P0446, P1124, P1126 CEL

[HELLAS59]

Thanks for that smoke test info. I will tell my mechanic and see if he can do that! He sent me

this link for the Valve thing in the back where the engine is. Is this the correct part? My car is a 1999 and I see that the top of the website says 2000-2001-2002-2003-2004-2005. Is there a difference, just making sure. Also, is there any other place I can buy this Vapor Canister Purge Solenoid Valve (part # anyone?), I didnt realize that it would be this much, I guess it seems like a lot for a part plus the labor that Im scared may not fix the problem after spending all this money already. The Dchunking, would it cause my car to lose small amounts of coolant the way I described in my previous post (for example every 100-200 miles goes down about 3 inches in the reservoir). Also would I be smelling that smell with the windows down on the highway? Like I said, the reservoir has been pressure tested, all of them have actually (the original, the first oem & the second oem) and my mechanic said he saw a smal bit of coolant from the original leaking from the drain area...I believed him since the old original tank was yellow and crusted up. Changed to the first Oem, he said that one was leaking from the bleeder valve after a few days when I brought it back with the red light on. Now im on my second new tank, he pressure tested that as well, no leaks anywhere. There is A LOT of condensation all over the rear trunk of the car after a highway drive. Its quite a bit of condensation, but my mechanic tells me that its normal and that its just water and not pink. Im talking about dripping wet right above the reservoir tank and it goes off to the middle of the trunk. Can you tell me JFP, once and for all if that much condensation is normal even when the weather is colder out? Ive read online that even in the coldest conditions it should only be a little bit of condensation.

When the car was working fine before all these problems came up, I almost never saw condensation in the rear trunk, thats why I ask. Im sorry, I dont mean to go on rambling like this but Im sure you can understand my frustration. All these problems started when I was overseas and I had my brother order me these non OEM coils for my Boxster because there was a misfire on one of the cylinders so I called him from overseas and asked him if he could replace all of them. When I got back, the misfires continued and jumped around to different cylinders on the same bank for about a month until I got a replacement from the same aftermarket place we got the coils from. I also had to have my catalytic converter welded because another mechanic I was going to must have accidentally driven it into a pothole or something he never admited to. Anyways, after all that, thats when the CEL lights for the lean condition began appearing. Then the coolant issues started appearing. The car has lost a lot of power in general I feel like. Do you think these aftermarket coils messed up my car? Im trying to think of everything I can. In the last few months Ive changed:

Coils & Spark plugs

Welded the drivers side Cat

Replaced two cooling fan High & Low setting switches for the Radiators

Replaced Engine Bay Temperature Sensor

Replaced Thermostat

Replaced one or two more sensors that I forget

Replaced two Reservoir tanks

Replaced Aos (Also had that replaced 2 years prior to latest replacement)

Smoke tested both systems multiple times

Pressure tested Cooling system multiple times

Ive also cleaned out the Radiators

Replaced Water Pump two years prior as well.

What else is there left to do? How can I check if this Dchunking process has started occuring on my car. My mechanic said that he checked for leaks and checked to see if oil was mixing with coolant and there is no sign of that whatsoever. Thank you JFP for all your help...I appreciate every bit of it. I hope I can solve these issues once and for all.

Edited February 8, 2016 by HELLAS59

[JFP in PA]

Thanks for that smoke test info. I will tell my mechanic and see if he can do that! He sent me

this link for the Valve thing in the back where the engine is. Is this the correct part? My car is a 1999 and I see that the top of the website says 2000-2001-2002-2003-2004-2005. Is there a difference, just making sure. Also, is there any other place I can buy this Vapor Canister Purge Solenoid Valve (part # anyone?), I didnt realize that it would be this much, I guess it seems like a lot for a part plus the labor that Im scared may not fix the problem after spending all this money already. The Dchunking, would it cause my car to lose small amounts of coolant the way I described in my previous post (for example every 100-200 miles goes down about 3 inches in the reservoir). Also would I be smelling that smell with the windows down on the highway? Like I said, the reservoir has been pressure tested, all of them have actually (the original, the first oem & the second oem) and my mechanic said he saw a smal bit of coolant from the original leaking from the drain area...I believed him since the old original tank was yellow and crusted up. Changed to the first Oem, he said that one was leaking from the bleeder valve after a few days when I brought it back with the red light on. Now im on my second new tank, he pressure tested that as well, no leaks anywhere. There is A LOT of condensation all over the rear trunk of the car after a highway drive. Its quite a bit of condensation, but my mechanic tells me that its normal and that its just water and not pink. Im talking about dripping wet right above the reservoir tank and it goes off to the middle of the trunk. Can you tell me JFP, once and for all if that much condensation is normal even when the weather is colder out? Ive read online that even in the coldest conditions it should only be a little bit of condensation.

