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Despite the time I spent reading threads about oil leaks on 964s, I still need some help to identify the source(s) of the oil leaks I have.
Here is what I see on the right side :
You can see the drop ready to fall, close to the spark plug hole.
Does anyone have an idea about where does this come from ? Any help will be appreciated !
Thanks
Alexis
That looks 964 normal. And your engine looks very dry to me. What year is your car? That could be something as simple as weeping from the valve cover gaskets. Or if it is a car without a cylinder to head gasket it could be weeping from there.
The lower valve cover gasket goes around the stud on the far left and is 2" away from where that drop is weeping. The upper gaskets almost never leak. So that more than likely is going to be from the gasket that sits between chain-housing and camshaft housing. Unless it is leaking a bunch more than in your photo, or more than you are comfortable with, would be better served just waiting for some other engine out maintenance job, like a clutch replacement to tackle this at the same time.
You are right Jason and agreed that is most likely the source. This can be repaired but it is a big job and much easier with the engine out. Not necessarily engine out if that is the only thing you want to fix.
See this thread where I repaired this leak after I had my engine out but failed to replace the gaskets in this area. Post #34 is the area Jason is talking about. https://rennlist.com/forums/964-foru...t-o-rings.html
As others have said, that looks incredibly dry for a 964 to me. I would invest in a baking pan underneath the rear of the car. If you get some serious pooling over the course of a few weeks, then you have a leak that is potentially worth addressing.
Thank you all for your answers ! This helps a lot. I read the threads you linked.
I cleaned all greasy surfaces under the engine and tried to locate the leak, this is why it looks so "dry". What scares me the most is that the quantity of oil leaking looks big... Here is what fell from it in approximately 45 minutes (please don't mind the old shower curtain and dirty finger ) :
What do you think ? I'm not comfortable with leaks in general, they tend to scare me.
What year is your car? How many miles or kilometers?
This problem is super typical with all our cars around 30 years old now. Unless you engine has been dropped before for a complete replacement of all the gaskets then this is typical.
In the thread I referenced earlier it is possible to just address the cam housings gaskets without dropping the entire engine and then see where you end up. The engine will probably require re-timing unless your mechanic has experience with this job without requiring it.
The car is from 1992, 93000 km so 58000 miles. I don't know if all the gaskets have been replaced before, but it's unlikely since the car spent the last 8 years in Germany and it was not done there. Before that, it was in Japan.
I may have the ability to change the gaskets myself, but the timing looks difficult. I do this on single cylinder motorbikes but it's really easy compared to Porsche flat-six...
You can do the timing in the car, the problem is you are alone, in your garage, it is hard to access some areas, and it is your first time doing things. Trust me I understand the fear. Plus your air conditioner bracket is probably not modified so you have to pull off the crankshaft pulley. So you need a few special tools $$, cam shaft gear holder, the crankshaft pulley holder to torque that back down, etc. Not to mention the timing bits and top dead center piston stop locator. If you are part of the fearless DIY crew then of course we are here to help.
I would love to do it myself, because I think this is the best way to really know the car in every detail. But I must admit that I have a fear of breaking something or do it wrong. Your thread is a real help to understand what is going on with this leak.
About the special tools, are they easy to find ?
Ok- after 45 mins- I'll give you that it weeps a little. Still not a "bad" leak.
Here's what i have to add:
First - never worry about breaking something on a 964. If it were a Volkswagen Beetle, you wouldn't think twice, and it's basically a big beetle engine. A bucket of bolts, and there is a process for everything. Anyone who can read the writing on a wrench, can do the job.
Second: when it comes to most leaks weeps etc, it's not like you are just going to all of a sudden dump all the oil out of the motor. So there really isn't anything to worry about. Watch your oil pressure and oil level. If you have oil in the car and you have oil pressure, you are good whether it's dripping or not. So breath out a little and don't worry. Drive the car until you are ready to dig in and fix it.
As to finding the leak- put it on jack stands, take the cat and primary and secondary mufflers out, then remove the tins like you would for a valve adjustment...so far you will have had to use a 10mm socket and a couple 13mm wrenches- not hard. Your leaks will become apparent as you will have lots of visibility. And then take it from there. If it's easy- hit them yourself, if not, button back up and send it to a shop. Likelihood is easy.
the timing looks difficult. I do this on single cylinder motorbikes but it's really easy compared to Porsche flat-six...
It is not necessarily a difficult thing to do but its also easy to mess up. You might want to get a valve-adjustment or two under your belt before tackling camshaft removal/installation. I would get a quote from a local (non-dealership) shop and then compare that with what you will spend on tools and your time. Just realize that the odds of you completing this in a single weekend is less than zero.
Thank you for all your messages, they're all really helpful to me. Today, I completed the shocks fitting on the car, so no time to tackle the oil leaks. Tomorow, I will have a look at the engine with exhaust, cata and tins removed (I'm sure I know how to do this, I changed the spark plugs two months ago...). And then, I'll see. The local Porsche Center is useless here, as they don't want to hear of cars older than 996. But I may have a vintage Porsche specialist around, I will call him too.
The bad news of the day: there is another leak on left side, and I think this is the gasket between chain housing and camshaft housing too... Two pictures : the driver side leak, and the puddle this afternoon.
Once again thanks a lot for your help, I really appreciate how you take time to guide me trough this.
Alexis
05-18-2020 | 01:15 PM
Another topic about oil leaks
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