turbo944

Okay....I have been trying to bleed my 951 cooling system per the directions in the owner's manual as it was a bit low on coolant. Seemed to even out the temp gauge when I did so, although I had some air in it the first time and it caused it to overflow after I stopped and I heard it gurgling some.

I refilled it, bled it again properly after cooling it down and last night it seemed to do great, but the coolant level dropped after it cooled off again, to the tune of about a quart. So I put more in it tonight, drove it (it drives great, strong boost, never gets hot) and brought it home, and the coolant filled into the tank a bit as it sat, but didn't overflow, just a tiny bit above the max spot and I put a tiny bit too much water in it to start tonight, so I thought that was pretty good. Well, I stood there for a minute and heard a splash and looked down and coolant was running off of the front splash guard. Not a whole lot, just a bit...like it had squirted through a pinhole leak in a hose somewhere that had let go. It quit fairly quick and didn't leak anymore after that. I have checked the oil level for the last few days and the oil all appears fine, same level, hasn't changed, no weird smells, no weird colors, so I don't think it's the oil cooler, but rather some hose, perhaps the one running coolant to the turbo.

Right now I can't work on the car myself really as my right hand got busted up a couple of weeks ago doing some metalwork and I just had the stitches removed and can't use it because where it's at I'll tear it open again easily.

Can anyone please tell me what up front there on these cars could leak besides the hose I'm thinking about?? I've never had the front splash guard off yet and I'm not even sure what up under there it might be or how much trouble it would be to replace.

I'm going to top off the coolant level again with distilled water after it cools off to see how much spilled out, I'm going to think about a quart although it didn't do this yesterday. There is absolutely no white smoke at all and until yesterday tbe coolant level has been a little low, but not very much.

Any help please???

Thanks!!!!!

ELLSSUU

Hard question since the splash guard will make the coolant "run." Obviously check your hoses but another cause may be the fan switch. They are infamous for being over torqued and thus causing leaks.

Best bet, after your hand is fixed, is to take off the splash guard, fill it up and clean the underneath of your car of all liquids. Run it long enough to make the thermostat open and then park it on a piece of clean cardboard. Then look for where the leak is coming from. If you can't immediately find it at least the cardboard will clue you in to the vicinity.

turbo944

Okay...I'll check that...I haven't messed with it since I've owned it, so I hope it suddenly hasn't decided to leak.

Thanks...I'll try that if I can't track down where it's coming from. I forgot the overflow was there. I think I have to do more bleeding is what all of the opinions are coming to at the moment. It just hasn't blown over before because I've never left enough coolant in it to do so and it's always been below the point where it can.

Thanks!!!!

turbo944

Well I did some more testing last night after getting home and it appears I didn't screw the overflow tank cap on very well the first time when it burped over...that's why it seemed more like a leak the second time than the first time it happened and bone-headed I probably introduced more air into the system then when the level went down after it cooled off and didn't bleed it again right away. No leaks, water pump is pumping fine, no hoses looked like they were leaking and no leaking last night after I did some bleeding again twice. I guess after that first time I got more air out and the coolant level stayed stable, but I could still tell there was a little air in the system somewhere, so I'll bleed it 3-4 more times this week before really driving it again.

All I can say is a huge thanks to all who replied and for the help and ideas. I have been planning on changing out all of the fluids this year myself (woohoo..I get to bleed again!..well hopefully not blood as well next time...hehe) and I think I'll try to get a bunch of those hoses and replace them when I do the coolant.

Thanks guys!!!!!