997 Turbo engine noise

[JayP1]

Had the car a while now but there is just this annoying light rattle noise coming from the engine bay which you can hear at low revs (1.5k-3k) I've read other sites where it says this is normal for the gen1 turbo engine and some are noisier than others.

I'd love to know if anyone else has this noise and if it's normal

[IMIA]

If it sounds like a bucket of bolts rattling around its fine lol. One of its eccentrics being a distant cousin of a race engine. They do sound awful at idle.

[JayP1]

Thanks for the reply. Its not so much idle but more just as you apply light revs - like a cross between a whirring and rattling noise, possibly timing chain rattle. Does yours do that?

I'd love to listen to another car to compare to put my mind at ease.

IMIA said:

If it sounds like a bucket of bolts rattling around its fine lol. One of its eccentrics being a distant cousin of a race engine. They do sound awful at idle.

[IMIA]

JayP1 said:

Thanks for the reply. Its not so much idle but more just as you apply light revs - like a cross between a whirring and rattling noise, possibly timing chain rattle. Does yours do that?

I'd love to listen to another car to compare to put my mind at ease.

IMIA said:

If it sounds like a bucket of bolts rattling around its fine lol. One of its eccentrics being a distant cousin of a race engine. They do sound awful at idle.

hmm never noticed anything like that. Have you not got a good OPC or Indy nr you to have a quick listen?

[Crimp]

As IMIA has said quite normal same with the 996 GT and turbo cars.
The 996 Turbo timing chain rattles at low revs usually when the engine is warm.
My old GT3 when you first fired it up sounded like a Massy Ferguson

[IMIA]

Crimp said:

As IMIA has said quite normal same with the 996 GT and turbo cars.
The 996 Turbo timing chain rattles at low revs usually when the engine is warm.
My old GT3 when you first fired it up sounded like a Massy Ferguson

Off topic do you know what ever happened to your old GT2 Crimp? Asked the old owner but he didn't seem to want to tell us.

[James44]

Likewise, quiet when cold, bag of spanners when warm up to 2k or so revs.

Went through the same concern after bought mine just over a year ago. Enough sources said 'normal' so I assume 'normal'.

J

[IMIA]

Interesting my turbo does not do that at partial throttle. Nor did my first engine which let go. Current engine has done 9000 miles. Sounds uninspiring and a bag of bolts at idle but there is no rattle or whirring on partial or wide open throttle from idle. They're highly reliable normally so very much doubt there is anything wrong tbh.

[Carl_Docklands]

JayP1 said:

Had the car a while now but there is just this annoying light rattle noise coming from the engine bay which you can hear at low revs (1.5k-3k) I've read other sites where it says this is normal for the gen1 turbo engine and some are noisier than others.

I'd love to know if anyone else has this noise and if it's normal

Get it checked out if you are worried about it, the engine block is solid but the other components are not.

[Crimp]

IMIA said:

Crimp said:

As IMIA has said quite normal same with the 996 GT and turbo cars.
The 996 Turbo timing chain rattles at low revs usually when the engine is warm.
My old GT3 when you first fired it up sounded like a Massy Ferguson

Off topic do you know what ever happened to your old GT2 Crimp? Asked the old owner but he didn't seem to want to tell us.

No idea mate, i've asked the same question.
Wish I still had it just for its history more than anything.
The guy that bought it from 911V didn't like it, but they are an acquired taste to drive

[IMIA]

Crimp said:

IMIA said:

Crimp said:

As IMIA has said quite normal same with the 996 GT and turbo cars.
The 996 Turbo timing chain rattles at low revs usually when the engine is warm.
My old GT3 when you first fired it up sounded like a Massy Ferguson

Off topic do you know what ever happened to your old GT2 Crimp? Asked the old owner but he didn't seem to want to tell us.

No idea mate, i've asked the same question.
Wish I still had it just for its history more than anything.
The guy that bought it from 911V didn't like it, but they are an acquired taste to drive

Yes he had it a month or two then moved it on - wouldn't say who to or why he didn't like it. Strange...

