Hi everybody... I am a new 914 owner and very much loving it. I found a slick little 1974 2.0 and until recently, all had been good. A few days back I started noticing a very subtle clicky knock sound that really was only audible at low rpm, like at idle. I've been pouring over all the info I could find in an attempt to figure out what was going on, or if I was just being overly paranoid about my new toy. In the meantime, I havent been driving it more than a spin around the block on occasion. Then it happened. I was gonna take it to the store tonight, not more than a mile away, and as I shifted from 1st to 2nd gear, the whole sound/feel of the engine changed. It got very muffled and 'poppy' sounding and it seems to be shaking the car a lot more. Like when I got it home and hopped out of the car with the engine running, it was rather strongly shaking. Other than the freaky sound and big vibration, it "seems" to be ok. I still had power. There was no smoke or leaking of any sort.

Anyone have any ideas on what might be going on? What should I look for when I get the will to go investigate?

uhh... check spark plug wires are hookin up.... uh.. check that first.



M

first i would pull allthe spark plus to see if one blew, then while you have the plugs out do a compression check to see if one cylinder is low due to a leak some where. a clicking sound can be lots of stuff like an exhaust leak or a blown spark plug.
after you finish on the top side climb under neith and check the exhaust to make sure it is still tight, then do a valve adjust ment to set the valves correctly. then do another compressin test to see if the values the first time changed. if you have a valve that is way off with low comprssion that gets better you could have lost a valve set.

some will say do the valve adjust first but it can cover a bad valve seat, if you find a big difference before and after it can narrow down what is going on.

also the compression test will seem low due to the motor being cold but that is okay it is more for trouble shooting at this point.

if all seems well after all tests take it for a drive to heat it up and test again to get an idea of the health of the motor

then report back with the info you get

Check it at night with no lights on.You will be able to see if spark is jumping somewhere or if you have an exhaust leak that is in the line of sight,you can see that ,too.

Oh jeez.. hehe.. *smacks forehead*. That was it. One of the plug connectors come undone.

Thanks for the quick reply. Like I said, i am a new 914 owner (long time 914 lover though) so I may be a little paraniod about things. I would have surely noticed the disconnected plug when I got around to popping the engine lid, I was just in that state of shock/sick/denial and was convinced that when i did I would find a nightmare. Your response made the trip to my garage quite a bit easier. heheh.

Now, about this clickish subtle knocky sound.. Any ideas? I don't hear it at all when the engine is cold, but as soon as it warms up, I hear it anytime the car idles. My wife thinks I am crazy, but i know that sound wasnt there a week ago.

wow.. this place rocks.. hehe.. in the time it took me to respond to redshift, more responses popped up.. Sweet! heh

Maybe the loose spark plug wire arcing to the plug?