Mike J

Given I am new to 993's (not to 911s), my "new" 96 has a gurgling sound coming from the engine compartment. From the cabin it sounds like the right hand side. Symptoms are:

1 - It goes away when the engine is warm
2 - It sounds like oil returning into something. Its not very audible from the engine compartment since the engine is fairly noisy, but its clearly audible inside the cabin.
3 - All fluid levels are okay and there does not appear to be any leaks

The car was only on the road for a 100 km or so before I garaged it for the winter (it was tough). I am now doing the "winter maintenance" thing.

Is this normal?

H20NOO

Mike,

I hear the same noises during warm up. I assume since the oil pressure is good and there are no puddles on the floor that all is normal.

MC

JasonN

Strange that you hear this in your 993 because this sound is usually a symptom of having air bubbles in the coolant. Could still be a symptom of air in another fluid maybe????

Ray Calvo

This occur when stationary, going in a straight line, or when turning the wheels? With the engine running, try turning the wheel from lock-to-lock; see if it's worse. Bad power steering fluid (or bad pump) might result in low pitched groaning/moaning noises especially as you approach full lock.

Just a guess; my old Audi was giving such noises, and a power steering fluid replacement fixed it.

red targa

I hear similar sounds just after starting the engine. It sounds like water flowing in the engine compartment. It's pretty noticeable.

Just as Mike said, it goes away after the engine has warmed up.

I can't really hear it when the car starts moving, not sure it goes away or just the engine sound drowns out the "water" sound.

Is this something to be concerned about?

Thanks Ray, I will give your suggestion a try, and see what happens.

Viken

This is the sound of oil travelling in the lines to and from the oil cooler which is in front of the car. The lines are on the passenger side of the car. Once warmed-up, you can even feel the oil's heat on the passenger's seatbelt.

Mike J

Interesting that I am not the only one (thank god, there is comfort in numbers!)

I don't think its the power steering pump...its does it with the wheels straight and the car idling.

I like Viken's response..it makes sense although what is different about the 993 vs the others that don't make this noise?

And since this is really noticiable you figure if would be mentioned in the FAQs or somewhere?

bet

This may be a stupid question, but....if the car has been sitting and is "cold" then why would the oil be traveling to the front? Doesn't the oil termostat not open until 195 degrees or so? Am I missing the obvious answer here?

Randall G.

Hi Viken,

I don't believe you'll hear flow to the cooler until the oil has warmed up to ~188F and the oil cooler thermostat has opened. Otherwise, there's no flow.

Also, once the thermostat opens, I personally have always heard the gurgling coming from the right-front corner of the car, not from the engine compartment.

Pete Lech

My 993 doesn't do this, but when I bought my former '85 turbolook some years ago, it did something similiar upon a cold start.The previous owner hardly drove the car, and I am speculating that there was something in the oil thermostat causing it to bypass some oil to the front, making the odd noise. After a couple of road trips and track events, the noise went away, and never returned.

Randall G.

I think Pete has a good theory here ... a slightly open thermostat causing a flow noise that goes away when the thermostat opens fully.

One way to tell for sure is to verify the gurgling goes away at about the time the thermostat is supposed to open--at ~188F. Better yet, verify the gurgling shifts from the rear of the car to the oil cooler.

Viken

Sure they do. I have heard the same noise in several of my older 911's.

red targa

I assume if Viken is correct, there is nothing to worry about this gurgling sound. In fact, what viken said about the warm seat belt on the passenger side was going to be my next question. So, this explains it.

However, I also notice that warm air comes out from the rear vent, is this also normal? Anyone of you with similar situation.

Thanks in advance.

Robin 993DX

Mike,

My car only makes the gurgling sound after it is fully warmed up. And the sound does come from the passenger side (right side) of the car and it is the sound of the oil flowing to the front oil cooler.

Stuart Ross UK 1996 C4

Robin / Viken, a small but prehaps not so silly question... Would that mean the noise is on the drivers side here in the UK, or did they move the pipe-work over to the otherside as well in order to fit the steering rack etc... in ?

Many thanks in advance

Stuart