cofred

I've had my 981 S for about 8 months now, and I can't say for sure that this noise is new or if I've just become more sensitive to it, but it is certainly annoying. I asked my mechanic to listen to it with me and he says he doesn't hear anything abnormal, but I sure don't hear it in other's videos online. Since, I've tried to block it out, but it's not working, so I thought I would ask if anyone here has any ideas and/or if their 981 makes a similar noise and I just need to get over it.

No change under load, stopped or in motion . As you can hear, it isn't apparent at idle, but is at even lower rpm. Stock (paper) air filters and I've cleaned in intakes, no leaves, etc. I can hear the noise outside the car as well if I have someone else gently rev it. At speed, it is drowned out by the higher rpm/road noise, but it is very apparent (to me) under acceleration. Leak at the intake plenum? Belt, pulleys, etc? TIA

2014 S
6 MT
Sport Chrono
PSE
PASM
PTV

Kitc2246

How many miles? I hear the whine and it sounds RPM depended. You might take the serpentine belt access panel behind the seats off so you can more easily listen to the belt, pulleys, water pump. AC and alternator. I have a 2013 Boxster S and without going out to start the car don't think I have that whine.

cofred

Thanks, glad I'm not crazy. 5200 miles (not a typo).

TMc993

I don't think the whine in your car is normal...It's too loud to be normal belt whine and the pitch sounds to me like something is dragging or binding. I find it strange that a mechanic would not want to investigate that further.

981KMAN

I have a similar whine. RPM dependent, 2015 Cayman, 87K miles. I am pretty sure it is the water pump, as it stayed after I replaced the Serpentine Belt & both Pulley Bearings.

I have had the whine since ~ 60K miles when the water pump was replaced. So no issues, it just the sound that the water pump makes. I notice it more when the windows are closed, and do not hear it with the windows open.

cofred

Thanks...I was thinking pulleys, alternator and/or water pump....I just find it really odd that any one of those would go bad after so few miles.

ICNU

The plastic water pump impellers on these cars are known to fail with low miles and start to make noise, but low miles as in 30-40K and not as low as you have! None of the bearings on any of the pulleys makes sense at that mileage either, so none of the normal stuff that would normally be recommended for anyone else makes any sense in your case?

Randy_B

That sounds weird. I wouldn't think it would be anything serious with so few miles, but time takes its toll too sometimes.

Where did you find that low mileage car? I have a 2016 Cayman S I got about the same time as you, with 7k on it. Looks like we are neighbors - what color is your car?

TMc993

This is just an old man rambling so take it for what it's worth...At 5200 miles over nine years, your car really hasn't been driven at all. Truth is that when you let a car sit, you're doing damage...Belts harden, bearings under tension settle into place, then upon use wear unevenly, seals harden then shrink and leak. Truth is, your car has barely been broken in and now, with such little use, all those moving parts that have sat for all those years are beginning to complain...If you can't do it yourself, get a good tech to go through those moving parts on the front of your engine and figure out what's going on...I'm betting a belt or maybe an alternator bearing...I hope it's the former...Let us know...

Ffre92

My cayman gts 6mt makes the same whine on occasion, been like that since I took delivery, never thought anything of it. I’ve daily driven it for the most part for 7 years, just crossed 40k miles. Usually I will notice the whine when I’m cruising along at low revs, possibly because at high revs exhaust drowns it out. I noticed it yesterday, but didn’t hear it at all today.

Ffre92

I paid more attention to the whine today, mine is different, I think it’s just transmission whine, disappears in neutral or when clutch in

cofred

Carvana of all places. Of course, I took it to my trusted Indy the very next day for a full PPI. No overrevs and completely checked out so I kept it. It is white over black.

cofred

My exhaust drowns it out as well at highway speed, but sure is annoying upon acceleration.

Just out of curiosity, any idea how high your volts are reading when you hear the whine and if it subsides at lower volts? I've also recently noticed my voltage at 14.8-15.1. This may be crazy, but I'm wondering if the battery is nearly shot (I believe it is original) and the alternator is simply working too hard and complaining?

cofred

I appreciate your rambles, and I totally agree. The PO drove it 500 miles/year nearly like clockwork which I can't even fathom. It's a weekend fun car for me, so I drive it at least every other weekend.

I'm wondering if it might be the alternator as well. Recently I've noticed my voltage output 14.8-15.1...it may be crazy, but is my battery just old and the alternator is just working too hard at low rpms and complaining?? Short of that, I agree, the engine cover is coming off this weekend....

Ffre92

I haven’t paid attention to the volts, but my battery was replaced 2 months ago, so I think not related. I only hear the whine in gear, most noticeable when letting off gas.