A few weeks ago I posted a query on a whine that had developed with my 03 C2 Tip. The answers were helpful but did not lead to a solution. The car was performing ok and the whine was only perceptible in the lower gears. I had the car checked out and no obvious fault was found.
Just returned from a 1,200 mile round trip to southern Spain and the car was OK throughout. However shortly after disembarking from the ferry in Plymouth as the car went over the 'rumble' strips on the approach to the Tamar bridge the car developed a metallic 'plinking' noise from the rear as if the exhaust was bouncing on the tarmac. I stopped quarter of a mile later in the layby just the other side of the Saltash tunnel and the noise faded as the car idled. Then all the engine management lights etc came on and I stopped the engine. Looking under the engine lid the polyrib belt was loose - but not broken. Clearly not driveable.
Porsche Assistance to the rescue within 45 minutes - cannot praise them highly enough. As it was late they took us and car to our home in Cornwall and the following day lifted the car to Porsche Exeter. Inspection there showed that the polyrib lower jockey wheel had come off its spindle bolt and was bouncing around the bottom of the engine area adjacent to the water pump pulley - hence the 'plinking' noise.
Repairs in hand - fortunately only a new jockey wheel, spindle etc with no other damage to the other pulleys or the belt and I collect the car on Monday with a not too expensive bill of about £350. Meanwhile Porsche Assist provided a loan car through Enterprise Car Rental - Mercedes exec diesel saloon - not quite a Porsche but at 53mpg it will do for a few days.
So source of whine finally identified but how long the jockey wheel had been working loose, and why is open to question. To my mind clearly the wheel had been loose'ish for a while causing the whine if the belt was not running truly true on the wheel and the final straw was the bone-shaking 'rumble' strips approaching the Tamar bridge. Certainly when I checked the belt area prior to Spain trip all appeared to be secure with no obvious evidence of looseness anywhere.
Spain was fun - fantastic roads - narry a policeman spotted except in the towns. 98 Octane petrol at 1.45-1.55 Euros a litre so marginally cheaper than the UK - more expensive in Valencia province than elsewhere in Spain apparently and overall 30.4mpg with spirited driving and long distance high speed cruising.
However, although Porsche Assist covers me for Europe breakdown I am relieved the jockey fell off in the UK rather than Spain! The 2-year cost of Porsche Assist at £275 has been more than repaid - I dread to think of the costs I would have incurred without it. [
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Just returned from a 1,200 mile round trip to southern Spain and the car was OK throughout. However shortly after disembarking from the ferry in Plymouth as the car went over the 'rumble' strips on the approach to the Tamar bridge the car developed a metallic 'plinking' noise from the rear as if the exhaust was bouncing on the tarmac. I stopped quarter of a mile later in the layby just the other side of the Saltash tunnel and the noise faded as the car idled. Then all the engine management lights etc came on and I stopped the engine. Looking under the engine lid the polyrib belt was loose - but not broken. Clearly not driveable.
Porsche Assistance to the rescue within 45 minutes - cannot praise them highly enough. As it was late they took us and car to our home in Cornwall and the following day lifted the car to Porsche Exeter. Inspection there showed that the polyrib lower jockey wheel had come off its spindle bolt and was bouncing around the bottom of the engine area adjacent to the water pump pulley - hence the 'plinking' noise.
Repairs in hand - fortunately only a new jockey wheel, spindle etc with no other damage to the other pulleys or the belt and I collect the car on Monday with a not too expensive bill of about £350. Meanwhile Porsche Assist provided a loan car through Enterprise Car Rental - Mercedes exec diesel saloon - not quite a Porsche but at 53mpg it will do for a few days.
So source of whine finally identified but how long the jockey wheel had been working loose, and why is open to question. To my mind clearly the wheel had been loose'ish for a while causing the whine if the belt was not running truly true on the wheel and the final straw was the bone-shaking 'rumble' strips approaching the Tamar bridge. Certainly when I checked the belt area prior to Spain trip all appeared to be secure with no obvious evidence of looseness anywhere.
Spain was fun - fantastic roads - narry a policeman spotted except in the towns. 98 Octane petrol at 1.45-1.55 Euros a litre so marginally cheaper than the UK - more expensive in Valencia province than elsewhere in Spain apparently and overall 30.4mpg with spirited driving and long distance high speed cruising.
However, although Porsche Assist covers me for Europe breakdown I am relieved the jockey fell off in the UK rather than Spain! The 2-year cost of Porsche Assist at £275 has been more than repaid - I dread to think of the costs I would have incurred without it. [
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