Evan

2000 Boxster S with 69K - R&R the AOS about 500 miles ago and did 2 oil changes with filter each time (1 to dump anything when the AOS let go).

Yesterday on cold start up I heard a ticking sound around the driver’s side vent area. Sounded like a valve tick. It increased with RPM. I let the car warm up completely for about 30min. Once fully warm the ticking was about 99% gone. Shut the car down and let sit overnight. This morning started it up and no ticking at all. No smoke was ever present other than a puff on first start up yesterday (although I had started it and shut it done the day before to move it so this puff was most likely due to that start and shut down).

I read all the threads on EGR valve and cracked spark plugs, etc. I thought it was the EGR valve but now that the tick is gone, I am wondering what it was and why it now seems to be gone. Car runs great and pulls strong. Never threw a CEL.

Could this still point to an EGR? I would figure the tick would still be present if it was.

Thoughts?

TIA

Macster

What oil do you use, have you been using? How long do you run it? How low do you let the oil level get, if it gets low at all?

Has the car sat a while without running?

I'm going with a zero lash valve adjuster bled down to a partially collapsed state and due to various factors required some time with the engine running to get the air fully purged.

Another possibility is an injector was noisy.

There are other possibilities of course.

Absent any other symptoms, a check engine light, or a return of the noise the valve zero lash thing is my best guess.

Keep an eye on vital fluids just to be safe. If you're really paranoid after driving the car a while you can remove the oil filter housing and dump the oil and filter element out into a clean drain pan and see if you can spot any debris in the oil.

What you find, if you find anything at all (and I don't believe you will find anything), will tell you something about the noise.

Added: Of course you'll have to reinstall the filter and the housing and top up the oil level.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Evan

Thanks for the reply Dr. Macster

The car is a daily driver and driven year round. Never sits more than a day. I was the 2nd owner at 20K miles.

Always have used Mobil 1 0w-40w. Never runs low. Usually is between the arrows in the dash or to the higher mark. Dip stick is always 1/2 to the top end of the pin.

The only oil that was not Mobil 1 was when I did the AOS. I put in Castrol synth blend 10 -40 (with hew filter) and ran the car about 20 minutes to get warm, then changed both oil and filter. I let it drain out for a while as well (few hours). Then back to Mobil 1 and new filter. I didn't think 20 min would be a big deal to flush out the system before renewing with Mobil 1.

Of course this was the first thing that ran in my mind when I heard the tick but hopping it wasn't the 20min with Castrol.

Macster

Was the ticking present before the AOS R&R?

If not then the possible cause could be related to something that occurred during the AOS. Just saying something like a loose coil pack, a loose plug, some bracket not tightened down properly, any thing.

Might be something done on purpose or could be something that was done by accident. And in this latter case done probably without the realization it was done.

You might consider exposing the engine and kind of giving the AOS and installation and hooks and well just everything in sight/reach a double check.

As you do this you should remember what you touched the steps you followed.

Run through those steps mentally and as you come to each one reach out and look at, touch, check the associated hardware, hoses, etc. Be sure everything properly tightened down. Be sure everything routed properly. Those hose and wiring clamps are important to keep things from flapping about.

Granted the above a bit of a long shot but when something new pops up the last thing touched is always suspect.

Can't believe the noise arose from the short time with Castrol Syntec 10w-40 oil in the engine. In fact some believe this oil better than Mobil 1 0w-40 oil or even Mobil 1 10w-40 oil.

I switched switched my 02 Boxster from Mobil 1 10-40 high mileage oil to Castrol Syntec 5w-50 (that's 5w not 15w) oil this last oil change and this is the same oil I've used in my 03 Turbo now for several oil changes.

Boxster at dealer where it got the oil/filter service done. I haven't picked up the car yet cause it is awaiting a new passenger door latch/switch/handle assembly. The original one wore out.

The new assembly is in (had to be ordered took a day or so to get here) -- I have pics of the new one -- I'm just waiting for the new assembly to be installed and the phone call the car's ready!

Sincerely,

Macster.

