[Paul Franssen]

I've had my '88 ROW Carrera between km 188000 and 211000 so far (117500 to 131875 miles). It's always had ticking valves, even after having them set by a reputable independent Porsche mechanic. When I had her changed to new Bilsteins, that person (not a Porsche mechanic) mentioned the ticking valves to me, too. I've recently done 2700 miles in 8 days and oil consumption was less than 1 quart per 625 miles...and the valves keep ticking. The engine is strong, there's hardly any smoke (yes, a bit of white smoke just after startup, said to be condensation water...) and I've never experienced "smoke on decelleration". Next weekend, I'm having the valves adjusted by another independent Porsche mechanic, and I'll ask him to pay particular attention to the valve stems. But many Porsche owners and some mechanics have already told me, "yes, some of them tick, and others don't, and if you don't have any problems with the engine, then don't bother doing anything, it's one of those things".
I also get the impression that the "Carrera early valve guide wear" issue is more prevalent in the U.S. than over here (but I'm not sure, it's just an impression). Any case, I'll report back next week, when the valves have been set...