Expensive Squeak
Discussion
4 weeks ago I got my 987 Cayman serviced at a local garage who specialises in 'Fine Automotive Engineering for Porsches, Audis, Mercedes etc', the guy seemed to know what he was doing and spent a long time talking to me about the cars he services, the quality of the oil he uses etc etc.
When I picked it up, there was a 'squeaking' noise from the engine, he told me this was the 'Drive Belt' and that he would get hold of one and get it replaced. Unfortunately he then went quiet and my texts/emails were either unanswered or the replies were that the parts he needed were still out of stock.
I then called a bigger Porsche Specialist fairly near to me and told them about the squeaky drive belt. I dropped it in to them to look at and things have gone from bad to worse, apparently after 2 weeks of inspection they now say the squeak is from the engine itself, a tappet ? and the engine will need removing. I've been quoted £1400 + VAT just to get the engine out and in so extra parts/labour will be on top of that.
I'm just waiting for the quote in writing and then my plan is to go back to the first guy and get his reaction, I'm guessing I don't really have a leg to stand on though with regards getting any money from him towards this even though everything points to something he's done or not done during the service ?
Is £1400+VAT about right to take a 987 engine out and then put it back again or can anyone else recommend somewhere cheaper that could do this in the Hampshire / West Sussex areas ?
When I picked it up, there was a 'squeaking' noise from the engine, he told me this was the 'Drive Belt' and that he would get hold of one and get it replaced. Unfortunately he then went quiet and my texts/emails were either unanswered or the replies were that the parts he needed were still out of stock.
I then called a bigger Porsche Specialist fairly near to me and told them about the squeaky drive belt. I dropped it in to them to look at and things have gone from bad to worse, apparently after 2 weeks of inspection they now say the squeak is from the engine itself, a tappet ? and the engine will need removing. I've been quoted £1400 + VAT just to get the engine out and in so extra parts/labour will be on top of that.
I'm just waiting for the quote in writing and then my plan is to go back to the first guy and get his reaction, I'm guessing I don't really have a leg to stand on though with regards getting any money from him towards this even though everything points to something he's done or not done during the service ?
Is £1400+VAT about right to take a 987 engine out and then put it back again or can anyone else recommend somewhere cheaper that could do this in the Hampshire / West Sussex areas ?
Its definitely more a squeak than a tick but the current place have run the engine without the belt on and apparently the noise is still there - which rules out the belt.
And yes, this only happened after the service, car was fine before it.
And yes, this only happened after the service, car was fine before it.
Edited by Bluedot on Thursday 15th February 14:21
Bluedot said:
Its definitely more a squeak than a tick but the current place have run the engine without the belt on and apparently there is no noise if they do that - which rules out the belt.
And yes, this only happened after the service, car was fine before it.
if you run it without the belt and no noise then that points to the belt as when they put the old belt on it squeaks ? And yes, this only happened after the service, car was fine before it.
Porsche911R said:
Bluedot said:
Its definitely more a squeak than a tick but the current place have run the engine without the belt on and apparently there is no noise if they do that - which rules out the belt.
And yes, this only happened after the service, car was fine before it.
if you run it without the belt and no noise then that points to the belt as when they put the old belt on it squeaks ? And yes, this only happened after the service, car was fine before it.
Bluedot said:
Its definitely more a squeak than a tick but the current place have run the engine without the belt on and apparently there is no noise if they do that - which rules out the belt.
And yes, this only happened after the service, car was fine before it.
Surely that confirms it is the belt or one of the services run off it. On those cars, the serpentine belt is accessible behind from a removable panel behind the drivers seat. It's a 24mm socket to release the tensioner pulley & remove the belt. From there you can spin all the relevant pulleys, water pump, alternator, pas pump & tensioner pulleys. Pound to a penny it either needs a new belt or almost equally likely, the water pump, which is a big weakness on 987's is on the way out. Either way, I'd start there as the lowest cost & likeliest remedy.And yes, this only happened after the service, car was fine before it.
Bluedot said:
Its definitely more a squeak than a tick but the current place have run the engine without the belt on and apparently there is no noise if they do that - which rules out the belt.
And yes, this only happened after the service, car was fine before it.
Surely this statement points to it being the belt?And yes, this only happened after the service, car was fine before it.
I've had poor experiences at more than one Porsche specialist, including a £100 bill for failing to diagnose a suspension clonk as a loose battery & paying for top mounts to be fitted only to discover they weren't & so wouldn't necessarily take their word as law.
Your problem as described sounds for all the world like a belt or pulley issue & if it were my car, I'd take it to any local garage I trusted & have them change the belt & check the pulleys of everything it runs. If you still have the squeak after that, I'd go from there. And why does it take a Specialist two weeks to diagnose? That seems hugely excessive to me.
Your problem as described sounds for all the world like a belt or pulley issue & if it were my car, I'd take it to any local garage I trusted & have them change the belt & check the pulleys of everything it runs. If you still have the squeak after that, I'd go from there. And why does it take a Specialist two weeks to diagnose? That seems hugely excessive to me.
Of course taking it to one Porsche "specialist" and then another, bigger, Porsche "specialist" may result in neither being specialist enough?
I guess you have considered taking it to your OPC, and the cost involved, but if they pin-point the issue first time it may be cheaper than "guessing" and then taking the car apart bit by bit, replacing every component until they hit on the right one?
We had this with my wife's Audi. Local well respected garage diagnosed the wrong fault and we ended up paying for the wrong part and then the right part to be replaced. Stopped using them after that.
Talking of belts, another local Mini specialist diagnosed sudden lumpiness of my son's engine to a major fault they couldn't repair and advised not to drive it. We had it towed to Mini where they found a drive belt with a chunk missing. £20 fix, £100 tow charge!
If it's an unexplained noise, your OPC may be the best, and cheapest, solution in the long run.
I guess you have considered taking it to your OPC, and the cost involved, but if they pin-point the issue first time it may be cheaper than "guessing" and then taking the car apart bit by bit, replacing every component until they hit on the right one?
We had this with my wife's Audi. Local well respected garage diagnosed the wrong fault and we ended up paying for the wrong part and then the right part to be replaced. Stopped using them after that.
Talking of belts, another local Mini specialist diagnosed sudden lumpiness of my son's engine to a major fault they couldn't repair and advised not to drive it. We had it towed to Mini where they found a drive belt with a chunk missing. £20 fix, £100 tow charge!
If it's an unexplained noise, your OPC may be the best, and cheapest, solution in the long run.
You still have faith in the first one then?
I noticed another "creaking noise" thread the other day. Nowhere near your location, and not from the engine, but it just sprung to mind: http://www.caymanoc.com/forums/topic/1148-problems...
I noticed another "creaking noise" thread the other day. Nowhere near your location, and not from the engine, but it just sprung to mind: http://www.caymanoc.com/forums/topic/1148-problems...
DarkMatter said:
Bluedot said:
Current state of play is that I pick it up from the second 'Specialist' (£348 for 'work' done so far trying to diagnose it...) Saturday morning and I'm taking to back to the first 'Specialist'.
Watch this space.
Still watching........... what was the outcome?Watch this space.
Guy said it was the rollers and didn't want any money, really can't fault him for service like that.
By rights I should go running back to the second garage asking what the hell they were playing at but I just want to put it behind me now and fingers crossed it's all fixed and ok from now on.
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