IPSC

Ok I did a search and didn't come up with anything. After I drive my 89 944 Turbo any distance foam appears in my coolant reservoir. The foam is white and the collant is still green. There does not appear to be any oil involved and the level of coolant is almost over the top mark (thanks to the previous owner) and the car runs very cool all the time. Do 951s do this or am I seeing the beginings of something EVIL?

IPSC

pete944

Check to be sure there isn't any coolant in your oil. I'm thinking the foam may be from exhaust gases which would mean...head gasket.

I hope I'm wrong.

mdex

Yep... I am going to vote Head gasket as well... if it is just starting to go you can get that bit of "foaming" in the coolant tank before you see mixing of oil and coolant. Better to fix it now before it gets worse (read more expensive).

I feel for you... I just had the same thing. The important thing is to figure out why it is going and fix that, otherwise you might destroy the new one once it is installed.

Yabo

is it just me, or shouldnt the coolant be the orange kind anywya? or is there green phosphate free?

i know this doesnt help... but just checking

IPSC

I intend to change out the coolant to the orange stuff but with this now happening that has been bumped down on the priority list. I just looked at the collant cold and no trace of oil so this may be in the begining stages?

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IceShark

Before you have a heart attack, it sounds like you have never flushed the coolant system as long as you have had the car. Try that and see if problem is still there.

If there has ever been a mix of oil and coolant some people will run soap through the system, like Dawn, and may not have purged out the system well enough to get rid of all the soap.

Peckster

I have green phosphate-free in mine. Not sure what the brand is, my mech puts it in.

When in doubt, think....HEAD GASKET!!!

The next phase might be rough idle on cold start-up for a few seconds, which indicates coolant in a cylinder.

IPSC

The car is new to me so no I haven't flushed the sytem out yet. I will try it but knowing the POs level of knowledge i doubt he ever did that.

IPSC

jonnybgood

Wouldn't a compression test verify the blown head gasket theory? I hope for you that it only needs flushing.

Peckster

Not if it's just starting. A leakdown test might.

karlfrevans

An o ring in the turbo cooling system has probably failed. This is a common occurence as the 951 ages. The failed o ring allows oil to mix in with the coolant, making the coolant foamy.

You need to get this fixed immediately. You risk coolant in your oil as well as oil in your coolant. Do not delay!

IPSC

Ok how to trouble shoot this? Also if this is a blown head gasket, this might explain why the number 2 cylinder is 20 psi less than the other three. Now I still don't see any oil in the collant. Just green foam. Can this sit undriven for at least a month as I have to take a trip here at the end of the week and I won't be back till late June? The car isn't daily driven anyway.

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Devia

I think NOT driving it would be a good idea right now.

Sounds like there could be something else causing failure, I am not sure. You might try X-posting in the Turbo area.

- Julie

IPSC

good Idea on both counts. It is my Second Porsche so It only gets driven when "I am Feeling Froggy." The annoying thing is it has to sit till I get back from my trip. This will be something weighing on my mind the whole time. Head gasket replacement... Oh well this gives me a reason to refresh the head and get the headers and cross over pipe ceramic coated and...

IPSC

Manning

To go off topic a bit, check out this info from Prestone's FAQ:

Q: Does Prestone® Antifreeze/Coolant contain phosphates?
A: Some European automobile manufacturers request that a phosphate-free antifreeze be used in their vehicles. This issue is related to the extremely high mineral content of the water in Europe. If you were to mix an antifreeze that contained phosphates with the type of water they have in Europe, it may produce deposits that can settle in the cooling system and promote corrosion. However, in North America we do not have this type of water problem. Typical North American coolants have contained phosphates (which is part of the corrosion inhibitor package) for many years. Therefore, the question of phosphates is a non-issue here in North America. Prestone® Antifreeze/Coolant is completely safe for use in both foreign and domestic vehicles. For those consumers who would feel more comfortable using a phosphate-free antifreeze, our Prestone® Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant is phosphate, silicate, and borate free. This coolant uses a special chemistry and technology that extends the life of the corrosion inhibitor package so that it lasts for five years or 150,000 miles (whichever comes first), and is safe for all cars and light trucks (old or new). Prestone® Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant has been approved by General Motors under their DEX-COOL® specifications and is compatible with other DEX-COOL® approved coolants.

The Peak FAQ has almost the same explanation.