Horrible ripping noise

Dave101 · 03-07-2007, 06:42 AM

Last night while driving home from work, I heard a horrible sound that sounded like some kinda ripping/shredding/scary noise coming out from under my Porsche. I pulled over under a street light and began to look under the hood and the car etc... Everything looked OK. No shredded belts nothing hanging down underneath the car or anything. Car still ran and idled extremely well. So I started to go again. As soon a I hit bout 30 mph bam same noise sounding like my car was being ripped to pieces. So I slowed down and parked it at a Porsche mechanics shop that I had found just the other day. called my father and had him come pick me up for a ride home. Still don't know yet what is wrong with it. But I can't figure out what it could be because I mean the sound was unreal! The only thing I can think of is the rubber harmonic balancer thing on the rear of the engine. But the car still moves.. Very weird. Whatever it is, I am sure it's going to cost me an arm or 2 lol because every car I ever owned that goes to the shop its at least 600.00 and above it seems. lol. Just kinda posting this to see if anyone has experienced anything like this before. Thanks for reading it!

Dave101 · 03-07-2007, 06:53 AM

Man... I hate waiting for the phone to ring. Lol. I called the shop and it will be at least 3 more hours before they can look t it. I feel almost liek I did when I was waitng for one of my kids to be born. Hehe.

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Rear bearing seized up.

Dave101 · 03-07-2007, 07:37 AM

Hey thanks SoCal Driver! That seems to make the most since. I'll post what is replaced of course. If it is the rear bearings, do those "pack" like gmc, ford wheel bearings or are they different? And also if thats the case what about the front wheels? Shoudl I get them all re-packed?

Tidybuoy · 03-07-2007, 08:45 AM

I'm not sure if the 944 uses any flexdiscs in the drive shaft but possibly this could be the problem. Let us know..

Dave101 · 03-07-2007, 08:55 AM

Well SoCal Driver was right! The front wheel bearings/hubs are TOASTED to a very deep crackly crunch. Lol. Thank God I found 2 replacement hubs on Ebay for 93.00 with shipping as the new ones from Porsche was around 325.00 each. Doh! Now comes the wait as I have no other working car at the moment lol. I miss my car already!

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Since the front bearings are junk the back most likely are too. Wheel bearings and CV joints should be inspected and repacked at 30,000 mile intervals. This includes replacing the seals as necessary as these keep the water out.

For your information the front bearings are adjusted a bit "loose". The large washer behind the clamping nut has to be movable with the tip of a screw driver. This leaves room for the tapered roller bearings to load from the weight of the car.

Rear bearings on the early 944's are separate items -- not a single double race item as the later 944's. The inner is a ball bearing while the outer is a roller bearing. The stub axle is located and held in place by the inner ball bearing. The large nut is torqued to 350 foot pounds. Don't forget to use a new cotter key.

Dave101 · 03-07-2007, 11:28 AM

Thanks lot Hugh! With all the different maintance stuff I need to do at different mileage I think I am goign to start a maintance spreadsheet/book to kep track of what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. I really like this message board!

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

You will not find another car as "interesting" as a 944 for the money that you spend to bring it back from the edge of the junk yard. I figure my beat to heck 83 is costing me less than $800 per year in upkeep. I've had it since 1985.

Dave101 · 03-07-2007, 12:28 PM

That is mighty cheap upkeep IMO. You can't beat that for dependable car vs price of upkeep. Hell even if i got another Porsche liek a 928 or a 911, I would still keep my 944 jsut for the pure fun it is to drive and I still get 18 to 21 MPG around town. BTW any idea's where to find a rear window? Mine has major discoloration in it. It has liek brownish stins that you can see if you look at it from a certain angle. Or maybe a dark tint would hide it. Anyways, I would rather replace it anyways as the defogger doesn't work.

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Check eBay for the rear window. But be careful as many have started to separate from the frame.

The defogger electrical lugs will come off of the grid. These can be resoldered. The power for the defroster comes from the drivers side, through the strut (it's insulated from the chassis) and through a jumper to the large soldered on connector. The passenger side strut is not insulated and provides the ground for the defroster grid. The interior cargo light uses a switch at the chassis end of the same strut to ground out when the hatch is opened.

You may have the remains of some plastic tint on your window. Never seen any brown stains as you report.

When cleaning a rear window be careful of the defroster traces. These can be "cut" too easily.

Dave101 · 03-07-2007, 02:25 PM

If they are separating from the frame can they be re-attached? I have never seen anythign liek the brown either. It's like it was burned kinda liek as if the rear wires got too hot or something. It's kinda bizzare. i will try to get a picture of it next week after I get my car back from the shop.

Eldorado · 03-07-2007, 04:11 PM

PM Tom (Razorback).. or wait for him to see this thread... he may be able to help you source a rear window... he's good at that sort of thing

Razorback1980 · Razorback1980's Garage

Oh yeah, we can find you one. I also have a thread in here about how to reattach a window to the frame as that was one of my original questions when I first came to this board. I agree with you dave...this board has provided so much information that I don't believe you can get anywhere. The list of people that have helped me learn seems almost endless. I'll send you an email with the places that have rear glasses. Shipping will be expensive so I'll focus the search on your part of the country.

Edit:

Here is the link I started when my glass was coming loose. So far, so good.

Glue hatch window to frame

Dave101 · 03-08-2007, 05:59 AM

Thanks guys! Tom seen the thread and already emailed me a large list of places that have what I need. Thanks Tom! This is only day 2 of my Porsche waitng for parts and I am already having withdrawls lol. After I got the car about 30 days ago I actually started to enjoy driving again. I am 43 now but the Porsche makes me feel like I did back when I was 16. I simply can't wait to get back in it! Even though I wanted one since I was 16 I never truly had any idea what an awesome car that is it until I drove one.

Razorback1980 · Razorback1980's Garage

Happy hunting. I bet the glass shop can help you figure out how to get the brown stuff off your glass though.

Dave101 · 03-08-2007, 11:12 AM

Yeah, as soon as I can drive it again I am goign to take it up and have them look at it to see what can be done if anything. Then if it is a lost cause I will just have to buy another one.

Dave101 · 03-26-2007, 12:44 PM

Wooooohooooo! Got my car back from shop today!! Damn I missed it lol. Turns out the hubs were good so now I have a pre set.

callmethewander · callmethewander's Garage

Dave i know the feeling, be careful tho it's addictive, test drive an S or S2 if you get the chance. hmmm or maybe don't

Dave101 · 03-27-2007, 06:39 AM

I have yet to see one of those in my area. Thee is a 928s though that I have been thinking of buying. I wonder how the 928 handles compared to the 944.