HELP!

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HI Everyone, In need of a lot of help….here’s what I have run into 1999 996 (911) Carrarea 73,000 miles 3.4 liter This may seem starage, and it’s about to drive me nuts…..small puddle of coolant appears under overflow hose off the recovery tank …Each time the car is driven, and after engine has cooled down…. This is what I have done so far ..

1. All new hoses…yes ALL hoses on car have been replaced

2. New radiator cap

3. New bleed assy. For recovery tank

4. New (2) ballast resistor fans run in low and high as required

5. New water pump

6. New 160 degree thermostat

7. Coolant System vacuum down 3 difference times…held vacuum for over an hour each time...and each time drawed in 6 gallons of coolant 3 gallons (Pestone) antifreeze. 3 gallons of distilled water.

Temperature runs around 180 degrees however in town stop and go… stop and go...temperature goes to 190…195…..cools down to 180 on open road running 2500 to 3000 RPM….remains 190 on open road below 2500 RPM……no leak seen after car is parked on level ground in garage for two, three, four hours…..After engine has cooled down….sometime during the night….a small amount of coolant forms under the car under the overflow hose off the coolant recovery tank.

Need your help with this….not sure of what to do. Please help me out!!!!!

Thanks BLR

[Loren]

Sounds like a cracked tank. Simply cooling down can cause it to leak. Have you done a pressure test?

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Thanks Loren for the reply, no have not pressure tested the system.....I thought the system being under a vacuum and holding the vacuum for an hour would eliminate a crack in the tank. However I will round up a pressure tester kit and give it a try.

Thanks Again,

BLR

[logray]

Are you certain it's only coming from the overflow tube? Perhaps a hose clamp wasn't tightened down or one of the new hoses isn't slipped on all the way or is damaged?

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Thanks for your reply logray....petty sure its not a hose or clamp....attached a small container to the overflow tube...the container had coolant in it the next morning...no other signs of coolant anywhere else... plus vacuuming down the cooling system and the system holding a full vacuum for over an hour...I would think...the the system would loose the vacuum....right?

Thanks

BLR

[logray]

You replaced the bleeder but not the tank, I am wondering if there is a leak at or around the bleeder and or a problem with the new bleeder as that fluid would run around the top of the tank into the drain hole near the fill cap.

Also I see you replaced the cap. Perhaps the new cap is somehow defective or cross threaded (or old threads on old tank are a problem).

Holding vacuum is certainly a red herring, since fluid is still leaking.

Are you certain the system is not overfilled and is bled properly?

If none of those are the cause I would tend to agree with Loren that you need a new tank.