Trans Replaced - Now Coolant leaking bad

[usaf-lt-g]

Hi all,

I have a 2000 Boxster S that I recently had the transmission replaced by a mechanic who specializes in foreign cars. The car has been in his shop for over a month and I was really itching to get it back. I got it back yesterday drove it to the gas station to fill up, and noticed coolant dripping from the back rear of the car, sort of near the transmission. I called the mechanic and he said he though he filled the resovior too much. Well so I blew it off, got it home and didn't drive it again until today.

Well as I'm driving it, the "Temp" light is going off at me, and I look again, and there's coolant everywhere. I get it home, and open up the resovoir tank cap, and there's steam coming out of it, and some coolant splatered through on the top.

Is there a chance this service could be related? Or do I have a completely different problem on my hand now?

-Chris-

[juniinc]

loose cap or cracked reservoir tank, this has been discussed here many times.

[Tool Pants]

I assume you have a manual transmission. No coolant hoses are touched to remove and replace a transmission.

[pk2]

The tank is a fair possibility, happened to me. But quite a coincidence. .

Good chance the guy did drain some fluid since he said he topped it off. There is a routine for bleeding the system he may not have done. Symptoms are like yours. I've found you can effectively bleed it by driving till it heats up a bit (1 or 2 miles), carefully open the overflow tank and top it off.. If you do this routine about 6 odd times: it's bled.

If you still have a problem look at hoses he might have futzed with. Then look at the tank and cap.

Regards, Peter

Note: Don't hold me it, but a lot of guys smarter than I (and me) have stopped and studied the ingredients of Porsches over priced coolant..It's all the same ingreiants (or lack of) as the GM developed “DEXcool” available everywhere, many brands...cheap.

[usaf-lt-g]

Interesting... Ok so here's an update, I just took it over to get looked at. They couldn't reproduce the leaking. Before I went over, I had filled the resovuoir since it was drained completely. So it's not leaking now, but the light on the Temp gague blinks at me after it's warmed off and has been driven a couple of miles. Pulled her into the garge, still no signs of leak. Opened up the back to look at the tank and opened the cap which was highly pressurized then screwed it back on.

Does the cap need to be extra tight? And why is the light blinking at me. The Temp Gauge reads out about smack dab in the middle, a little more a little less depending at the time I check it. Appreciate all your input!

-Chris-

P.S. Yes it's a 3.2L 6-Speed Manual

Edited May 24, 2008 by usaf-lt-g

[juniinc]

If the light flashes slowly, it indicates low coolant level or engine compartment temperature too high.

If it flashes rapidly, it is the temperature sensor

if it is a solid light, the temperature is too high.

[usaf-lt-g]

If the light flashes slowly, it indicates low coolant level or engine compartment temperature too high.

If it flashes rapidly, it is the temperature sensor

if it is a solid light, the temperature is too high.

It's pretty much flashing slowly constantly. doesn't turn on till after the engine warms up. Temp has always stayed right around 190 - 200 which is pretty much smack dab the center of the gauge.

[Loren]

Could be just a bad sensor...

[juniinc]

Do u hear the engine compartment fan kick on?

[usaf-lt-g]

Do u hear the engine compartment fan kick on?

Yea I do, I think maybe it's just low coolant, how full does the resovuoir tank need to be? When I turn on the car cold, it just blinks slowly.

[usaf-lt-g]

So here's an update... I filled the Resovouir to the top. No leaks, the temp light doesnt come on until after the engine has warmed up. It blinks at a consistant slow pace. The engine fans come on. I'm really stumped on this one... If the presurization isn't right, and there's an air pocket or something could this come on? I'd hate to have to bring it to the dealer since the one by me is in an uber rich area and charges a boat load. I'm just trying to get to the bottom of the problem... it doesn't seem to be affecting the performance of the car, or any other problems I can find.

If there isn't a problem, it should just go off right? I shouldn't need to reset the computer or anything?

Thanks

[Loren]

I still think...

Could be just a bad sensor.

[usaf-lt-g]

I still think...

Could be just a bad sensor.

Alright, well then, I'm gonna take her in on Monday and see if they can fix it... hopefully it doesn't cost me a fortune ;)

[usaf-lt-g]

So I bought the durametric software and hooked it up to my boxster S this morning. I ran a AC/Heat Diagnostic and got no error codes. I got 2 alarm codes, and couldn't run an instrument cluster diagnostic (just kept hanging and wouldn't let me). Is there some other test I can run to figure out why the Temp light is blinking at me? :huh:

[sc00ter18]

at the bottom of the expansion tank there is a sensor .... if that little sensor is faulty or perhaps the wiring.....it might trigger the blinking

[usaf-lt-g]

at the bottom of the expansion tank there is a sensor .... if that little sensor is faulty or perhaps the wiring.....it might trigger the blinking

The resovouir tank? Or the expansion tank? Is there a write-up on replacing this somewhere?

[sc00ter18]

at the bottom of the expansion tank there is a sensor .... if that little sensor is faulty or perhaps the wiring.....it might trigger the blinking

The resovouir tank? Or the expansion tank? Is there a write-up on replacing this somewhere?

They are both the same thing.

The tank in the back trunk..... look at the picture

Edited June 7, 2008 by sc00ter18

[juniinc]

http://www.dietersmotorsports.com/tech/tech9-03-2003.htm[/url]