981 Cayman GTS - Can startup be quieter?

[Briggy]

I bought myself an 64 Reg 981 Cayman GTS recently and I'm very happy with it. Unfortunately, my neighbours are not keen on the noise it makes when starting up.

First of all, I get on with my neighbours. They've approached me politely and are not making any demands. However, I can't argue with the fact that it wakes them up when I leave the house every day, just before 7am, which isn't great.

My understanding is that all 981 GTS cars come with PSE. It requires vacuum pressure to close the valves, of which there isn't any until the engine has been running for a few seconds, causing the initial bark on startup.

I don't actually think there's anything I can do, but would like to know if anyone knows differently.

Cheers,
Bryan

 

[Motorhead]

Unfortunately I think that’s the case Bryan. As you say, the valves are vacuum operated and initially are in the open position until a vacuum is established to close them, which takes a few seconds, and I don’t know of any work-around with the standard system.

If the car’s garaged maybe you can start it with the door closed and dash out to open it before you get gassed!

Jeff

 

[Scrounger]

I daily my 718 4.0 and leave for work at roughly 0300 on some days. I've spoken to my neighbours and they say it's ok as I drive off straight away rather than letting the car idle, so they drop back off.

It's good to have a chat with your neighbours, I don't think leaving home at 0700 to go to work is too early...unless your neighbours don't work? First time I've heard of someone wanting a quieter exhaust

Dan

 

[911hillclimber]

Interesting conversation.
I do not speak to our next doors for the last 2 years since I carefully asked them to stop driving over my drive so widening theirs with a heavy plumbers van. Long story, but since then I'm sensitive to any means of annoying those 8 houses in our cul de sac.

My 987.2 has a standard exhaust, but has a few minutes of louder start up, then dies to a normal tick-over.
I park the car outside but with the exhaust pointing into the cul de sac away from their house front and leave immediately, same with my old 911 which is noisier but not used until usually after 9.00am.

Must admit he has never complained to me about the cars, maybe because in the colder months he starts the diesel van up at 8.00am for 15 mins to warm the cab up and the fumes force us to close any windows...all a bit entitled.

I think you have done all the right things. Maybe a nice bottle of wine at Xmas to them?

 

[Briggy]

Thanks for the replies. Seems there's nothing I can do about the car itself, which is fair enough.

I normally reverse onto my drive, meaning the startup noise is probably bouncing of the house walls etc, so I'll drive on instead, meaning the exhaust is facing the open road. Also, I tend to start the engine first, then sort my seatbelt / radio / heater etc before driving off while the engine settles. She sees this as me revving the car (hmmm, probably best not to dwell on that), so I'll drive off (well, reverse off) straight away instead.

 

[911hillclimber]

Every little will help, and gives you the upper hand in that you are trying to help with position and time on the drive etc.
You are not breaking any laws on noise and the car is homologated for the UK.
Good luck from me.

 

[Motorhead]

You could always stick with your routine, i.e. wait about 30secs for the engine revs to settle, but with the front-end on and ask her if that’s more acceptable? Maybe ask her to sit in the car with you to demonstrate what you’re doing, including not revving the engine?

Hope you work-out something between yourselves.

Jeff

 

[Greenman986S]

Most cars do this due time cold start function

But yes its louder with PSE... but not as loud as my M5 was

 

[malarcy]

Thanks for the replies. Seems there's nothing I can do about the car itself, which is fair enough.

I normally reverse onto my drive, meaning the startup noise is probably bouncing of the house walls etc, so I'll drive on instead, meaning the exhaust is facing the open road. Also, I tend to start the engine first, then sort my seatbelt / radio / heater etc before driving off while the engine settles. She sees this as me revving the car (hmmm, probably best not to dwell on that), so I'll drive off (well, reverse off) straight away instead.

Just do all the pre amble before you start the car and then just drive - no need to wait for it to come of fast idle or any kind of warm up - this isn't the 1970's - the ecu takes car of the fuelling and higher revs is higher oil pressure - not suggesting redline at the end of the drive - but why wait - just start and go.