2qwik4u

I hear small ticking when idling, is this an indication?
How long can I drive like this with out doing damage, I have no time(or money) to do it for another month or so.

I was driving my car today doing bout 50mph in 3rd gear when it started "bucking", it felt like a fuel related problem any idea what this might be?
Any relation to the above?

BTW, I am not mechanically inclined.

88 coupe 72k miles.

thanks, leo

Houpty GT

Valve adjustment recommended by Porsche every 15,000 miles. If you don't know when it was done then it needs to be done.

Don't narrow your problem to fuel yet. How much on throttle were you? Cruising?

2qwik4u

yes I was cruising.

TT Oversteer

A little ticking noise from the valve covers could indicate an out of adjustment valve. I think it would have to get pretty loud to indicate any sort of problem. A very loud ticking could possibly indicate an aduster nut that has backed off and loosened up your valve clearance. That could be easily determined just by removing the valve covers. Normal wear won't cause large changes in valve clearances over a short time. You should be more concerned by no noise from the rockers which could indicate valves that are too tight. This could cause you to burn a valve which would be bad = expensive.

2qwik4u

so...should there be any ticking sound at all?

rusnak

You can try something that might be fun, cheap, and easy to do. Get a long screwdriver, or prybar (a solid metal rod) and place it against the heads at different cylinders. Press the other end against your closed ear. You can hear the tappets working. If one is really loud, that one is probably out of adjustment. There should be a small tapping sound. Of course, this might be harder to do on the exhaust valves. You can also listen to air being sucked into the intake, and the fuel injection, etc. I use a stethescope with a light metal rod to decide when to do valve adjustments.

old man neri

The mechanic's stethescope