When the car was working fine before all these problems came up, I almost never saw condensation in the rear trunk, thats why I ask. Im sorry, I dont mean to go on rambling like this but Im sure you can understand my frustration. All these problems started when I was overseas and I had my brother order me these non OEM coils for my Boxster because there was a misfire on one of the cylinders so I called him from overseas and asked him if he could replace all of them. When I got back, the misfires continued and jumped around to different cylinders on the same bank for about a month until I got a replacement from the same aftermarket place we got the coils from. I also had to have my catalytic converter welded because another mechanic I was going to must have accidentally driven it into a pothole or something he never admited to. Anyways, after all that, thats when the CEL lights for the lean condition began appearing. Then the coolant issues started appearing. The car has lost a lot of power in general I feel like. Do you think these aftermarket coils messed up my car? Im trying to think of everything I can. In the last few months Ive changed:

Coils & Spark plugs

Welded the drivers side Cat

Replaced two cooling fan High & Low setting switches for the Radiators

Replaced Engine Bay Temperature Sensor

Replaced Thermostat

Replaced one or two more sensors that I forget

Replaced two Reservoir tanks

Replaced Aos (Also had that replaced 2 years prior to latest replacement)

Smoke tested both systems multiple times

Pressure tested Cooling system multiple times

Ive also cleaned out the Radiators

Replaced Water Pump two years prior as well.

What else is there left to do? How can I check if this Dchunking process has started occuring on my car. My mechanic said that he checked for leaks and checked to see if oil was mixing with coolant and there is no sign of that whatsoever. Thank you JFP for all your help...I appreciate every bit of it. I hope I can solve these issues once and for all.

 

There should be no condensation above the coolant tank in the rear trunk, that sounds very much like you have a bad tank cap.  The latest revision tank cap ends in "-04".  The cap could be the entire source of your coolant loss issue.

 

The aftermarket coils should not have been able to damage the car in anyway other than to make it misfire.

 

You comment about having to weld up you catalytic converter is very important, because a leak in the exhaust system, even a small one, will often cause an engine to show an overly lean condition because it allows air into the system which the O2 sensors see as a mixture problem.  You need to go over the exhaust system from the cylinder heads to the second O2 sensor looking for any signs of a leak (he can use his smoke wand for this).

 

As for where you can get your EVAP valves, as well as a new tank cap, give board sponsor Sunset Porsche a call, great pricing and top notch service.

 

D chunking shows up usually with coolant in the oil.  Unfortunately, because of where this fracture occurs, you usually can only find it either with a bore scope, or by pulling the engine apart.

[HELLAS59]

Thanks for all the info JFP. I was able to stop by my mechanics today because he told me that he noticed that his head gasket testing machine had bad liquid in it the first few times he tested the car before the reservoir replacement. So I stopped by today so he can check it with the newer liquid and sure enough the liquid changed from blue to a green that was close to the blue the first time, and then when he tested a second time it changes from blue to an almost yellow color, which he told me indicates that its most likely a head gasket issue. I will post pictures to show you exactly what came up. He gave me an estimate of about 2,000 labor and another 500-1000 for parts, depending on what he finds. My question to you is, why was there no indication of this from the oil that my mechanic recently changed? Would it not show up in the color? Why when the car was pressure tested multiple times did everything come out fine? Im very depressed from hearing this news today and am literally looking for any kind of direction from anybody on here on where to go from here? Is this liquid test a clear indicator that I have a head gasket problem for sure? And why do I smell coolant when I put my windows down when driving on the highway. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

[HELLAS59]

Here are the photos

[JFP in PA]

Thanks for all the info JFP. I was able to stop by my mechanics today because he told me that he noticed that his head gasket testing machine had bad liquid in it the first few times he tested the car before the reservoir replacement. So I stopped by today so he can check it with the newer liquid and sure enough the liquid changed from blue to a green that was close to the blue the first time, and then when he tested a second time it changes from blue to an almost yellow color, which he told me indicates that its most likely a head gasket issue. I will post pictures to show you exactly what came up. He gave me an estimate of about 2,000 labor and another 500-1000 for parts, depending on what he finds. My question to you is, why was there no indication of this from the oil that my mechanic recently changed? Would it not show up in the color? Why when the car was pressure tested multiple times did everything come out fine? Im very depressed from hearing this news today and am literally looking for any kind of direction from anybody on here on where to go from here? Is this liquid test a clear indicator that I have a head gasket problem for sure? And why do I smell coolant when I put my windows down when driving on the highway. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

 

I will repeat what I have said many times before:  I have never seen one of these engines blow a head gasket, nor have I ever heard of one from a credible source.  These engine's use a multi layer steel head gasket, which is way stronger than either the cylinder head or engine case castings.  You have a crack somewhere.

[HELLAS59]

So do you think from this test that was done today that its pretty conclusive evidence that I have a crack around one of my cylinder liners? And if so Jfp..how much does somethinf like that cost to repair? Could this also be the cause of the condensation on the back of my trunk as well as whats causing the smell while I drive the car? It seems that whatever it is, it hasnt gotten to a really severe level yet, because like I said, I can probably drive the car a few hundred miles before the coolant gets low. It doesnt just dump out coolant anymore like it used to, or overheat out of nowhere. My next question, if it is a minor crack or leak, is there anything I can out into the coolant that can possibly seal the poasible problem area that I may have? Ive seen things like that advertised all the time..do they work, or are they bs? Thabk you so much for everything. I appreciate every bit of information!

