After getting my A/C repaired and working endlessly to stop my squeaky brakes along with a lot cleaning and stuff, I figured I was all set to go. Last night I was just doing some finishing touches on repairing a cracked front splash guard. I jacked the car down and went for a short drive to settle the suspension. When I pulled back into the garage the engine started making an ungodly racket. Sounds like a lifter or broken valve spring based on the frequency of the tapping. But it's loud for a lifter issue.

what a PITA!!!

Anyway, no way for me to work on the car between now and tomorrow, so I took it to my favourite Porsche mechanic's shop this morning and waited for him to show up. After a little begging, he said he would look at it right away.

I had to go to work, so now it's just a waiting game till he calls with an update.

Hope he can perform a miracle, or it's going to be Hyundais in the Mountains for me this year. Guess I'll have to park out of sight.

 

Don't feel bad, I was all booked for SITM, and crapped a clutch this weekend.

Guess what I get to do, this weekend?

 

I hope it works out Murray. Fingers crossed.

 

Any updates?

He should have had a chance to look at it by now.

 

He has pulled the cam covers and visually inspected things. He does not see any broken valve springs and the lifters and cams all appear to be ok. He is going to investigate more and call me with updates. He said he was going to do a compression test next. I'll keep posting updates as I get them.

 

That sucks. But try to look at the bright side; you could have been on your way down to SITM, on some small back road without cell service, in the rain...
Still sorry to hear it:/

 

Hey Thom, I totally agree. Better to happen at home than be stuck on the side of the road with a couple of kids. Thanks for the kind thoughts.

I'm still optimistic. Miracles do happen sometimes.

 

Maybe a lifter collapsed if no busted valve springs were found. I'm hoping for the best man..

 

You are in deep trouble if he has "cam covers off". The very worst mechanic would be able to isolate the problem to one side of the engine and only pull that one cover.

 

I wondered why the sound wasn't tracked to one side or the other or to the bottom end.

 

No he had it isolated to the passenger side before he took anything off. Verdict is it needs a new chain tensioner. Can't get parts today, so no way to bring Shark to SITM.

 

Are you sure it's the actual tensioner and not just pads only? Pads usually wear before the chain tensioner does. Also what's the mileage on the car? Some of us are documenting it when chain tensioner and pad issues arise.

 

On my way to see it.
200,000km

 

Well the tensioner is basically not providing any resistance when I push on it.
How hard should it be to compress it with the engine off?

Anybody got a spare?

 

Should be pretty hard to push down (passenger side) and it should go down very slowly maybe 30 - 40 seconds before fully compressed.