Turbo

[Hogster]

997.2 Turbo

Question:- my last gen 2 turbo had a relatively inoffensive chirp sound when turning over the engine. My new S does too but it is often accompanied by a clattering sound, like a tractor noise on turnover - like with VW golfs where here isn't enough oil pressure and the tensioner belt slaps against the housing. Sounds horrible.

I've heard of something similar in GT3's but am I right to demand they fix this or over reacting? Just annoys me to spend so much money to hear such a crap sound on start up. Can they fix this and if not, am I likely to get the same problem with another turbo or just ask for a refund? Bought from OPC 2 weeks ago........

[Geneve]

Never noticed it on either a GT3 or a Turbo. Best to talk to your OPC.

[Hogster]

Here is a video of the sound. Had to add random footage to put on youtube, so ignore that!

http://youtu.be/MFEPz0mjO9I

[hornbaek]

The GT3 is an entirely different engine and clatters when in idle at start up which is due to the light flywheel. Once the clutch is pressed and gear is engaged it disappears. The turbo is non-comparable as it does not share the same components. My tt (non S) had no such sound. Have it checked.

[Rockster]

Hogster said:

Here is a video of the sound. Had to add random footage to put on youtube, so ignore that!

http://youtu.be/MFEPz0mjO9I

Sounds like a Turbo engine to me. That is I hear nothing scary in that clip.

First though, if you are concerned have the engine listened to by a qualified Porsche tech. Be sure you duplicate the conditions under which you recorded that audio clip.

How fresh is the oil? As the engine is run the oil collects unburned fuel and water and these work to make the oil more fluid so the engine becomes noisier over time, at least at cold start. I can hear a marked decrease in initial clatter after my Turbo's oil is changed and I change it every 5K miles so it is not like it real old oil.

What oil is in the engine? It should be an approved oil and in your area 0w-40 is ok. (Heck I run 0w-40 in both my cars and have to deal with the occasional 100F+ ambient daytime temperature and so far neither engine has shown any signs of the oil being inadequate in any way at any time.)

How long the engine sits unused plays a role, too. Sitting 12 hours or so between uses is not that bad, but if either car sits a few days the noise upon start up is a bit more than usual but not scary more than usual.

Remember the Turbo engine has VarioCam Plus and this has the valve lift changed shortly after startup. The low lift feature is engaged and this causes some clatter as the switchover occurs. Additionally the engine is fed an overly rich mixture to supply raw fuel to the converters for them to "burn" in order to heat them up quicker. This richer mixture coupled with the low valve lift causes the engine to sound a bit ragged.

But the initial clatter should be short lived, as it is in your clip. The engine as it idles and gains heat should idle slower and smoother. When the rpms drop to near the hot idle speed both my Turbo and my Boxster engines get a lot smoother running.

I might add the Turbo engine is bit more rawer sounding at startup and cold idle than my Boxster. The Boxster though doesn't have VarioCam Plus, only VarioCam and this I think accounts for some of that engine noise difference.

Absent any noise at any other time or a CEL or any other engine symptoms like I opened with the engine sounds ok to me.

But have it checked by a qualified tech to ease your concerns.

[Carl_Docklands]

Hogster said:

997.2 Turbo

Question:- my last gen 2 turbo had a relatively inoffensive chirp sound when turning over the engine. My new S does too but it is often accompanied by a clattering sound, like a tractor noise on turnover - like with VW golfs where here isn't enough oil pressure and the tensioner belt slaps against the housing. Sounds horrible.

I've heard of something similar in GT3's but am I right to demand they fix this or over reacting? Just annoys me to spend so much money to hear such a crap sound on start up. Can they fix this and if not, am I likely to get the same problem with another turbo or just ask for a refund? Bought from OPC 2 weeks ago........

I have a Gen2 Turbo and mine does exactly that noise on start-up. It became more pronounced when I switched to Shell VPower Nitro. I would not worry about it, most flat 6 engines sound like a bag of bolts on start-up.

[Hogster]

Carl_Docklands said:

I have a Gen2 Turbo and mine does exactly that noise on start-up. It became more pronounced when I switched to Shell VPower Nitro. I would not worry about it, most flat 6 engines sound like a bag of bolts on start-up.

Thanks, Carl

Oddly, I have been using the same petrol recently.

None of my previous Porsches have sounded like this - seems unacceptable to me, whether damaging or not?!

[Carl_Docklands]

If you worried about it, just get the OPC to check it over. It might cost you an hour or two labour but for peace of mind....

I think the new Nitro+ fuel has a much bigger impact on Turbo charged cars with large horsepower. My car is pulling like a freight train at the moment so I will leave it and see what the engineer says as its due a 4 year major service in December.

[Hogster]

OPC has come across it once before and Porsche tech told them it is a characteristic of the engine!!

I now know exactly when it happens; I drive for about 30 mins to 1 hour, leave it for an hour, say for lunch, get in and hey presto, tractor noise. It doesn't make the noise on cold start up.

Here is one of the sound recordings from the weekend, again, ignore the video:-

http://youtu.be/bCtclDbdKp8

[Carl_Docklands]

Yep, that is definatley the same sound as mine.

Sounds like something is loose in the engine bay.

Glad to know it is by design

[Hogster]

They are now replacing the actuator to see if that sorts it.....

[DT398]

Sounds completely normal to me. Why are you replacing the actuator? What difference will that make?

Edited by DT398 on Friday 13th September 16:47

[Hogster]

DT398 said:

Sounds completely normal to me. Why are you replacing the actuator? What difference will that make?

Edited by DT398 on Friday 13th September 16:47

Interesting that you think that sounds completely normal. I've owned a number of Porsches and they have never made that noise. I've also qualified it with other people who own cars and can hear it in person, and the response has always been a grimace and a "bad luck" look.

What car do you own that makes that noise?!!!!

[DT398]

A 2010 997 Turbo S cab and a 2011 Turbo S coupe and they both sounded just like that when I started them. I always thought it was normal.

[anonymous-user]

Normal.

[Hogster]

That's a crap kind of "normal" besides, I thought normal meant common to most things which doesn't explain why my previous turbo dfi didn't make that noise, and neither have other friends who have them.......it might be normal to you, but it's a god awful noise which just shouldn't happen in such an expensive car. This only becomes normal if people accept it

[DT398]

Everyone has a different definition of what's "acceptable" and what's not. Hope you get it fixed somehow. It never bothered me and both cars were faultless in every other respect (assuming you regard this as a "fault").

[anonymous-user]

Hogster said:

That's a crap kind of "normal" besides, I thought normal meant common to most things which doesn't explain why my previous turbo dfi didn't make that noise, and neither have other friends who have them.......it might be normal to you, but it's a god awful noise which just shouldn't happen in such an expensive car. This only becomes normal if people accept it

OK. Good luck with your quest - and I hope changing the actuator makes your car sound more expensive (it won't).

[Hogster]

drmark said:

OK. Good luck with your quest - and I hope changing the actuator makes your car sound more expensive (it won't).

This was their suggestion, not mine. No matter what you say, a £90k car sounding like a tractor on start up is not normal or acceptable. It only becomes normal when people accept it and this is a lot of money for me, so I choose not to. If I knew it would sound like a tractor before I bought it and someone told me it was normal, I would not buy it.

[Chromed]

Made me chuckle , thanks guys. Tractors nowadays can be very expensive though .