Coolant Warning Light - Then Oil/Water Mixed

[JohnJStewart]

Help. The coolant warning light has come on and now gone off.

Initial investigation shows oil in the coolant and the oil is frothy.

The main dealer has suggested that this could be bad news - does anyone have any ideas?

The car has 62k on - I checked the oil and water levels 7 days ago - oil was clear.

It's never used any oil or water or leaked anywhere.

Car seems to be driving fine just now and isn't showing any warning lights or other problems.

Cylinder head gasket?

[nick49]

A slipped or cracked cylinder liner (sleeve) is much more common than a blown head gasket. Intermix of coolant and oil is usually the first sign. Unfortunately usually the only fix in the USA is a replacement motor. In the UK there is a shop where they can resleeve the motors. Good luck.

[Richard Hamilton]

If it is a cracked or slipped liner, try Hartech (http://www.hartech.org/). Autofarm do the Perfect Bore (http://www.perfectbore.com/) SilSleeve conversion, but I think the Hartech solution is cheaper.

[JohnJStewart]

This all sounds too horrible to contemplate.

[dr914jr]

Any white smoke from exhaust or flashing CEL? :(

[wdonovan]

Help. .....Car seems to be driving fine just now and isn't showing any warning lights or other problems.....

As in "I'm still driving the car?"

[CosmosC4S]

I'm sorry to hear that John. It doesn't sound good at all.

I sure hope you're not another victiim of a blown engine.

[RFM]

Hi

Maybe it is not to late to save your engine, stop cranking the engine, if an amount of cooling water penetrates in to the cylinder liner by a faulty cylinder gasket during overnight and you crank the engine, while the piston start his compression stroke, the thin cylinder liner will crack ( hydraulic fluid cant by compressed ) Build the engine out of the car, dismount the cylinder heads and look for faulty gaskets or leaking gallery plugs, both issues can repaired in the shop. If you have already a cracked liner or one of them sits deeper than the others, a factory rebuild engine with warranty is a solution.

Good luck.

[Lee Quave]

I hate to say it but, your engine is toast. I feel your pain. The same thing happened to my car at 69K miles. Same as your, mine ran fine. Dealer diagnosed either blown head gasket or a cracked cylinder head. I never found out which. If I wanted to know it would have cost $102 per hour.

I suggest that you use a Porsche dealership. You will get a “new remanufactured” engine with all new accessories expect AC compressor along with a two year unlimited miles warranty. I don’t think you will get that from an independent shop.

Good luck.

[JohnJStewart]

Thanks for the replies.

It's not being driven and I will be calling a few places tomorrow to see what best next steps are.

How many of these engines have blown? It sucks. 61k with a full MD history and this car was £72k new - now it needs a new engine. If you read the article on the Hartech site it just sums it up. BAD DESIGN.

Lee thanks for your comments. This is toast - I feel so angry - Porsche need to stand up here and take some pain. They repleced my buddy's boxter engine out of warranty when it blew.

[JohnJStewart]

No smoke but flashing CEL and oil in coolant and frothy brown oil.

[g_j_d]

No smoke but flashing CEL and oil in coolant and frothy brown oil.

I have the exact same problem. 2001 Carrera with $63k miles on it. Flashing CEL, frothy coolant and milky oil. I bought the car new and it has been driven with extreme care - never stressed in any way and constantly dealer maintained during the warranty period, then professionally maintained by an independent Porsche specialist since then because the nearest dealer is about 90 minutes away.

When the problem first cropped up I was told it could be one of three things:

1. Oil cooler

2. Head gas gasket

3 Cracked block.

So we started a diagnosis (cheapest/easiest items first) at the independent shop. Up till now he has done a compression check (perfect), leak test (slightly down on passenger side), then replaced the oil cooler. But it's still not fixed and after reading that a LOT of people are having the same problem I contacted Porsche Cars North America to see what their attitude would be if it's more serious.

So far I've got absolutely nowhere with them- they asked me to have it towed to the original dealer (that's fair enough so I agreed), but they also haven't been able to say what is wrong either. They just have a blanket "replace the engine" attitude for $13400 (which includes Porsche's "goodwill" payment of $1500, albeit that the same work would be $2100 less at my independent!). Given that this car was $100k frankly there's not much goodwill between Porsche and me at the moment. I already have about $3k invested in diagnosing this...

