Hey everyone,
I just had my radiator replaced in my 84 928S and just started having this happen or noticing this strange noise when I accelerate faster or press the pedal down more. Basically it gives the nice normal purr of the car but for some reason on occasions when I try to accelerate more, i'll hear an odd sorta rattly kinda sound like it's trying to accelerate but not having much success... the strange thing also is that the rpm shoots up a little too (like around 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 or 3) but the speed doesn't that much... any idea on what this might be and if it's possible that because I just replaced the radiator, it might have triggered something else?
Also, the engine sounds very hmm loud... i'm starting to wonder if people stare because of the car or the noise it makes
Any help/suggestions/ideas in regards to this would be great, thanks!

 

Manual trans?

 

It's an automatic actually... this only happened after I had the radiator replaced so I wonder if it was triggered by that etc... it almost feels like when you have the car in park or etc, and you press the pedal down and it just revs up the engine and is really loud but you're not going anywhere etc. Like I said, i'll be goin at a normal speed and some reason, it'll raise my rpm up a bit and becomes loud but my speed doesn't increase much. Do you think it might be a transmission thing? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

 

When they changed out the radiator they probably did not refill the tranny fluid to the correct level. I don't know for your year, but the tranny cooler is probably part of / or associated with the radiator. The replacement of the radiator removed some of the AT tranny fluid from the system.....and now it is low causing the problems you are seeing. Read your owners manual on how to check the fluid for the trans.

Had this happen to a friends car once. An accident required the replacment of the radiator and the integral auto trans cooler. Shop didn't top off the tranny fluid and the car had the same problem(s) you are describing. Once the fluid was topped off....all was fine.

 

Thanks for the reply heh... I was thinking it might have been the fluid level or something but wasn't sure... I'll go have the transmission fluid checked right away. Thanks!

 

&lt;sigh&gt; well, transmission placed checked the fluid.. it was really low... but they discovered the problem... the fluid is supposed to go through the radiator area and back to the transmission area... it doesn't seem to be going back but rather mixing with the radiator/coolant and overflow.. ie, the fluid was leaking out after they replaced the radiator. Apparently it might be the tank where the coolant and transmission fluid go through but for some reason are being mixed together (crack/leak perhaps?)
Now it's more waiting time for me... they gotta recheck the radiator and tanks etc, do an engine flush if the fluids gotten into that and etc etc.
Thanks everyone for the help. I wouldn't have known where to start after i started getting the problems after getting the radiator replaced
.

 

Man, that sucks.....sorry to hear it....keep us posted.

 

Hmm keeps getting worse it seems... well, i know I didn't have any trans/radiator mix problems before but there was a leak in the radiator so got that replaced... but it seems that only after they replaced it, I was having the problem with the transmission fluid not going back to the transmission etc... they said that it's probably a crack in the tank where the transmission fluid and coolant fluid go through etc causing the mix and they are fixing it now but said it will cost me another grand or so. This totally bites. Is it possible that when they replaced the radiator, they could have damaged the tank? I mean, I know I didn't have the problem with the transmission fluid and coolant getting mixed together in the tank before but it kinda bugs me and I am starting to think they are just trying to get more money out of me.
Also, a crack in the radiator or in the tank can't be repaired? I am wondering why it's all about part replacement etc... I am thinking it can't be that big of a crack but they say that the thing needs to be replaced. And should I worry about my transmission after this?

 

If the problem is a leaking side tank on the radiator, you CAN replace only the tank. I recently had this done on mine. In your first post you said you just had the radiator replaced. If this is the case it definitely should not be leaking - either you got a defective radiator or it was installed incorrectly. Either way since you just paid for a new radiator, I recommend you do NOT shell out another $1000 to fix the same problem. I would either go back to the shop that originally installed the radiator and make them fix it (do you have a warrantee?) or get another opinion from a mechanic you trust who knows 928s.

I'm sure someone on the list can recommend a trustworthy mechanic in Vancouver.

Anyway, good luck and be wary of shops that just want to replace and replace some more. A new radiator should not be leaking.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

I agree with that.

Return the radiator.

It should not be leaking trans fluid into the water...

 

Well, I'm pretty much an expert in 928 radiator problems~

See my "The Devek Radiator" threads for the details. How NOT to fix a problem-

First of all, the cooler that exchanges transmission heat to the coolant CANNOT be fixed. It is also a VERY hard part to find- though it may be helpful for you to know that this is the same part as the oil cooler.

Second...it is obvious that you picked up a defective replacement radiator. If you bought it from 928 International, 928 Specialists, or Devek...then you are in some luck: You'll probably get some/all of your money back. If you just bought it over Ebay or something...learn from the experience.

Third: Hope and pray that your transmission was not destroyed. You see, the transmission fluid develops some pressure while you drive, so it is possible for transmission fluid to get into your coolant. This hurts the ability of the coolant to transfer heat, of course...but this isn't the real concern. The concern is that coolant made its way to your transmission. Since transmission fluid pressure disappears when you shut the car down...and coolant pressure STAYS near 13 psi until the car cools down, it is possible that coolant [hello! water--] was "injected" into your transmission!

Uhmm...this is an un-good situation~

My advice: First of all, change ALL of your fluids. Do NOT drive the car until you get the radiator changed! If you cannot find a PROVEN radiator with a tranny cooler, then you'll have to buy a non-cooler radiator and fit an external, air-to-oil cooler.

Good Luck!

Normy!
'85 S2 5 Speed

PS: It makes things easier if you specify the year and transmission type of your car when you post.

 

Normy,

Very good post!

jumpydude,

I need to add just one thing - what you probably have going into your transmission is not water - it should be a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze. Unfortunately, antifreeze/coolant is made of ethylene glycol, which DESTROYS the lubricating properties of oil - including transmission fluid. If you drive the car with coolant in the transmission, it will probably result in severe damage.

We have no idea of what you have bought from whom, nor what the responsibilities of the various people involved are - but you surely need to get this resolved ASAP!

 

Well, I got my car back now... good thing was that at the transmission place before, they said the mixture of coolant/trans fluid wasn't getting back into the transmission so it should be safe there. Had the engine flushed and the cooling system etc... radiator replaced again, hopefully this time it will work. Kinda a lot of hassle and should've been done right the first time.
I should have known something was up when they replaced the radiator for less than I thought it was worth.
Oh the same note, are there any good reliable and reasonably priced porsche mechanics that are recommended by you guys in the Vancouver, B.C. Canada area?
I've had enough hassles and don't need all of this because it's looking like I am spending more and more money on it without the proper people looking into it. And the dealer charges way too much for labour.

 

Dude,

I would get a second opinion as to whether the coolant was getting into the transmission fluid. (It is in their best interest to tell you that it wasn't.) It would be prudent to have the fluid changed in order to determine this. If it in fact was, I would probably have it changed monthly until there are no longer any signs of it in the tranny fluid! (And send the bills to the @#$%& shop that put you in this situation.

 

Best Porsche shop value by far is Andy Haglund's SCAN Automotive in North Vancouver.

I have to take a ferry, drive 2 hours but trust Andy for any work on my GTS, Audi V8 and other 928's we had in the past.