[Slackster]

My OPC said it was completely normal and just IMS chatter at low revs.

Its does sound like a bag of spanners though which is quite annoying.

[Adam B]

IMIA said:

If it sounds like a bucket of bolts rattling around its fine lol. One of its eccentrics being a distant cousin of a race engine. They do sound awful at idle.

+1
It's not a pleasant noise but it's characterful and I rather like its gruffness and reminders of its roots

[James44]

Jay

I see you are in Berskshire, I'm in Fleet, North Hampshire, so possibly not too far away depending on where in Berskshire you are. Happy to meet up to compare tunes if you like.

J

[Rockster]

JayP1 said:

Had the car a while now but there is just this annoying light rattle noise coming from the engine bay which you can hear at low revs (1.5k-3k) I've read other sites where it says this is normal for the gen1 turbo engine and some are noisier than others.

I'd love to know if anyone else has this noise and if it's normal

While the 997 Turbo with the Mezger engine (and the 996 Turbo with same) can be a bit noisy at cold start once underway at least with my experience with my 03 Turbo and its engine the engine is pretty quiet.

Once up to temperature the engine's not real bad though noisier than my 2002 Boxster's engine. What the Turbo does the Boxster does not do is the gear box (or clutch of a combination) rattles when the transmission is in neutral and the clutch pedal is not depressed and everything is up to temperature. A dip of the clutch pedal makes the noise go away but a bit of throttle has the noise back when the engine returns to idle speed.

While I don't think in your car's case this noise you report hearing is something serious, I'd advise you to have it checked out. It never hurts to be safe.

Couple of things: It could be heat shields -- there are about a zillion in my car and I would believe the 997 is similar. Could be an exhaust system rattle/buzz even a loose brick in the converter. My 2002 Boxster manifested this for some time until I finally got tired of the noise and had the tech remove the old converters and bolt on some I bought at a salvage yard. (But not before I gave them both a good shake to ensure neither one rattled.)

Might be a water pump, although the water pump in my Turbo was quiet it just developed a leak. It might have gotten noisy had I not suspected a problem and had the car checked out and the tech spotted the leaking water pump.

Be sure you have the right oil in the engine: 0w-40, 5w-40, or even 5w-50 (not a typo for 15w-50!). And be sure it is reasonably fresh. Nothing quiets down either of my engines more than a change of oil, even though the oil only has 5K miles. Even when like the last time when I had my Turbo's oil changed and had the 5w-50 replaced with 0w-40. Even after replacing the 5w-50 with 0w-40 the Turbo's engine was remarkably quieter both at cold start and when fully warmed up.

[JayP1]

Thanks for the responses.

James44 PM sent.

Rockster, good comments. I do sometimes think it could be a heatshield, it has that kind of sound.

[JayP1]

After meeting with James44 to compare it seems we have exactly the same noise. Small rattle when engine is under load at 1.5k-2.5k. My mind is now at ease that this is 'normal' for these cars.

[MM971]

My 2008 997.1tt I have owned for about 2 yrs and have experienced this sound virtually exactly as described by several of you. I have consulted with my local porsche dealer attempting to discover exactly what the sound was/is with all the same likely culprits blamed. When shielding was ruled out the service tech and manager had another 997.1tt on the lift and compared the two. Both made the same whirring chain sound but mine was slightly louder. It was recommended that I replace the chain tensioners with no guarantee it would solve anything.

What do all you think? When should chain tensioners be replaced?

I am not experiencing any identifiable problems in performance or check engine lights just a funny noise as described by the OP as corroborated by several of you with my symptoms matching all the details described.

[IMI A]

Take it to someone like 911 Virgin, JZM, 9e for a second opinion before doing anything.

[ImbackYo]

I was about to post up chain slack. Either stretched or tensioners. Could be nothing but for the sake of a couple of a grand I'd get it checked. Whilst there do some preventative maintenance. How many miles?