Oil leak and occasional puff of smoke
07-17-2003, 05:51 AM
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Track Day
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Oil leak and occasional puff of smoke
Just got my first 911 or any Porsche for that matter. It is a 76 with a 83 3.0 and Weber carbs. Also has lots of other upgrades including Konis, larger sway and torsion bars all around. Car is great shape and a medical condition prevented the previous owner from driving any significant mileage in th elast ten years. Finally got the car registered and drove it to work for the first time today.
Now to my question. The car has an oil leak. When I first got the car it left a 4" puddle in my garage within a couple of hours of parking it but then the leak slowed down. I checked the oil and it was at the max so I drained a few quarts out. This helped the problem but did not totally correct it. I believe some oil was overflowing out the oil breather on the oil tank. The oil leaks drips from the front of the engine and drips off the passenger side exhaust. When I first start driving it I can smell the oil on the exhaust burning. This goes away in about 5-10 minutes. Finally, occasionally on a tight left hand turn (at least 90 degrees) I will get a quick puff of smoke coming into the interior though the vents. I assume the oil is puddling up somewhere above the exhaust and that hard left hand turn causes it to spill onto the exhaust. I haven't spent alot of time trying to find the problem yet, as I said I just got the car.
Anyone have any suggestions for where to start to look for the problem?
Thanks
rhk109
Now to my question. The car has an oil leak. When I first got the car it left a 4" puddle in my garage within a couple of hours of parking it but then the leak slowed down. I checked the oil and it was at the max so I drained a few quarts out. This helped the problem but did not totally correct it. I believe some oil was overflowing out the oil breather on the oil tank. The oil leaks drips from the front of the engine and drips off the passenger side exhaust. When I first start driving it I can smell the oil on the exhaust burning. This goes away in about 5-10 minutes. Finally, occasionally on a tight left hand turn (at least 90 degrees) I will get a quick puff of smoke coming into the interior though the vents. I assume the oil is puddling up somewhere above the exhaust and that hard left hand turn causes it to spill onto the exhaust. I haven't spent alot of time trying to find the problem yet, as I said I just got the car.
Anyone have any suggestions for where to start to look for the problem?
Thanks
rhk109
07-17-2003, 05:13 PM
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I have a reasonable guess at your problem. I did the same. You probably overfilled your oil. Your oil does not register the correct level until it is warm (warm means registering over the top of the big white box on the temp guage). I blew out white smoke for a while because I overfilled the oil. Once you overfill it, even if you drain some oil, the resididual will blow out smoke for a while. The good news: Your car is probably okay. But - Don't check your oil until you know it is warm, which usually takes several minutes. (Don't get impatient!) And don't overfill it - It's okay to be right in the middle of the two oil lines on your dipstick.
Now - about your oil leak - it may be related to your overfilling.
I had a leak in the regulator valve right in front of the right rear tire. Once I replaced the valve - the car doesn't leak. By the way, if you do leak, and it's just little spots now and then - don't worry too much about it. That's 911-land.
Now - about your oil leak - it may be related to your overfilling.
I had a leak in the regulator valve right in front of the right rear tire. Once I replaced the valve - the car doesn't leak. By the way, if you do leak, and it's just little spots now and then - don't worry too much about it. That's 911-land.
