Rattle Rattle Rattle

[lofi]

This is one of those threads about a rattle.

Car has been rattle free until I took it on a hard driving trip round Wales last weekend.  I have to say, what an amazing car.  I have never enjoyed driving so much.  Don't think I will even go back to a 911.  Sports Plus is just bonkers amazing and the ability to use it and still switch between damper settings is makes the car so useable.

Anyhow.  After a particular bit of hard droving on a moderately bumpy road a rattle that actually sounds like golf ball knocking around started.  Not only dos it rattle but it creaks.  Particularly auditable at round town speeds and more consistent with the road surface condition that what the suspension is doing.

In the cabin it sounds focused on centre dash.  I have sat in the passenger seat with a stethoscope and it is loudest centre dash nearest to the windscreen.  I have had all the face vents out and the ducting behind is secure.  All the foot vent ducting is secure.  Sounds position is indicating this could be the windscreen defrost vent ductwork but i can't would out how to get to it.  If anyone knows I'm all ears.

The only other possibility is that it is suspension related and the hard driving has worn something but the sound is so much more 'in the cabin' than I used to experience with similar issues on my 996.

Long story short, does anyone have experience with fixing what i suspect is loose ductwork between the heater distributer and the vents, or does anyone with experience of suspension issues on the 981 feel that the cabin centric sound could well be suspension arm related?

 

Oh, here is the road trip group in Wales

[Rooose]

Would be interested in replies. I too have an intermittent rattle/squeak in the centre dash and have too taken out the vents and checked as well as adding felt in those areas. 

Mine is definitely not suspension, its definitely dash.

Does yours make any noise if you press on the dash top between the vents and window?  I am erring towards it being the dash structure, there is the physical dash then the frame underneath but there is a very small gap between the 2. I've not been able to squeeze anything in there as the vent opening is just a little too low to allow it but this might be worth investigating.

Would be very interested if you find a solution.

[lofi]

I will keep at it, this one is really loud and spoils things somewhat. I've not been able to repeat the noise manually, which is why I am believing its the joint of an air distribution duct.  Might stick a flexi camera down there, though that still won't solve the issue even if I can see it.

[iborguk]

1 hour ago, lofi said:

I will keep at it, this one is really loud and spoils things somewhat. I've not been able to repeat the noise manually, which is why I am believing its the joint of an air distribution duct.  Might stick a flexi camera down there, though that still won't solve the issue even if I can see it.

Can a phone/dashcam pick up the noise when it manifests ?

Wont necessarily help remote diagnosis but never know someone out there might go "Aha!"

[lofi]

Will be super easy to record so will do later and post up. After a drive I would describe as Botha creak and a rattle. Wife says deffo sounds like plastic

[Ringer250]

Check underneath the plastic cover where the battery is to ensure the plastic lid holding the tyre compressor is secured.

Could also relate to a piece of foam being loose around the petrol tank.

https://www.planet-9.com/threads/fuel-tank-squeaking-easy-fix-found.149089/

[lofi]

6 minutes ago, Ringer250 said:

Check underneath the plastic cover where the battery is to ensure the plastic lid holding the tyre compressor is secured.

Could also relate to a piece of foam being loose around the petrol tank.

https://www.planet-9.com/threads/fuel-tank-squeaking-easy-fix-found.149089/

Thanks, if had the compressor etc out but will check that fuel tank info, thanks 

[lofi]

Here is a link to the sound, which is a video file

 

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0rdcJH1K9uC1cR9yEps-qsMmg#Edenbridge

[Madlil]

If it sounds like a golf ball or pool ball rattle over bumps then it is possibly the lower control arms in the front Suspension. I had the same on my 981 and had them replaced by my indie and it cured it. 

[mneil]

11 minutes ago, Madlil said:

If it sounds like a golf ball or pool ball rattle over bumps then it is possibly the lower control arms in the front Suspension. I had the same on my 981 and had them replaced by my indie and it cured it. 

Mine was the rear coffin arms on my 981

[Madlil]

6 minutes ago, mneil said:

Mine was the rear coffin arms on my 981

Yeah could be either. My rattle sounded like it was coming from the front of the dashboard/top of the frunk which does sound similar to the issue that Lofi has. 

[lofi]

Have to say I’ll be happy if it’s just the coffin arms, forks, drop links, track rod ends etc. Anything to make it stop 🛑 

[daz05]

What's the mileage now @lofi , is it around 40k these seem to go?

[lofi]

53k. I’m going to have a look for broken springs today. I’ll check the rest when it’s in for service in a few weeks as it’s easier to give the suspension a good tug on a 4 post lift

[dpg123]

I've had pretty much the whole suspension replaced on my 986 now ('04, 80k miles).

Still surprises me how accepting we are of having to do this on relatively low mileage cars (mentioned in the thread people are starting this at 40-50k miles). Any other brand and we'd be up in arms (eg if you had an MX5, Z3, S2000 etc). A suspension rebuild cost can be 1/3 of the value of the car these days...

