NJ-GT

What I find much more frustrating is the pictures posted by Rob, where Porsche clearly acknowledges the defect, and puts a solution in place for the cars they run on endurance races, where a failure like this have a high cost for the Porsche Motorsports image.

They should issue a recall, or a TSB , the risk is pretty high.

In the hypothetical case that somebody wrecks a car due to a GT3 coolant leak known to be a defect, I wonder how Porsche would defend themselves on a lawsuit? this failure can cause an accident on racetracks or public roads.

It is probably time to send letters to Porsche asking for a campaign resolution. This company is too proud to issue a recall, so let them put another name on it (Safety campaign, TSB, whatever), but have them resolve it.

Or Porsche could wait passively, and have to deal with the victims of an unfortunate accident caused by this failure, and be forced to still fix everything out there plus the compensation for the victim loses. The consequences of this failure can be deadly.

dcottam

Anyone know if the threaded fittings are available to purchase anywhere? If the engine is going to be dropped, i would think switching the original fittings for threaded ones would be the preferable option?

Serge944

That would be an additional cost and is worse than welding, since you're introducing additional fasteners. By welding you're making it a single continuous piece.

Steve W

Admission of defect, assumption of liability.


Rad, all is well thanks. And Mike complains of the lack of TTOD competition and mentions you now and then - I think he misses you!

Rob S

The parts I showed were from a GT3 RS racecar. If you could find them (new or used), they'd likely cost a fortune and it wouldn't be worth it when there are other repair options that are cheaper. Also, they likely aren't exactly the same as street car parts and wouldn't be a direct swap in. Someone on this board (was it Savyboy?) did modify street car coolant manifolds to have threaded fittings like this. It was a beautiful job. But probably not cheap. Perhaps someone else can chime in with a link to that thread.

I agree that it may be more expensive than welding, but I think it would be the ultimate fix. I don't think that having a threaded joint would be a problem at all. That's how most fluid lines are attached on cars -- fuel lines, oil lines, brake lines and other coolant lines. And buildings have water, gas, and sewer lines that are threaded But to retrofit threaded parts would be a lot of work.

Serge944

There's nothing wrong with threads at all. I'm just having a hard time coming up with a single benefit to justify the additional cost. ...and the guys selling the aftermarket weld-in fittings were just misleading people into buying something they don't need.

savyboy

It was me. Why I take on some of these challenges I don't know I had new fittings CNC machined and the OE casting threaded. Fittings were locked in place for the next thousand years with the Loctite 2620. Impossible (within reason) to do in place so had to R&R engine.

Given an attention to detail (hard to find!) that Steve did on his "pinning" job I would personally prefer that solution if I needed this done. The huge challenge is finding someone to do this caliber of work. That is why up to now I would not have considered a pin job due to the concern of metal shavings getting into the engine coolant passages.

Some of my stuff below-massive overkill, as Steve says, the system operates around 15psi or less. Don't bother trying to find someone to do that, you wouldn't be willing to pay the price, and no shop would be willing to get the machine work done- it is a bitch to tap those castings on center.

Nizer

I believe that's already been tried and it's not like there's any lack of owner awareness for Porsche to claim ignorance. At this stage you'd likely be better served with a letter campaign to the NTSB.

911rox

It has been done by individuals but not on mass... The idea was floated several times to draft a standard letter and have each member send it... We need to follow through with some action rather than just the ideas... A cc copy to authorities like the NTSB would be even better!

Rob S

To Steve W, Savyboy, Dan at Sharkworks, and all the (other) people who have shown their beautiful welding jobs, congratulations and thank you for your creativity and willingness to share the details of your fixes. It's incredible to see these different solutions, each with their own benefits, all of which are likely to be plenty effective for what we have to do. I had mine welded, and I'm very happy with the results. But if i were doing it again, I'd consider one of the pinning methods to save some work. But I drool over what Savyboy did, because it's the kind of overkill I really appreciate as an engineer and car geek.

But with all the reports of catastrophic coolant pipe failures, and with all these resourceful privateers who have proven they can devise competent solutions to the problem, why is the mother ship still gluing those tubes in?

FFaust

Steve, thanks for taking the time to post this on here. It also shows that Porsche could initiate a campaign or issue a TSB at a reasonable cost, which would not require dropping all of these engines.

Pinning is very elegant, cheaper and easier, can be disassembled, and the hole can be welded shut down the road if the owner decides to go the TIG route.

Snowboarder54

This is an excellent thread. Luckily for me James locked mine tight when he did the 3.9 conversion two years ago. Before then every time I pulled into my garage and shut it down I could smell coolant. Took the car to the dealer several times early on and complained, they always said it checked out, no problems. Since the SW fix, no more coolant smell. Savyboy you are a maniac! But I like the way you roll, overkill is always good.

utkinpol

sure, they also should have issued recall for all motors with old dual row IMS bearing, also a recall for issues with 6th cylinder cooling resulting with U shape cracks, you can continue this list for a while. with gt3 cars it is just a loose hose, with m96/m97 motors is a total engine failure with no core to return.

AudiOn19s

Steve,
Since you were alraedy in there I have to ask your opinion. There are two more fittings on the 996 cars.

They are the two angled fittings highlighted in post 1 and post 4 of this thread
http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...ts-needed.html

Thoughts on if those are do-able in the car. I think more disassembly is required for the one behind the power steering pump, that is the fitting that blew on my car last year and I fixed with epoxy.

The other curved one I'm not sure how accessable it may or may not be.

Andy

Steve W

On a 996, if you're talking about this piece below, it's the same piece as on a 997, just a different variation and looks to be just as accessible:



997 version (below):



The other fitting if you're talking about this one on the 996 power steering bracket should be accessible after removing the power steering pump. You should be able to pin it on the side from the inside with an angle driver.



Post pics when and how you get it done for everyone's info.