1) 1995 Carrera 4 (NB)

2) ~75k

3) No Mods

4) Tapping noise from lower left valve cover; like someone inside with a little hammer trying to get out.

5) Major Service 60k completed. Recent oil change 2k ago; leaking lower valve gaskets replaced yesterday.

The car is and has been running like a jewel. But the weeping lower valve covers had gotten on my nerves. Took it to reputable shop yesterday and they replace both sides. Upon arrival back home, I notice a distinct "tap-tap-tap", or "tick-tick-tick" noise coming from the lower left side of the engine. Never heard it before and it wasn't present before the new gaskets were put in. Called the shop back, and they think it's a stuck lifter, or my valve guides are shot. Huh? WTF?? The car doesn't burn oil, (1 qt, every 2000-2500) no smoke, and no blue smoke when standing on it until redline in 3rd.

Read some other threads....could they have overtightened the covers, such that the rockers or lifters are now coming into contact with the cover? I'm not a wrench so please excuse my ignorance. I just know the car wasn't making that noise before the gaskets were replaced. Thoughts? TIA.

 

I had this problem for about 10 minutes after the car sat for a while. Loud tapping noise from the right side. Then it went away.

 

Hydraulic valves bleeding down? My boxster sometimes takes 50-100 miles to stop ticking after it sits for a while.

 

What do you mean by "sit"....my car rarely "sits" for more than 3 days, and even when it has, on occasion, sat for a week, I've never heard the noise.

 

Sometimes, if I don't drive the car for a week or 10 days, it ticks for an hour, only on one side. Wrench doesn't seem concerned so I'm not.
Since I haven't replaced the valve covers myself, I can't offer any suggestion more than my limited--and perhaps irrelevant-- experience.

 

I think the problem is that you have no mods on your car.

 

LOL! Just wait...."they's acomin' one day"

But, back to the real issue, that effin' noise was not there before those gaskets were installed. It's simple cause and effect.

 

Dan: are you absolutely sure there wasn't a 'ticking' before that you didn't notice? If I stick my head down low kneeling back there while the car's idling my ears will zero in on individual noises that I never hear when driving the car.

 

I had the same problem recently, same exact area, and it turned out to be two finger tight spark plugs. No more porblem. It would not be out of the norm for them to have removed your plugs to do the covers. All your lower (and upper) plugs on the Drivers side of the 993 are easily accessible, the lowers being the easiest of all. Just use a sparkplug socket and and a 8" or so extension to reach up in each hole and gently tighten the plugs. You may find one that is especially loose. You can do this on your back and not even have to raise the car up! I would have PM'd you but you are not set up for PMs.

 

That might be the culprit, since I think they removed the plugs.

 

Marlon...Never heard that one before. Good info. for the archives!

 

Just PM'd you!!!

 

If that doesn't fix it - could it be your hydraulic lifters are drying out?

 

You know, I thought the same thing, but then realized...no way. I'm constantly listening and feeling the car for anything "weird." It's not subtle..very pronounced and obvious. In fact, Robin and I just looked over the car a few weeks ago, and he said, engine sounds great.

 

How would the lifters "dry" out? The biggest clue for me is, this tapping noise did NOT EXIST before I had the gaskets replaced.....now it does. There has to be a connection/relationship there.

It's like going to the dentist to have a tooth fixed, and when you leave your lip hurts, and your lip wasn't hurting before you sat in that chair for a few hours.
I know that sounds simple but how tricky can this be. The car was running fine, no unknown noises before the repair. Now it has this freakin' tapping, coming from the area where the work was done.