Evan

The Castrol was the "Synth blend" rather than full synth.

I did go over in my head the AOS R&R. I should go back in and check everything just in case.

The tick came form the Drivers side and AOS was far enough away I kind of ruled it out, but ya never know.

So far for the past two days no tick cold or warm.

Thx again.

Macster

Wouldn't hurt to sanity check your work and while you're there take your time and look around and ponder.

That the noise has gone away and stayed away.... it could be due to the oil used. It is a hard to suggest that synthetic blend (whatever that is) is that far removed from a full synthetic oil (or whatever passes for synthetic these days) and the first oil accounted for the noise and the second oil used now accounts for its absence.

But it is possible.

Check your work. Last thing touched is often the clue.

If you find nothing amiss and the noise doesn't return and no other symptoms appear, mark it down: Do not use synthetic blend oil in your Boxster!

Sincerely,

Macster.

Evan

The only reason I considered the “blend” was the fact I was to drain it out in 20min. I did ponder this for a while but thought it be ok to use it as a flush. I would never run that as the juice of choice.

I am going to check over everything this weekend. I am starting to think that may be when the AOS let go some deposits may still have been floating around after the oil flush. If that was the case maybe a small deposit got caught in one of the oil passages and then got wedged near the valve guides, etc. Once warm it may have dislodged itself.

Did you or anyone ever use Sea Foam to clear out any carbon deposits before an oil change? Wondering if that may clean it further.

Thanks again.

BostonDuce

I've used seafoam both in the tank and directly through a vacuum line.

No evidence (to me) that the tank method does anything to cylinder carbon, valve deposits, or even injector cleaning. My car did run marginally better but that may be the placebo effect taking. I did notice a slight increase in idle RPM with the stuff in the tank.

Direct injection or inhalation if you will produces a mother cloud of white exhaust smoke and a distinct foul smell. My neighbors thought there was a new Pope.
You have to artificially increase engine RPM or it will stall. AND you have to change the oil soon after, since it pollutes the crankcase content. Can't say (again) if it really did anything-you'd need a visual inspection with a borescope or a tear down, but it sure looked like it did.

IMO and no offense intended, but you a worrying too much about a short time romp with a syn-blend oil. There is NO oil sold in the last 30 years that would do ANY damage to an engine under your conditions-even reclaimed stuff.

Until you can pinpoint a mechanical issue, don't start throwing money at it either.

BD

BD

Macster

If an oil "flush" is required and it very seldom is, in fact never in most cases, you're better off using the same oil you run or will run in the car for the flushing fluid. But I don't think the other oil the cause of the noise.

My 02 Boxster has had two AOSs fail now and the engine never ticked before or after. I'm not sure what deposits you believe could account for the noise.

From what I've seen of several Boxster or Carrera engines torn down the interior of the engine is quite clean.

Now I will add that the zero-lash valve mechanism can be sensitive to particles in the oil. There's a pressure check valve (tiny metal ball backed by a spring) that if a tiny particle just happened to lodge (difficult to imagine but not impossible) between the ball and its seat this could allow some oil to leak out as the cam lobe starts to press down on the lifter and the valve lifter could make some noise.

Another possibility: If an enigne sits unused a long time under some climatic conditions (high humidity) the combustion chambers can shed deposits. These flake off and upon starting the engine there can be a bit of a racket and even after start up if a piece of deposit -- just a small flattened out piece barely a thick as a thin piece of paper -- can develop between the valve seat and valve and this can account for a slight ticking noise.

I've never used Seafoam. Once in a great while I use Techron -- as per directions -- to clean out the fuel system and whatever else the stuff can reach and clean out.

It has been 2 years since the last time I used Techron additive in the gas tank.
I generally use Techron before my car is due to be smog checked. It is due now -- by the 8th of May -- but this time I just didn't get around to it.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Evan

I knew the oil didn't cause any ticking noises. I just listed that so eveyone had all the information as to what procedure and products where used.

BD - Me, a Porsche owner, worrying about noises and oils...impossible

Thanks for the replies.