Porsche-noob-91

I'm trying to identify the issue with this M44/52 engine. It's in a car that isn't being actively driven. Sat atleast 2 years but gets started now and then.
Oil level was OK (fresh oil too), but engine is leaking from various places (as is the power steering reservoir and the transmission). Engine was warm when I started it, so it had run for a while.
It seemingly has a ticking noise:
Does anyone know what this could be? And how catastrophic it is?

Would help me a lot! :-)

931guru

Sounds normal to me...

The ticking could be the sound of the injectors, they all fire at the same time, so it sounds louder that it really is.

Porsche-noob-91

It sounds like a fine tickety-tickety-tickety sound, pretty fast. But I had to concentrate pretty hard to hear it. It's not overwhelming, but once you focus on it, you can clearly hear it. It's also immediately present at engine start up and doesn't seem to go away.

black944 turbo

I agree with 931 guru, it sounds 100% normal to me. Typical injector ticking.

944M3

Coming from an owner of two 944s, that is not normal. Meaning, you can find root cause and resolve it, if you don’t want to live with it. Personally it would drive me nuts hearing that.

I would buy an auto stethoscope and try to determine the general area the noise is coming from. Easy enough and only about $10.

Could be injectors, you can try sending them to get cleaned and flow matched, about $140 with shipping. Could also be noisy fuel rail. It’s been a while but I remember securing the fuel lines behind the fender, that helped. Try changing to recommend oil weight if you are not using 20-50, eliminating noisy lifters.

unfortunately, like most things on these cars, it takes detective work. I think Lindsey posted things to check with noisy fuel system.

Nochrome

Sounds exactly like every 944 I have heard. Including mine

Porsche-noob-91

Thanks for the insights! Even though it may have been nothing, I still decided to pass on the car as it had 2 accidents (one in the front, and one in the back).

black944 turbo

944m3, I would love to hear your cars that don’t have the injector tick. My injectors are freshly rebuilt and still sound exactly like that.

944M3

haha I can try to do that this weekend.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that it’s silent but it ain’t that loud. But you make a good point. Let’s follow the scientific model and put up a video for comparison.

944M3

Well, I think I stand corrected. When I hear the car with my naked ear it sounds quieter. But it does sound loud on the video. Probably the microphone picking up more of the clicking noise.

Anyways, I’ve attached a video of my car for comparison and you can judge for yourself.