[JFP in PA]

So do you think from this test that was done today that its pretty conclusive evidence that I have a crack around one of my cylinder liners? And if so Jfp..how much does somethinf like that cost to repair? Could this also be the cause of the condensation on the back of my trunk as well as whats causing the smell while I drive the car? It seems that whatever it is, it hasnt gotten to a really severe level yet, because like I said, I can probably drive the car a few hundred miles before the coolant gets low. It doesnt just dump out coolant anymore like it used to, or overheat out of nowhere. My next question, if it is a minor crack or leak, is there anything I can out into the coolant that can possibly seal the poasible problem area that I may have? Ive seen things like that advertised all the time..do they work, or are they bs? Thabk you so much for everything. I appreciate every bit of information!

 

Sorry, but there are no real "magic Band-Aids" for this, if you have a cracked component, it needs to be repaired or replaced.

[mikefocke]

Have you inspected the plugs to see if they are a uniform color?   Looked at the color of the oil to see if there is any contamination?  Noticed the oil level getting high?

[blancysteve]

Far be it for me to ever suggest to anyone to do a search for the information they're looking for. But, when the thread you start is nearly the exact same title as a thread only a few threads down the list on the main page... I just gotta laugh. And, I guess I'm beginning to understand all the old timers' frustrations. :)

http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic/32106-code-p1124-p1126-p0446/

No...you are just a c0ck [emoji12] , there is a serious chance that this gentleman's motor has taken a turn for the worst and a smart Aleck keyboard warrior like yourself must be some kick ! OP have the car towed and good luck!

[JFP in PA]

 

Far be it for me to ever suggest to anyone to do a search for the information they're looking for. But, when the thread you start is nearly the exact same title as a thread only a few threads down the list on the main page... I just gotta laugh. And, I guess I'm beginning to understand all the old timers' frustrations. :)

http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic/32106-code-p1124-p1126-p0446/

No...you are just a c0ck [emoji12] , there is a serious chance that this gentleman's motor has taken a turn for the worst and a smart Aleck keyboard warrior like yourself must be some kick ! OP have the car towed and good luck!

 

 

 

We do not tolerate this type of personal attack on RennTech; this is a clear violation of the forum rules and will result in a permanent ban if repeated.

[blancysteve]

I apologize for my negative comment it was meant tongue in cheek rather than derogatory.

OP: With regard to the trunk and condensation, I assume you have checked the coolant tank !?

Personally if this issue was a cylinder which had cracked your motor would not have run for so long, if so you are very lucky and your motor is recondition able , however a cracked liner may be more costly to replace than justifiable. A used motor may be the way to go.

We had similar issues on a track car. There were a few basic issues, leaking spark plug seals, worn injector, a faulty water pump and a leaking coolant tank. The 3 jobs along with a full service cured the issues. We had the same symptoms as your own car, our car had a hard life before coming to us, a lady owner who did not know what oil or a garage was let alone a service, not saying that these are your issue, however I would highly recommend looking at the basics before a motor strip.

[JFP in PA]

I apologize for my negative comment it was meant tongue in cheek rather than derogatory.

OP: With regard to the trunk and condensation, I assume you have checked the coolant tank !?

Personally if this issue was a cylinder which had cracked your motor would not have run for so long, if so you are very lucky and your motor is recondition able , however a cracked liner may be more costly to replace than justifiable. A used motor may be the way to go.

We had similar issues on a track car. There were a few basic issues, leaking spark plug seals, worn injector, a faulty water pump and a leaking coolant tank. The 3 jobs along with a full service cured the issues. We had the same symptoms as your own car, our car had a hard life before coming to us, a lady owner who did not know what oil or a garage was let alone a service, not saying that these are your issue, however I would highly recommend looking at the basics before a motor strip.

 

The current poster (HELLAS59) has tested positive for combustion by products in his cooling system in addition to losing coolant and having condensation above the tank area; which points to something a bit more serious than a failing cooling tank.

[blancysteve]

Our own car failed the same test, it would appear to be a failing water pump in our case !

[JFP in PA]

Our own car failed the same test, it would appear to be a failing water pump in our case !

 

Sorry, but I do not understand how a failing water pump allows combustion by products to enter into into the cooling system in quantity; do you have an explanation?

[mikefocke]

So what is the diagnostic approach?  Drop the oil pan and look upwards?  Inspect for debris?  Oil Filter inspection?  Would that eliminate the block and leave the heads as the suspect?  Inspect the spark plugs for differences in color?

[JFP in PA]

You can start by looking at the plugs, I would also plan a leak down on all cylinders, along with a pressure test of the cooling system.  Depending upon how the plugs read and the leak down, I would then bore scope the cylinder's that are the most likely candidates.

 

What worries me is the combustion by products in the coolant; there are a lot of ways for coolant to leak out of an engine, but when you start seeing combustion gases in the coolant, it is decidedly more serious and usually leads to a crack somewhere.  If it is in the cylinder head, it may be repairable, or the head can be replaced.  If it is in the cases, it becomes much more serious.