That's where we stand at the moment - I'll keep you posted.

[JohnJStewart]

Thanks for the reply.

My car has now been trailered to Autofarm in the UK who are going to carry out the specialist investigations.

It doesn't look good though.

I wrote to the UK MD of Porsche Cars UK and have had a reply saying they are looking into it and in discussions with the local dealer.

Let's see what happens.

In any event I am going to write an article for Total 911 Magazine.

[Lee Quave]

Hi, maybe someone with Autofram can be the expert you must have to get a class action lawsuit going? Just a thought!

Good luck and keep us posted. ;)

[g_j_d]

Thanks for the reply.

My car has now been trailered to Autofarm in the UK who are going to carry out the specialist investigations.

It doesn't look good though.

I wrote to the UK MD of Porsche Cars UK and have had a reply saying they are looking into it and in discussions with the local dealer.

Let's see what happens.

In any event I am going to write an article for Total 911 Magazine.

In my case (above) Porsche North America have now more or less officially absolved themselves of guilt from the whole episode and are instead adopting an "out of warranty position". Contrary to what you see everywhere in the newsgroups etc, they claim that there is no systematic problem whatsoever on 996 engines. I guess they don't think it's unreasonable that the thing often dies at 50-60k miles. Their only concession - they offered me $1500 compensation but later withdrew the offer unless I took it to a "local" dealer who is 90 minutes away. Problem is that his base price for a reman engine is $2200 more than the local Porsche independent specialist and furthermore his labour rates are double.

At this pont my feeling about the quality of the car and it's reliability are that it is significantly worse than even that of my Range Rover (and that was a hair raising story!). I am amazed at the attitude of Porsche burying their head in the sand and hoping the complaints will go away. I would seriously recommend anybody to think VERY carefully before getting involved in a new Porsche. It seems to be a matter of luck as to whether your period of ownership coincides with a major mechanical disaster. People who get away with it seem happy enough (I was quite happy for 4 years or so), but when something goes wrong all hell breaks loose and no-one at Porsche seems to care in the least bit. I don't know about other people, but I would definitely not touch a new 911 at the moment - at least until they solve this issue.

[Chuck Jones]

Geez I hate seeing these sorts of posts. My sympathies always go out to the guys who I see posting these tragic stories. I am totally enthralled with my car....but I drive it with that dogone nagging thought of the "coffee can full of bolts" scenario rumbling through the recesses of my mind.

The funny thing is I have a Dodge 1 ton dually that's turbo charged. Bought it used for $18K....I beat the crap out of it. It has over 110K miles on it...pull a 14,000# fifth wheel and never give even the most minute thought to the fact it might ever fail. Then I get in my $40K Porsche and get that nagging feeling. What's wrong with this picture?

Edited August 4, 2007 by Chuck Jones

[Loren]

If you visit some Audi, Jeep and Mercedes forums you will see the same stuff. Folks that have had lots of problems. I just read a thread on a Mercedes board where there were 16 pages (25 posts per page) of folks complaining about the same 15 items that were failing on all their Mercedes.

I believe the fact is folks that don't have problems or don't work on their own cars don't come to these sites. Just my two cents... :soapbox:

(I'll step off my box now)

[JohnJStewart]

OK folks worst news confirmed today. Total engine failure. Car is now with Autofarm having a Sillsleeve engine fitted.

Porsche Uk sent me a lovely letter - f*** off was the essence of it.

Motto of the day - don't get mad - get even.

I wonder how many of these have faied world wide. Maybe I'll make it my mission to find out and shame their lousy technology.

Watch this space.

[mdgcentral99]

Mine died at 85,000 mi. Bought it used, drove it for two months, oil in the coolant, froth in the coolant, oil disappearing from engine, no leaks, then boom!

Paid for new engine from Porsche dealer, $15,000 plus....

2 year warranty, new engine, new coolant system, new pumps and fluids. Its basically a new car.

Apparently, that family of 996 and Boxters just had issues. You will find in your research that it "only happens to a few" and the manufacturer will have no response.

If you like the car, put in an engine, get really upset, then have fun driving it for the next two years. its probably good for more, so have fun, its the best engineered car on the market!

Best of luck.