964 RS questions

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Discussion

clarkey

Original Poster:

1,365 posts

285 months

Saturday 18th October 2003
quotequote all
I've done about 500 miles in the new RS now, and I've got a couple of questions....

1. How much diff noise is normal? And what type of noise should it have??? Very hard to answer i know. mine makes a different noise to others I have been in - it is much worse when cold, and is a fairly loud knocking noise, and only happens in low gears with some steering lock on. Any ideas?

2. I need some pads and disks. What are your recommendations? Use will be fast road stuff and track days.

3. Servicing - I assume GT One are the recommended people in Berks/Surrey/ SW London?

Otherwise, I love it....

Clubsport

7,260 posts

259 months

Saturday 18th October 2003
quotequote all
Ref the diff ,you do hear a bit more noise from the running gear due to the reduced sound proofing.
It is close to impossible to diagnose over the net,but any knocks do not sound good..The lsd should chatter or give a little jiggle through the running gear,particularly on slow manouvering or 2nd gear corners.Knocks do not sound encouraging and I would get this checked out before driving the car at track speeds.
As far as track day pads / discs,,,I think the standard RS ones Porsche fit are good enough personally.You can get them at reasonably discounted components at some of the specialists.There are a multitude of track pad options out there,I would get used to the car on track before working through the rainbow of pagids range.
have fun with the RS.

rich 36

13,739 posts

267 months

Saturday 18th October 2003
quotequote all
diff noise is usually associated with both cold weather/and an oil change is it more of a progressive whine

clarkey

Original Poster:

1,365 posts

285 months

Sunday 19th October 2003
quotequote all
After a decent run to Brands Hatch today, the 'clonk' certainly only happens from cold. After leaving the car for most of the day, it didn't make any noise when we left to come home.

peter_964rs

287 posts

274 months

Sunday 19th October 2003
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Diff noise is absolutely normal, especially when reversing. Mine was fairly noisy until I changed the gearbox oil for Mobil oil. Then it disappeared; I also noticed the gearshift stiffened up a touch from cold until the car became fully warm. C'est la vie.

ninemeister

1,146 posts

259 months

Sunday 19th October 2003
quotequote all
First of all can I advise everyone not to change the gearbox oil to synthetic, the standard HD75/90 or 80/90 is just fine and has the best high pressure lubrication properties for the ring and pinion, premature wear will result if you use anything thinner.

The factory Porsche pads are ample for most on tthe track, but can wear quickly. The informed choice of the Pagid range are the Yellow ceramic pad offering tolerable range and disc life expectancy. I use the higher friction Blacks in my RSR and have no issues, but they are extremely aggressive on discs. The old favourite of the Orange carbon based pad is a good one, again though they are aggressive. Porterfields are another good choice, but if you are heavy on the brakes they will not last as long as others. Be warned, all comp pads squeel like a litter of pigs around town, there is nothing that you can do about it!

Do not forget to use top quality brake fluid, I use Castrol RS and have had no problems with regular changes. Bleed the calipers slightly after every event if you can or at least every other track day and you will be fine.

I also believe Cheshire is not far from Berks.......

randeria

77 posts

285 months

Sunday 19th October 2003
quotequote all
>>1. How much diff noise is normal?
I'd agree with the post above that it is impossible to diagnose over the net, but if you are not used to an RS: at slow speeds and high gears, the diff sounds like a coffee grinder which has had a few nuts and bolts thrown in! That is normal! The noise disappears at higher speeds (or is it the growl of the flat 6 which dominates things)...

>>2. I need some pads and disks. What are your recommendations? Use will be fast road stuff and track days.
I use my 993RS on the track most of the time (just back from 1600 miles last week at the ring and Spa, of which I did 700 miles on track). Go for standard Porsche pads and discs. They are good enough, esp if you are not racing. If you go for harder pads, you will go through discs much quicker, they will squeal and you sort of lose the point of an RS - it is a road car that is fantastic on track, not a racing car converted for the road.

3. Servicing - I assume GT One are the recommended people in Berks/Surrey/ SW London?
That's who I use. Peter and Craig are very good. they're not the cheapest, but they are trustworthy and really nice guys.

tony.t

927 posts

257 months

Monday 20th October 2003
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" 2. I need some pads and disks. What are your recommendations? Use will be fast road stuff and track days. "

OEM Porsche pads lasted 8000 miles with c2500 on track with no real problems.
Porterfields lasted 1800 miles with c400 on track
Currently using pagid yellow which are the best I have used on track but is too early to say re: longevity.


>> Edited by tony.t on Monday 20th October 00:48

Melv

4,708 posts

266 months

Monday 20th October 2003
quotequote all
clarkey said:


Hi Steve

1. How much diff noise is normal? And what type of noise should it have??? Very hard to answer i know. mine makes a different noise to others I have been in - it is much worse when cold, and is a fairly loud knocking noise, and only happens in low gears with some steering lock on. Any ideas?

CHECK THE OIL. MINE ONLY CLONKS WHEN REVERSING AND TURNING.

2. I need some pads and disks. What are your recommendations? Use will be fast road stuff and track days.

PORSCHE OEM IS FINE, ALTHOUGH AFTER TWO YEARS 5000KM OF TRACK DAYS THE CRACKS FROM THE OUTER HOLES HAVE NOW REACHED THE EDGE AND GONE OVER......I RUN PORSCHE DISCS WITH PAGID ORANGE ('NOT FOR ROAD USE') THAT SQUEAL WHEN COLD. FANTASTIC STOPPERS THOUGH!

3. Servicing - I assume GT One are the recommended people in Berks/Surrey/ SW London?

ABSOLUTELY -TELL 'EM MEL SENT YA!!

Otherwise, I love it....


Good!!

Rgds
Melv

rubystone

11,254 posts

260 months

Monday 20th October 2003
quotequote all
Clarkey - glad you've posted this on here rather than on Blatchat as Ju Thompson does...the coffee grinder analogy is the closest you'll get. After I had my engine rebuilt (fluffed 3rd to 4th change - i.e. I dropped it into 2nd at the red line ouch!) the diff was substantially quieter. I didn't have the diff oil changed and put this effect down to the fact I'd had a new clutch at the same time. I'd change the diff oil if I were you.

Oh and the discs? A certain Mr Belton told me what the trade price was for them and advised me to use this as leverage on the OPC who were servicing the car and offering me them at double the trade price! - did the trick - they gave them to me at cost rather than lose the servicing.

Melv

4,708 posts

266 months

Monday 20th October 2003
quotequote all
Steve

This reply from Craig at GT One:

"The noise from differentials will vary according to how much use/abuse they have had and interior sound proofing (different on yours) condition.
Obviously a more worn unit can be substantially noisier than that of a new unit. However the main areas concerning wear are the phosphorous bronze bushes which are designed to minimise end float thus reducing the clonking type noise??and the clutches within the unit (the latter being less likely)
All this is repaired relatively easily and the noise can be put to rest.
Bearing in mind that a worn unit will not perform as good as it should."

Rgds
Melv

clarkey

Original Poster:

1,365 posts

285 months

Monday 20th October 2003
quotequote all
Thanks for your advice everyone.

I guess it is probably fairly typical noise then. My plan is to get all the jobs done on the car in the spring ready for a summer of track days - my main concern was that the diff couldn't wait until then. From what you've all said, I think I'll change the oil now and get it looked at properly when it gets a service and new disks.

paulc

242 posts

285 months

Monday 20th October 2003
quotequote all
A little late, but a change of gearbox oil cured the diff noise completly on my RS.

I remember at one point when reversing the car when cold at full lock, I thought the gearbox was about to fall out due to the noises coming from it.