quick968

2003 996TT, 44,000 miles, bone stock AFAIK. Last few months driving I would get a whiff of coolant smell getting out after shut down, occasionally smell it at stop lights as well if the wind was right. Nothing visible on the ground or on car till last week, now a couple tiny drops at the left front corner. Coolant level in rear tank normal. Un-did the 659 screws and push rivets and pulled off the splash guard plastic. The left primary radiator appears to have a slight seepage at the tank-to-core crimp area in the corner area around where the top hose inserts. The hose and plastic casting above the crimp areas are dry so I thinks it's isolated there. No damage such as rocks or dents to the core visible. Simple R&R operation, looks easy peasy. Question is do I replace it outright or can/should it be repaired? Sonnen lists them at $460.52. Ebay has a few vendors in the $360-375 range, though it's unclear if these are original Porsche or "OEM" knock offs. Also, whichever solution is suggested, I assume I should also replace both upper and lower soft hoses? Anyone else encounter leaks around the radiator tanks?

Cheers
Mikey

rmc1148

I would replace it myself as I have not had great luck with repaired radiators and I like new.I would search oem part# on google etc and buy cheapest oem part from acknowledged vender then its done right also do replace hoses etc cheap insurance.Im sure you will get other opinions but thats mine lol.Good luck.

blockhed

Mikey did you call pelican or Suncoast? Do it yourself and while there check fittings in the front.

Turbohead

This is a common failure .
sometimes leaves and other junk collect in that area and rot it out because of temp disparity and acids from decaying leaves.
Porsche should have put screens in.


Elliot

Macster

Replace. Not since radiators were made out of brass/copper I have *not* had any luck having them repaired or repairing them myself.

As for the hoses, unless the hoses show signs of deterioration -- getting soft/mushy -- they'll be fine.

Not too long ago, I looked into replacing the hoses in my 02 Boxster now with over 261K miles and the tech told me that unless an inspection turns up signs of hose deterioration they'll be fine. He says the coolant hoses are quite long lived. (I do have the coolant drained and replaced with fresh every 4 to 6 years.)

A test you can do is to give the hoses a squeeze close to where they connect to a fitting. Try to push your finger tips through the bottom of the hose. Hoses generally degrade fastest at where they connect to a fitting and at their bottom.

If it feels like you could push your fingers through the hose is bad.

Chances are you'll find the hoses just fine.

Now if you find a bad one my mechanic friends always advised me to replace all hoses. Even the small hoses that run to/from the heater core and other places.

In other cars this was not too big a repair bill. For the Boxster the tech gave me a rough estimate with parts (hoses) and labor the cost could run to over $1000. I never bothered to get a firmer estimate since he told me the hoses were fine (then) and are fine still.

Dare I point out the cost to replace the hoses on a Turbo would probably be higher? And it may be the engine would have to come out.