What's this noise
 

My 911 is making a strange noise. It's most noticeable when cold and idleing. I hate trying to discribe a noise but it is a whirling screech that come and goes. The best I can discribe it is the sound a small electric motor makes when the bearings are going out. Or the motor bushing rubbing on a housing. My girlfriend used to have a hair dryer that made a very similar noise. At first I thought it was the alternator. It's not. Then I though it was the heater fan motor but it's turned off. Is it possible air flow in the engine compartment is causeing a fan motor to spin? What the heck is it? It's driving me nuts?

I am voteing for preasure plate problem....dose the noise go away with clutch in or out?
My next guess......check what oil filter you have as some "others" will make a weird noise

i have had the two noises you describe. One was the alternator bearings starting to go causing the fan to slightly hit the housing. Scared the **** out of me cause it was my first "strange" noise in my new to me porsche. The other same type of noise was from the fan in the passenger footwell. it will only make the noise when the fan is running slow. i guess the bearing in the fan is starting to go. It screeches like a banshee. Can you narrow down where the sound is coming from?

Have you checked the condition/tension of your belts?

my carraras heater blower motor on the engine makes this noise, only lasts a few seconds but had me concerned when i first heard it.

The clutch in or out has no effect on the noise. I don't think it is a pressure plate problem. The altenator and belts were just replaced last month and the tension feels fine. I can not pin point where it is comeing from. Other than the back of the car. I hate to do it but I think Im going to have to take it in to be looked at. It's driving me nuts. One other thing I hope is not related. My 911 never has leaked oil. Last night I noticed a small amount of motor oil under the left side of the car. Thanks for the help.

Well I ignored this noise as long as I could. Yesterday it made itself evident there is a bigger problem. Luckily I was two min. from my mechanic. They listened to it but were not sure what the noise was. They think maybe the timing chain rubbing something or distributer. They are going to tear into it today. It's on the right side of the motor. Any ideas?

Well ,I just chased that noise,and it was my distributor,needed bushing, with a stetho-scope I was able to isolate the noise...but yours is on the R, I would try that first,I was set to go in for the tensioners as I believed the noise to be coming from there,with a scope you will know more.
Rika

There is an Ambient air valve located just above the oil filler neck. It's a black round diaphram connected by 3 hoses. One on top, one in and one out. It almost makes a humming, buzzing type sound...Drives you crazy until you find it.

I bet that's it.....

Ding-ding-ding-ding - that is it.

I had the same noise - drove me insane on my 84 Carrera - you can place your hands on it and feel it making the humming buzzing ticking noise. It was like a $14 part form Porsche.

It is on the right side of the engine up high in the back right above the filler neck...

-Jeff

I'm sorry. In my earlier post I said the noise was on the right side. It was no the left.:rolleyes: Rikao4, you were right. The distributer bushings were shot. My mechanic told me he could no longer get the bushing he needed. Something about Porsche shipping parts back to Germany. I did not completely understand. But I do trust the guy. Soooo. New distributer. Really bums me out because that was my Ruf bumper money. I'm just happy it was not something major. Thanks all for the help.