Intermittent chatter on start..
 

Something about the noise I'm sometimes hearing is leading me to suspect the starter. It sometimes takes a try or two to get her started, but often I hear this quick chattering sound after it starts, maybe sounds like gear teeth doing something. Does the starter on a 911 make any particular sound when it's going bad? Does it begin as an intermittent problem, get worse and then fail....or just fail all at once? Thanks!

The problem was a thinner ring gear on the flywheel. Unless the gear and teeth match up perfectly, the starter teeth do not fully engage the starter ring and chatter.

This is\was a common issue on the late carreras, but does make an appearance on some of the early 964s.

An updated part is made available, but generally, not worth it to fix unless it is clutch changing time.

Hint: if it becomes a problem where it does it repeatedly when you try to start the car, put the car in 5th gear and roll it forward a few inches and try again.

ahhh..that sounds right, afjuvat. and my car also has the lightweight flywheel apparently from searching through the records. it will sometimes do it on the first start try, sometimes the second..so that makes sense. sometimes it's in position, sometimes it needs a try to get it there. it's really just an annoyance to hear..like something you don't want other folks around you to hear.. ;)

WOW, that car seems to have a lot of issues. Good luck!
Sorry to hear more tales of woe.

Doug

yeah, doug, it's got a few little things here and there..the a/c is the 500-lb gorilla i'm waiting to find out about though. my shop can't leak test it for another darn week. i'm just trying to sort everything out. most of it has been small.

You have a 1990 which has R-12. They are designed to seep freon. R-12 was what, $0.75 a can back then.

afjuvat, yeah i knew it had the r-12, but mine isn't holding much vacuum at all and for only a couple minutes, so..mine would probably 'barf' freon. i'm just praying it isn't the evaporator. guess if i'm lucky it could just be dried up o-rings, but then, i never have been too lucky.. ;)

964, I'm afraid I'm putting my money on an evaporator.

noooooooooooooooooooo!

;)