Tappet/ticking sound? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Y2BOX · 03-10-2009, 09:24 AM

Hi Guys, Recently my 2001 3.2s has started making a faint tappet, or clicking sound, this rises and falls with the revs? Any suggestions before I go to the OPC?

Wiggie18 · 03-11-2009, 12:04 PM

I have run into that and in the middle of a dealer mess. I heard a ticking sound on my 2002 Boxster S and went to the dealer to check it out. They gave me an oil change and a new clutch and told me to now drive it hard and it would go away. Well, it didn't go away and it is very loud and echos off other cars when I am stopped. I went back to the dealer and they said now that it was the lifters that needed to be replaced. So, I had the lifters replaced, picked up the car, still the ticking sound but louder. I go back to the dealer and now they said that a "spring" associated with the oil had broken and created a chain of events that now the piston has issues and that I need a new motor. Has anyone heard of this????

chitowndad · 03-11-2009, 05:34 PM

get a new opinion! My ticks when it's time to change the oil and I have only 12,000 miles. I find it hard to believe that it's a faulty engine. Are you using 0W-40 or something thicker like 5W30?

There is also a recent post about a leaky exhaust manifold causing a tick noise.

When I had a 300ZX and it made the same sound it was because the part that puts pressure on the timing belt needed to be replaced (timing belt was loose). I don't think this is the same with the Porsche just thinking your issue could be something else...

-Steve

Y2BOX · 03-12-2009, 10:18 AM

Thanks for the replies, sounds like a potential nightmare!!!

The car has only done 23,000 miles, and only 2000 since an oil change at Porsche, I have read on some sites that the problems has not gone away despite paying out loads of £££'s, but the car isd still ok........what a dilema!

chitowndad · 03-12-2009, 02:38 PM

Seriously, get another opinion! I remember the name of the part that was the issue on my 300ZX, it was a timing belt tensioner.

Question for the group, is the timing belt on the Boxster chain or rubber? I think it's chain, right???

-Steve

pushrodracer · 03-12-2009, 06:03 PM

I have a customer with a ticking noise in a '99 2.5 auto with 42k miles. The noise would come and go when first starting and warming up , it sounded as if it was coming from middle of engine. We ran the car with all engine covers removed till it started to tick and we found it to come from the powersteering pump. We removed the serpentine belt and all noise was gone. Hope your problem will be as simple as this one! Mike

Jake Raby · 03-12-2009, 06:21 PM

Sounds like you may have some dirty lifters... Porsche's extended oil service intervals breed these types of gripes because the lifters collect crud and then become seized and they start to tick..

I just repaired an engine with this issue two weeks ago, 12 of the lifters were seized!

if yours aren't bad yet some Marvel Mystery oil in the engine oil could free them up... Its a longshot but can solve the problem.

It also might be a very small exhaust leak.

Wiggie18,
Your dealership is on crack... People need to realize that the dealers know little to nothing about the internals of these engines- they don't build them and don't repair anything more than a timing chain, if that!

I have a Porsche Factory trained tech on my staff who had never gone into one of these engines internally until his first day on the job under my roof.
I hear all sorts of wild assed stories and diagnosis from dealerships, the majority of which are totally off base.

jdiba · 04-17-2009, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

Sounds like you may have some dirty lifters... Porsche's extended oil service intervals breed these types of gripes because the lifters collect crud and then become seized and they start to tick..

I just repaired an engine with this issue two weeks ago, 12 of the lifters were seized!

if yours aren't bad yet some Marvel Mystery oil in the engine oil could free them up... Its a longshot but can solve the problem.

It also might be a very small exhaust leak.

Wiggie18,
Your dealership is on crack... People need to realize that the dealers know little to nothing about the internals of these engines- they don't build them and don't repair anything more than a timing chain, if that!

I have a Porsche Factory trained tech on my staff who had never gone into one of these engines internally until his first day on the job under my roof.
I hear all sorts of wild assed stories and diagnosis from dealerships, the majority of which are totally off base.

