Avar928

This is for an early '86 928S 32V. (Automatic too)

I was driving home when I started smelling something burning inside the cabin, sort of plastic-candle type smell which I now believe is oil or coolant. I turned on the fan and immediately saw white smoke puffing out from outside the passenger side and driver side. I turned off that fan and the smoke stopped. Now I'm panicking.

I manage to make it home steadily and slowly (she accelerated fine, no apparent disturbances to how she handled) and now she's in the garage cooling down.

Popped open the hood and no smoke.

No drips of oil coming from underneath.

However, when I close the hood, the "smoke" builds up I guess and I can see whiffs come out from the hood slit at the base of the windshield. I can still smell that oil smell.

Oil pressure dropped from 5 to 3 1/2. (Before when I start the car it pegs to 5 so it's not that reliable.)

Dipstick shows oil level after warmup at slightly lower than normal. No coolant traces seen in the oil. I took off the air filter housing and MAF and noticed a pool of coolant in the valley around the MAF. No coolant in the valley in the front of the engine. Where could it be coming from? I recently added a little more coolant last week as she appears to be losing a little bit. Maybe I added too much? Brand new overflow cap too.

But what would cause my gauge to peg down? It's never down that before.

She starts up normally still.

Earlier that day I went over a speed bump but there was a depression after it and I heard the spoiler hit the floor. Could it have knocked something off? It was rather hot that day (about 86) and coolant temp is horizontal the gauge (halfway to the last white mark).

Perhaps a seal somewhere?

I don't plan on starting her up out of fear

Update:

Seems the bump may have "fixed" my oil pressure sender into working correctly. Identified the leak as a coolant leak not an oil leak. Attempting to source it.

fraggle

You're fooked. I'll bring my compression tester over on the 29th, we can check everything.

Avar928

...head gasket? Damn it!

h011yw00d

This is a best case scenario - but take off your upper airbox and check that your heater valve isn't leaking onto the exhaust. Happened to me and I freaked at the smoke...

If your car was warmed up 3.5 oil pressure at idle isn't that odd (at least for me). Always starts pegged at 5 though same as yours.

Not sure how coolant could be getting in the valley. Hope it's not the head gasket, brother

Avar928

She's got a new heater control valve but I didn't replace the short hose. Short hose feels a little wet. I couldn't detect any splits. She's still hot so I'll remove it and inspect when it's cool. Hoping that it's that.

If it is the head gasket, and the engine requires pulling (can you do it with the engine still in there for S3s?), I guess an engine rebuild will be in the works.

How long would it take to pull it?

depami

Or short hose.


Edit: You beat me to it.

fraggle

It isn't bad but it is still a **** ton of work. If the heads need to come off I would pull it. We'll know for sure soon.

h011yw00d

Hmmm... It was when I replaced the valve and thought I had the hoses tight that the leak happened. Turns out all it took was another couple of turns on the clamps.

I wouldn't let the car cool down. You'll need the coolant flowing to see if there is a leak.

Avar928

Thanks fraggle and Drew. I'll order a short hose from Roger since it needs replacing anyways. Fraggle, we can go over everything on the 29th.

At least with the engine out, doing the timing belt and water pump and gears will be easier (Trying to look on the bright side of bad news) Can also do the motor mounts in a synch and a new brake master and a bunch of WYAITs.

fraggle

Everything is easier with the engine out. If we pull it, plan on oil pan studs and a silicon gasket, too. Might want to replace all the throttle cables and bs too. Hope you got a garage!

h011yw00d

Dude... my wallet just whimpered in commiseration. Lets hope it's an easy fix.

Avar928

Well, it's not too bad for me because I already have been buying pits and pieces over several months. I already have a porkentensioner, brand new Roger cam gears, all new belts and an oil pump gear and seal. She had an intake refresh and valve cover gasket refresh last year so I hope we can re use all those gaskets and seals since they are all pretty new (less than 2k miles on it).

It's a two-car garage. I still live at home. My dad's 911 is in there too though.

If we have to pull it, we can pull it in the garage and put the engine on stands then will have to push the car out into the drive way.

I'll need to borrow someone's hoist though. I can get an engine stand. How heavy is that engine anyways? Stands range from 800lb to 2,000 lbs and cost is $50 to $200.

SMTCapeCod

If the engine is out, can also do the torque tube bearings and clamp....Sorry!
Was having similar thoughts...
I'm not following the rationale for leaping to HG, but defer to expertise.
I'm a state away nowadays, but would be interested in helping out tomorrow or when more surgery is required.
Time to break it to your Dad that the turtle is getting the boot for a few days, though......
:-)


BTW...I recall in the lore that there is a pipe that is often in need of replacement on the back of the heads....is that 16V?

Avar928

32v. Might be the short hose to the heater control valve or some other one. I'm hoping that's the case. We'll dig into it next week.

Thanks for the help! Which state?

I tried taking the reservoir cap off but it's pretty pressurized and I can't seem to get it to budge. Will have to relieve by letting some coolant out from one of the hoses. I'm just wondering why the oil pressure dropped. I've never seen that happen before. I think it's when I hit the bump and the front bottomed that maybe something got dislodged.

Either way, I'll need a new a new oil level sender anyways. Then we can judge what's really going on.

depami

The oil pressure you indicated is normal. Maybe the bump jarred the sender into working properly. Check it with a mechanical guage to be sure.

There should be no pressure in the cooling system once it cools down. If the cap won't come off when cold there is something else wrong.

Definitely check the short hose before attacking anything else.

Hope it's that simple. Good luck.