low coolant level need help
#1
low coolant level need help
I hear tremendous things about this forum and the technical competencies of the members, so I hope you can help.
I just bought a 2003 996tt with 70k km. I got a low coolant light. went to dealership and they said they did a simple 20min pressure test and couldnt find a leak and added 1 liter of coolant.
there appears to be no history of coolant issues.
They told me to monitor it and i asked if would do a full pressure test (apparently up to 2hrs) another day. they said they would.
the car is still under warranty, so i assume they will not charge me for the full pressure test, if they dont find any leaks. or will they?
how common is it to lose that much coolant for a car this old?
what can this likely be? (coolant expansion tank?)
ive notice mainly blue (and not sure if white smoke) on start up on occassion. but i hear this is somewhat common.
I just bought a 2003 996tt with 70k km. I got a low coolant light. went to dealership and they said they did a simple 20min pressure test and couldnt find a leak and added 1 liter of coolant.
there appears to be no history of coolant issues.
They told me to monitor it and i asked if would do a full pressure test (apparently up to 2hrs) another day. they said they would.
the car is still under warranty, so i assume they will not charge me for the full pressure test, if they dont find any leaks. or will they?
how common is it to lose that much coolant for a car this old?
what can this likely be? (coolant expansion tank?)
ive notice mainly blue (and not sure if white smoke) on start up on occassion. but i hear this is somewhat common.
#2
You shouldn't be losing coolant.
I had a coolant leak when I bought my car, so I did ask questions and carried out a few searches. One weak point in the system is the cap on the expansion tank. Take it off and have a good look around the threaded section to see if there is a white crust. It's not an expensive part anyway so if you continue to lose coolant it's a cheap thing to try - just to rule things out.
Radiators are a common problem, because they are quite exposed. But a pressure check should have shown up any leak there.
My leak turned out to be a leaking connector in the engine bay, but it took several trips back to the dealer to find it.
I had a coolant leak when I bought my car, so I did ask questions and carried out a few searches. One weak point in the system is the cap on the expansion tank. Take it off and have a good look around the threaded section to see if there is a white crust. It's not an expensive part anyway so if you continue to lose coolant it's a cheap thing to try - just to rule things out.
Radiators are a common problem, because they are quite exposed. But a pressure check should have shown up any leak there.
My leak turned out to be a leaking connector in the engine bay, but it took several trips back to the dealer to find it.
#3
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What color is your cap on the coolant tank? If it is blue, then it needs to be updated with the black cap. They are a known issue, and most likely the cause.
#4
ETA : This thread reminded me that the last time I checked my coolant I thought it had dropped slightly. Just checked it again, and it appears I definitely do have a leak still. Not the original one (which was much faster) - but it's clearly dropped well below the min line (from max) in the last 4-5k miles or so.
Last edited by DaveK; 05-07-2010 at 04:49 PM.
#5
Race Director
I hear tremendous things about this forum and the technical competencies of the members, so I hope you can help.
I just bought a 2003 996tt with 70k km. I got a low coolant light. went to dealership and they said they did a simple 20min pressure test and couldnt find a leak and added 1 liter of coolant.
there appears to be no history of coolant issues.
They told me to monitor it and i asked if would do a full pressure test (apparently up to 2hrs) another day. they said they would.
the car is still under warranty, so i assume they will not charge me for the full pressure test, if they dont find any leaks. or will they?
how common is it to lose that much coolant for a car this old?
what can this likely be? (coolant expansion tank?)
ive notice mainly blue (and not sure if white smoke) on start up on occassion. but i hear this is somewhat common.
I just bought a 2003 996tt with 70k km. I got a low coolant light. went to dealership and they said they did a simple 20min pressure test and couldnt find a leak and added 1 liter of coolant.
there appears to be no history of coolant issues.
They told me to monitor it and i asked if would do a full pressure test (apparently up to 2hrs) another day. they said they would.
the car is still under warranty, so i assume they will not charge me for the full pressure test, if they dont find any leaks. or will they?
how common is it to lose that much coolant for a car this old?
what can this likely be? (coolant expansion tank?)
ive notice mainly blue (and not sure if white smoke) on start up on occassion. but i hear this is somewhat common.
Absent any fluid under car or strong smell of anti-freeze chances are good the "leak" is a bad cap. Replace it. You want a cap ending in part number 03 or 04. I can't speak to its color. Just go to the Porsche dealer parts counter and have parts department look up part # based your Turbo's VIN.
Add distilled water until level ok then install new cap and check coolant level every once in a while. If it drops again, there's a leak.
You'll have to ask the dealer if it performs a test to try to find the source of a symptom you report -- low coolant -- and finds no leak or no reason for the low coolant level if it will charge you the diagnostics time.
Sincerely,
Macster.
#7
i couldnt take it off by hand to see threads. is it that hard to remove?
i do notice some white residue in the overflow, but it seems too minor.
so i need to ask for black cap with 04?
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#8
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My leak was also at the cap. The replacement I got 2 years ago ends in .02 and is blue.
I havent had to add any water since changing the cap. I havent driven the car in 4 day and when I just opened it the system is still under pressure.
I havent had to add any water since changing the cap. I havent driven the car in 4 day and when I just opened it the system is still under pressure.
#9