would think the problem is resolved by now :D

Same issue
 

Hi,

I have the same issue on 2002 S. It lasts only a few seconds on initial start-up for the day. I am not too freaked out as I have had other germans with a similar sound. It also resolves with some driving and does not reoccur unless it has been sitting for several hours.

However, I do agree, the sound sucks! If someone does find a good way to fix it, please pass it on.

James