[Rooose]

16 hours ago, lofi said:

Here is a link to the sound, which is a video file

 

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0rdcJH1K9uC1cR9yEps-qsMmg#Edenbridge

Definitely louder/more pronounced than mine - we are definitely chasing different things.

Sounds something suspension related to me being so prominent.

[Madlil]

Front coffin arms on my 981 went at just 27k miles. Luckily Warrantywise covered them...

[daz05]

12 hours ago, dpg123 said:

I've had pretty much the whole suspension replaced on my 986 now ('04, 80k miles).

Still surprises me how accepting we are of having to do this on relatively low mileage cars (mentioned in the thread people are starting this at 40-50k miles). Any other brand and we'd be up in arms (eg if you had an MX5, Z3, S2000 etc). A suspension rebuild cost can be 1/3 of the value of the car these days...

These cars don't drive nor ride like other brands so we are more accepting of it. They are a little more sensitive I guess but S2000s adjustment bolts seize in position and cost a fortune to put right they are very sensitive to geometry too. 

My old m3 started to need some new bushings at around 50k.

[lofi]

9 hours ago, daz05 said:

These cars don't drive nor ride like other brands so we are more accepting of it. They are a little more sensitive I guess but S2000s adjustment bolts seize in position and cost a fortune to put right they are very sensitive to geometry too. 

My old m3 started to need some new bushings at around 50k.

They are cheaply made parts and badly designed tbh. Cost cutting at it best, shared across the whole sports car range. Pete at Center Gravity demonstrated to me how the forks get movement in them just from getting hot due to the metals used. Brilliant cars but some parts are the same as the late 90s and are not configured for optimum life span. 

[daz05]

6 hours ago, lofi said:

They are cheaply made parts and badly designed tbh. Cost cutting at it best, shared across the whole sports car range. Pete at Center Gravity demonstrated to me how the forks get movement in them just from getting hot due to the metals used. Brilliant cars but some parts are the same as the late 90s and are not configured for optimum life span. 

Yes definitely see that in places Porsche is very reliant on their parts bin.  I've seen 996 part numbers on these.  But no one else matches the overall experience for the price so we suck it up.

 

[lofi]

2 minutes ago, daz05 said:

Yes definitely see that in places Porsche is very reliant on their parts bin.  I've seen 996 part numbers on these.  But no one else matches the overall experience for the price so we suck it up.

 

Spot on

[Araf]

On 9/28/2020 at 9:08 AM, dpg123 said:

Still surprises me how accepting we are of having to do this on relatively low mileage cars (mentioned in the thread people are starting this at 40-50k miles). Any other brand and we'd be up in arms (eg if you had an MX5, Z3, S2000 etc). A suspension rebuild cost can be 1/3 of the value of the car these days...

Mine managed 90k and were replaced under extended warranty (987).  They could have also been replaced before I got the car, I don't know but suspect not.

It's not just mileage, it's age too.  The cars you mention may manage 100k before needing a refresh but they will be 10 years old then - as will a 50k mile Boxster, more often than not.

The cost compared to current car value is a pointer towards the cars being under-valued, not necessarily a criticism of the parts prices.

[½cwt]

Just about to start a suspension refresh on my 2000 986 at 98k miles.  Oteri than a front drop link everything is original from what I can tell.  Rubber deteriorates more with age than regular movement (excessive movement is another thing).  Perhaps they are failing earlier on newer cars as they have more power and wider tyres so are putting more load in a 20+ year old design?

I don't want to spend £1000 on suspension on a car that cost only £5k and I can understand why others wouldn't but at the end it will drive like at cost that should cost at least twice that!  At the end of the day it might just be the compromise in Porsche ownership what ever the price point.

[the baron]

15 minutes ago, ½cwt said:

Just about to start a suspension refresh on my 2000 986 at 98k miles.  Oteri than a front drop link everything is original from what I can tell.  Rubber deteriorates more with age than regular movement (excessive movement is another thing).  Perhaps they are failing earlier on newer cars as they have more power and wider tyres so are putting more load in a 20+ year old design?

I don't want to spend £1000 on suspension on a car that cost only £5k and I can understand why others wouldn't but at the end it will drive like at cost that should cost at least twice that!  At the end of the day it might just be the compromise in Porsche ownership what ever the price point.

I tend to agree I did a complete suspension refresh on my my car when I bought it back which included shocks etc, I had exactly the sound you have reordered and definitely sounds like a couple of snooker balls bashing together, well worth the money as @1/2cwt has mentioned, night and day driving experience, I do also think that either the newer cars are built to a price and not as well made as the older cars or the newer cars are using an older design and the extra power and girth is wearing out the bits quicker, could be a combination of both

[lofi]

I forwarded the clip to Center Gravity, who I use to do all my suspension work, and they concur with a view that it is a ball joint, either on the tuning forks or the lower arms.  I'll do the forks myself and cross my fingers, else up to CG for them to do the lower arms and geo.