I have an 84 Porsche 944. What is with that "whirr" sound of the engine? Is there a bearing going? Everything works well and im still learning this car so im not overreacting i just dont know the origin of the "whirring" sound! Surely someone out there knows what im talking about?????

I don't know much about Porche, but I can ask: does it have rack and pinion steering? You may be hearing the turbo, usually when I hear 'whirr; or 'buzz' I thing power steering pump, but I don't even know if your car has one. Is the sound new? Happen only under hard acceleration? There are others that know far more than I do especially about you car, I really shouldn't even be fielding this question.

Is this whirring sound matched to engine revs or to the speed of the car? That tells us if it is possibly a wheel bearing or something in or on the engine. Does it change with the clutch disengaged? Does it change when you turn the wheels? Let's know the answer to these questions, and we'll go on from there. These are terrific driving cars, and at least the earlier ones like yours are much simpler than the later ones.

Thanks for your answer! Theres no turbo( dangit man) !! I know what youre talking about with p/s pump. Hmmmm. Its a statement worth pondering! Thanx man

Thanks for the help Michael. I was just using generic what~I ~do~know

He could try removing a belts and running the engine for a short time to see if the noise is internal or external. I see that the engine has two belts and they might not be easy to get to, so maybe a piece of hose held to the ear could be used to find the source.

The reason I was asking is because I do know these cars a bit, and it makes a difference for where to look. If it is the power steering, it will change as the wheel is turned. If it is a belt, it will vary with engine speed. If it is a clutch throw out bearing, it will vary with engine speed, but sound very different than a belt. If it is a CV joint in the back axle, it will vary with the car speed, regardless of what gear it is in. Same with a front wheel bearing. Water pump bearings and a/c compressor bearing can make this kind of a sound as well. The more information we have, the more help we can be, and the more focused we can be to eliminate the problem.

Its not that the whirring sound is over "bearing" no pun intended? Ok let me try to fill you in as much as i can. When the machine is at idle there is a slight whirring sound. It is "connected " to the revs. As i know, all belts are current and well maintained. Not talking about a catastrophic sounding illness but yes it does follow the rpm flow. (Hate to do this to you) WHIRRR WHIRRR!!! When you apply the gas! The car runs great i should add. But one of you suggested a clutch throwout and how do i know if thats possibly the culprit? The clutch works fine! .... Help!

Not likely the clutch bearing. That would be more likely to vary with car speed. That means it is likely one of the accessories on the engine. It could be water pump, alternator, A/C compressor, power steering pump. I'm not sure if there is an air pump, but I don't think so. The way to find out is to take a very large, long screw driver, and place the blade on each of the accessories and you ear on the handle. You should be able to hear which one is making the whirring sound. In the mean time, I would keep on driving and enjoying, but keep ears open for it to get worse. My gut is suggesting the alternator, but that is just my gut.

If the engine is off, it's the radiator fan(s), they should shut off in a minute or two as the engine cools. If they continue to run and kill your battery, it's the fan switch switch itself. It's mounted under the left radiator hose.

I’m having a similar issue in my N/A 1986 944, manual 5 speed. The “whirring” sound seems to be coming from the rear right, but it’s hard to say exactly; thought it was the A/C at first but I’m fairly sure it’s coming from the back. The noise matches the revs, and gets louder at higher speeds and when I “coast” with the car in-gear. When I put it into neutral at speed the sound stops, so I tend to think it has something to do with the trans/clutch/etc. Doesnt seem to be affecting performance at all, just an annoying sound that I hope isn’t causing any sort of further issues. Anyone have any ideas?