Richter12x2

Hopefully you start tearing it down and find out that the rubber intake studs are broken or something.

Murray

I hope so too. I don't really want to think about what other really costly things could be causing it. But won't know until we open her up. On the positive side, I did want to refinish my cam covers anyway. :-)

Jadz928

Murray,
Sean helped me with the same questions a while back. LINK

Murray

Those pictures helped. So do the new pins replace the black rubber pucks entirely or do they fit into the pucks? Sorry if that seems like a dumb question.

Murray

MainePorsche

Murray, they simply replace the 'pucks'.
PN#928.105.262.00

Murray

Once you get the cam cover off, what tool is needed to get the piece that holds in the pucks?

fraggle

Triple square bit, I believe. Don't skimp and give each one a whack before loosening.

Rob Edwards

MainePorsche

The cam bridge cover should be Loctite'd. A piece of hard wood, a hammer, and a third hand so it won't fly. I found 2 of my 'pucks' lying in a corner recess (yes, I had a lot of tappet ticking), and the third one was lifted out by hand.

Murray

Well I have the passenger cam cover off and the 2 pucks that are visible look ok, not lying in the corner anyway. I will replace them while I have it open, but if they are still in place is it likely that they were not the cause of the noise? I'll the driver's side off tomorrow and see what that looks like.

it really does seem oil pressure related. It only happens when the engine is at operating temps and goes away if you blip the throttle.

Jon B.

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Murray

I could have used those nice small hands. Damn things are tight in that engine compartment.

blown 87

Get the bolts that hold the cam bearing caps clean, use brake clean and use a good quality bit, it also needs to be clean and oil free.
I use a impact, the kind you hit with a hammer to get them out.

Murray

Well I got the passenger side bearing cap off. Some of the bolts were hard to reach but they came free without too much hassle and nothing got stripped along the way. All 3 pucks were in place and reasonably tight. The rubber is isn't very pliable anymore but they don't look deformed or cracked. I have emailed an order to Roger for cam cover seals and pins. I'll take the driver's side apart tomorrow.

If these are not the issue, are there other suggestions for what might be causing this metallic rattling noise?

Rob Edwards

If the plugs are still in place but have lost their pliability, I wonder whether under pressure the plugs get displaced enough that there's oil leakage past them, causing the low oil pressure condition?

Another total WAG, but while you have the cam covers off I'd make sure that your timing chain tensioner pads are not too badly grooved (or cracked, or partially broken off.) Maybe the rattle is chain slap at low rpm? (Dunno whether this happens, or would make a noise if it did....)

Also given the "sudden-onset" symptoms you list, and the comment in post #5 about slightly lower pressure, could this be an issue with the passenger side head pressure relief valve seat coming loose? I don't know enough about the expected pressures in the head to know whether you'd see a detectable drop in oil pressure at the gauge, at idle.

Just (WA)guessing aloud.