Just looking for some more opinions regarding how audible valve train/tappets are on 3.2 Carrera's.

My '84 Carrera has some audible tappet noise that seems to be more noticeble lately. It's defintely not loud and the fan noise is still louder than the tick tick tick ticking that the valves are making.

The PO (who I trust) adjusted the valves himself about 8500 miles ago, so they are not due for an adjustment just yet. There are 95,000 miles on the car and it runs and starts perfectly.

Should these things be relatively silent at cruising speeds or should there be some tick tick tick?

Thanks for any help,

Jay

 

Jay: The general rule is that if you can hear 'em, get them adjusted - soon! Subtle valve train noise can develop as valve guides wear, but you don't mention high oil consumption, so...

 

You may just need a louder muffler.

But seriously, I think the only way to be sure is to check the valve lash.

 

Hi Pete,

Thanks for the quick response.

The car uses very little oil between 3000 mile oil changes. So, oil consumption seems to be within spec.

She does puff a decent amount on a cold start after sitting for a few days...but...many 911's do while sitting. There is zero smoke after it's been running a short time (seconds...).

The car is going in to my trusted mechanic on Monday, but I wanted a few extra opinions before running it 1.5 hours to the shop...

Jay

 

The Dansk pre muff and sport muff installed on the car do their job makin' noise...!

 

Jay H, is your temperature in spec? I have noticed that as temp increased, the valves get louder.

If the previous owner did the valves, and he is not experienced, then he probably didn't get them tight. I don't believe that 15,000 miles between adjustment is always right. Peter is right, go by the sound sometimes.

I would have your mechanic perform an adjustment. I had mine adjusted by a mechanic who didn't do a great job and then had to have them done again by someone else.

 

Adjustment = cheap insurance against major top-end problems. Get 'em done.

I don't know about your PO, and I'm sure he's a good guy ... but ...

When I bought my 944 years ago, the PO, who owns a Porsche garage in O.C., said the water pump was "newly replaced" with a rebuilt one. Six months and two autocrosses later, the water pump froze up and I was stranded at 12:00AM on the I-5 ... with a date! Not fun. Not good to end a date in the cab of a tow-truck. Didn't get a second date ... :-(


Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance.

 

how much are you guys paying for valve adjustments? I was just quoted $450-500 locally with new gaskets and hardware...

 

Hi Murph,

My temp is perfect. Got that all fixed last year and she's rock solid and very consistent with the temp.

My very trusted mechanic with 30+ years of 911 experience gets the '84 on Monday. I'm sure he'll redo the valve adjustment.

Pete has given me some exceptional advice once again. We're blessed to have him on this board!

Smokin: I'll know on Tuesday what valve adjustments are running on '84 Carreras in my area. I'll post my bill.

Jay

 

I have seen them run $300-$450 in the Chicago area, but sometimes you get what you pay for...

 

I paid $500 in KC before I drove my newly purchased 89 911 back to Los Angeles. It had 45k on it and I did not want to wait. Of couse, there was too much chatter on the right bank so I had them redone with my next oil change in LA. The charge in LA at a good shop was $300.

 

A lot of people set em too loose and they make noise. I know I sure did the first couple times I adjusted 911 valves. It takes a few times to get a good feel for how they should be, since you can't see, and often the blade of the gauge is curved, so it feels like you have good clearance w/a bit of drag, but in fact it is too much but you feel drag since the concave parts of the blade are dragging.

It is a bummer for DIY owners since you usually do not get to adjust valves often enough to get a good feel for it, unless you've been working on your car for years and years and drive it a lot. Maybe if you have friends w/ 911s, help each other out and try and get a feel for as many as you can.

 

I've arrived at the decision to let the P-wrenches handle the valve adjustments for me... I WANT to do it (and have), but know there is a " feel for it,...the P-wrenches do it all the time and I'll never arrive at their sensitivity level (well,.....maybe?) I'll not take the chance of overly tightening one (MY GOD?) Religiously done every 15k miles.....whether I hear 'em or not....my checkbook's ready for the pros.....


Best,

 

dshepp: Believe it or not, you can't get a 911 valve too tight! If you have the correct adjuster shim stock, and you follow the suggested procedure of setting a rocker so there is drag on the guage when you pull it out, and you can then re-insert the guage, it can't be too tight. If it is tight, you won't be able to put the adjuster back in. Choose your mechanic wisely and you'll be OK, but don't worry about trying it yourself either. One thing that you can do to test yourself is to remove only the left upper cover. Adjust intakes #1, 2 & 3, and see how you feel about the process.

 

Thanks for the reply, Pete. I've done the adjustments before,..( even, back in the early '70's on VW's...)

Based on all of the Pelicanite's information, I paid special attention to this reinsertion portion of verification of settings. Yet (still) I could tell that there was much still to "FEEL"....the battle of reinsertion,..failing due to wrist/angle propositions,..no fault of the setting (maybe?)...LEARNING THAT FEEEEEL of proper drag,...looking closely at the elephant arm actions (something moving?),...all that.

I know I maybe picking "fly sh*T out the pepper", as I've not yet verified my settings with the cam side measurements as prescribed by many others within this group (makes sense>) but I do appreciate your endorsement to CONTINUE to engage the "process", learning that feel. Like you said, Pete,: mechanic, carefully chosen makes for a "comfortable GO_TO", if I'm still uncomfortable with something...like I said::::these guys do it day-in/day-out (I know the the difference)...BUT:

I'll take your advice and continue to hone the "feel"...this great descriptive proposition for someone who normally doesn't wrench ( at any deep levels) on his P-car but IS quite industrious as of late, taking on MANY projects for the betterment of the car. The valve adustments have been a sensitve spot for me, personally. Yeah,..I do them (only twice-however) but still NOT comfortable with KNOWING (without question) that it's right. Yes,..I'm convinced there dead on,.....I guess I just question myself and am concerned that my adjustments need official P-wrench affirmation of my work (eh?)...Hell,..I don't know........Like you say: keep at it,..don't be afraid,..all that. I agree. Let's just say while I'm "in training", I'll continue to lay ? the 15K check within the hands of the pros,.,.......guess I need to play more between the interval. Safely? Like you say: can you put the shim back in? Yeah? Nay? Simply....

As always: Thanks Pete, for your reply. They're always helpful in many ways, especially for us <1 year owners who are trying to guage all of the subsytems and staying on top of each "element". These valve adjustments are quite essential (apparently) for our engines,...and best done to spec...as you say: find the right P-wrench and you're set....that is, until YOU (me) get the process down then I can cease to pay the $$$$$$ to the laps of the Gods. For now: I'm a nervous student, yet quite studious..checkbook ready..


Best,




Thanks Pete!

Best,