Intermix issue - cracked cylinder head?

[Vish_ster]

Hello Porsche mates,

I came upon an intermix issue - coolant with oil, at least the coolant looks like chocolate shake (or coffee with a lot of cream). 

The usual symptoms before this discovery, 

1) Temperature indicator lit up even though the operating temperature was around 180F.

2) Coolant was very low, so filled up with coolant/water but noticed this not so salubrious coolant - very liquid still not sludge like a few other have seen.

3) May have overfilled cos an overnight leak was found near the right rear wheel....

 

I had the car towed to my mechanic, the next day, but while he hasn't completed the diagnosis, he does suspect a cracked cylinder head.

I am wondering about the oil cooler fault as seen in a few forum hits but not confirmed yet.

Oil is clean - not coolant there...

 

I may be looking at a $6K hit for this and on the wall towards fixing this, if confirmed as a cracked cylinder head.

Reasons

1) 2000 Boxster S has almost 185K on the odo - though new clutch, water pump, 2 AOS, fuel pump, 2 MAF and convertible transmission motors, and a bunch of other regular fixes....it may be worth just as much, $6K , so not sure if it worth spending as much, only to find another $K++ issue lingering around.

2) Suspension groans once in a while...

3) Cat throws a P0430 once in a while....

4) I've driven the car for 12yrs now so wonder if it is time for a change....

 

Appreciate your thoughts on

1) Is $6K a fair price for repairing a cracked head or should I shop around, if identified as the root cause?

2) Given the car's year and miles, is it worth fixing this issue? 

3) What should be a reasonable price for this car as a roller,  has the M030 package, and litronics but stock otherwise, if I decided to move onto something else?

 

I realize #2 is pretty subjective - I've enjoyed this car for many fun years and hate to let it go but plunking $KK into an 18yr old car, doesn't seem wise, even if I would like to keep the car.

 

Thank you for your time here.

 

Cheers,

Vish

[JFP in PA]

16 minutes ago, Vish_ster said:

Hello Porsche mates,

I came upon an intermix issue - coolant with oil, at least the coolant looks like chocolate shake (or coffee with a lot of cream). 

The usual symptoms before this discovery, 

1) Temperature indicator lit up even though the operating temperature was around 180F.

2) Coolant was very low, so filled up with coolant/water but noticed this not so salubrious coolant - very liquid still not sludge like a few other have seen.

3) May have overfilled cos an overnight leak was found near the right rear wheel....

 

I had the car towed to my mechanic, the next day, but while he hasn't completed the diagnosis, he does suspect a cracked cylinder head.

I am wondering about the oil cooler fault as seen in a few forum hits but not confirmed yet.

Oil is clean - not coolant there...

 

I may be looking at a $6K hit for this and on the wall towards fixing this, if confirmed as a cracked cylinder head.

Reasons

1) 2000 Boxster S has almost 185K on the odo - though new clutch, water pump, 2 AOS, fuel pump, 2 MAF and convertible transmission motors, and a bunch of other regular fixes....it may be worth just as much, $6K , so not sure if it worth spending as much, only to find another $K++ issue lingering around.

2) Suspension groans once in a while...

3) Cat throws a P0430 once in a while....

4) I've driven the car for 12yrs now so wonder if it is time for a change....

 

Appreciate your thoughts on

1) Is $6K a fair price for repairing a cracked head or should I shop around, if identified as the root cause?

2) Given the car's year and miles, is it worth fixing this issue? 

3) What should be a reasonable price for this car as a roller,  has the M030 package, and litronics but stock otherwise, if I decided to move onto something else?

 

I realize #2 is pretty subjective - I've enjoyed this car for many fun years and hate to let it go but plunking $KK into an 18yr old car, doesn't seem wise, even if I would like to keep the car.

 

Thank you for your time here.

 

Cheers,

Vish

 

Not a good day.  Intermix can come from either a cracked head or block casting, or a blown oil cooler.  Pulling and testing the oil cooler is simple and quick, replacing or repairing the head(s) not so much.

 

If it is the cooler, $200 for a new cooler, flush the cooling system a couple of times to clean it out, new coolant and you are back in business.  If it is one or both of the heads, it is a bear of a job, and I would start by dropping the engine out to work on it on a stand (doing so is typically quicker than trying to do it in the car).  If the head can be repaired, you are still going to pay $1-2K just to fix the head and go through them, which does not cover pulling or refitting the engine, just repair the heads, and there are only a couple of shops I would use for this type of repair.

 

Good luck...............

[Vish_ster]

Thanks, JFP - I knew you would be the first one to respond! 

Appreciate your thoughts...

 

Ya - kind of down that my daily of 12yrs is in this state...but such is life when it throws these unexpected bumps on the road!

Let me see what comes out from the diagnosis of my Indy here.....

Do any of these head repair shops exist in the Phoenix area?

My Indy - Stuttgart Southwest, has worked on my car during entire ownership and it seems like they can address this cracked head too.

[JFP in PA]

8 minutes ago, Vish_ster said:

Thanks, JFP - I knew you would be the first one to respond! 

Appreciate your thoughts...

 

Ya - kind of down that my daily of 12yrs is in this state...but such is life when it throws these unexpected bumps on the road!

Let me see what comes out from the diagnosis of my Indy here.....

Do any of these head repair shops exist in the Phoenix area?

My Indy - Stuttgart Southwest, has worked on my car during entire ownership and it seems like they can address this cracked head too.

 

The only place I would use is Hoffman Automotive Machine, Inc. in Watkinsville GA.

[Ahsai]

A used engine may not be a bad alternative in this case. Check out the seller qualityporscheparts on ebay and they take reasonable offers and have a grrat reputation.

 

This is one example.

[xr_guys]

Vish,

 

The 6 K is about right, depend on your location?

Reuse the old engine

·        Remove engine from the car 8 hrs

·        Need two recondition heads $1500 (each x 2) $3 k total

·        Pull head from the engine 4 hrs

·        Re-seal the engine with new gaskets 4 hrs

·        Reassemble the the engine and reconnect wiring harness  4 hrs

·        Install engine 8 hrs

·        Run and flush old coolant 2X to removed contaminated coolant 4 hrs

·        Miscellaneous work 4 hrs

 

Keep in mind after all of that, you still have 186K miles on the bottom end. You may be able to find a lower miles engine for $4500 and $1500 for installation. It goes back to about the same cost but with half of the miles.

 

XR