Jake, this is my first post. I bought an 01 Boxster S in Feb. it was/is a certified
porsche vehicle. My Boxster started seeping oil from the center toward the
back end of the car. I had done alot of research on Boxsters before I bought one
and learned alot about the RMS and IMS issues. Porsche got it up in the air
and told me its probably one or the other, but no way of telling without
getting in there. We had a long discussion about how alot of people live with
the issue. I have a 2 year extended warranty on mine, so I scheduled to get the
work done. Did I do the right thing ? They felt it might be the IMS cuz the oil
drip was coming STRAIGHT down. Not running down the middle of the car. They
gave me alot of info about how the vehicle needs to be driven to keep the rings
from drying up, causing the leak. I just wonder if there is potential of making
the situation worse by them going in and "fixing" it. Like I said, 2 year extended
warranty, may as well take advantage of it right ? The leak spot is bout size of
a half dollar, maybe a tad bigger, if it matters.

Just bothered me how you commented as to how suprisingly little these Tech's
"might" know...any help would be appreciated...

Peace.

chitowndad · 04-17-2009, 03:38 PM

So how much of the Marvel Mystery Oil do you use and how long should you leave it in for noisy lifters?

-Steve

WillH · 03-22-2020, 10:00 AM

I’m resurrecting thread because of a noisy lifter after waking up the box from a long sleep. I put a bottle of marvel mystery oil into the crankcase and let it idle for twenty minutes and shut it down. Restarted the box today,(two weeks later), and low and behold the noisy lifter is silent and the entire engine seems to be running quieter than last year. Will change the oil and should be ready for April.

BYprodriver · 03-22-2020, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillH

I’m resurrecting thread because of a noisy lifter after waking up the box from a long sleep. I put a bottle of marvel mystery oil into the crankcase and let it idle for twenty minutes and shut it down. Restarted the box today,(two weeks later), and low and behold the noisy lifter is silent and the entire engine seems to be running quieter than last year. Will change the oil and should be ready for April.

Good for you & thanks for searching before starting a new thread !

There is a engine oil made just for our engines, "DT40" made by engineers that know these engine's best.

Boxster_luver · 03-17-2009, 06:05 PM

Every time I start my car up there is always a fast clicking sound, I always thought it had something to do with the radio. Anyways, J2da just did a tune up on my 98 Boxster and he also replaced the serpentine belt. Clicking still happens. It only happens when I start the car. I forgot to ask him about it.

Jake Raby · 03-17-2009, 06:42 PM

Most Boxster engines do this.. Its partially attributed to wear on the chain guides/rails as well as a lack of oil in the valve train..

litteng · 03-17-2009, 08:40 PM

i parked our boxster without ticking, but its been so cold i hasn't been out since late november, i started it just this last weekend, (its getting warm here but the snow is still not gone) and it was ticking too... the oil was changed by the previous owner, (by the dealer) so i'm not sure what they used but will check tomorrow....

i think is just the lifters draining down, so as soon as i can get it out for a short spin would expect it to be gone

Jake: Marvel mystery oil? isn't that like snake oil?, on any other engine we'd just add a little auto trans fluid...?

JayDeeWay · 03-17-2009, 10:06 PM

Sorry to ask a stupid question, but I've never had a chain driven car before. Does the chain create a ticking sound?

litteng · 03-18-2009, 06:37 AM

no such thing as a stupid question, you should be commended for being brave enough to ask the question.

Porsche or in this case the boxster is not a chain drive car, (in fact i can't think of any car right now that has chain drive from the engine to the drive wheels). It think you mean chain drive between the crank and camshafts.

Yes Porsche boxer engines use chains between the crank and the cams, have been that way since the cam(s) moved out to the heads.

Belts may be quiter, but thats not the porsche way...

Jake Raby · 03-18-2009, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Jake: Marvel mystery oil? isn't that like snake oil?, on any other engine we'd just add a little auto trans fluid...?

I have saved dozens of engines with it.. ranging from Caterpillar Diesels to VWs to Briggs and Strattons and Evinrude outboards!!

It works miracles and I have been using it since I was a kid...

litteng · 03-31-2009, 05:50 PM

i finally got it out for its first run, the snow is melting and the street was bare enough to get traction.

as it warmed up the ticking went away, so a long wait by the fireplace just results in drain down of the lifters...

boxster_s_boy_34 · 04-02-2009, 02:39 PM

I had a similar ticking that would drive me absoulutely bat $#!T crazy, but after I put on my full NHP exhaust it stopped (definately an exhaust leak in my case). It was coming from the passenger side of the car and would echo off of anything on that side!