As some of you may have seen, my dad and I have started the process of sorting out the oil leaks from the engine of my new car. These leaks came up in the PPI and the probable repair cost was factored into the final purchase price. So, I'm not freaking out about them, they just got me wondering how common 964 oil leaks really are. You always hear that all 911 engines leak oil, but is that really true? Please vote on whether or not your car leaks oil (and from where), and share some of your experiences here. Which leaks are really common (lower valve covers?) and which are you afraid of (head gasket, what's that?).

Thanks,
James

 

One does (Grey).
One doesn't (Silver).

 

I was convinced that mine weeps oil from the lower valve covers and that this would be rectified when the car got serviced, since the service included new valve covers. However, it has continued weep oil so now I am not so sure if this is the cause.

 

Cam housing gasket, spraying a mist around the engine compartment under heavy load and high R's (DEing).

 

Valve covers and O rings, for at least 6 years. Leaves a drip or two on the garage floor from time to time, and a mist on the rear deck after autobahn speeds..
The leaks are much better when the car is used regularly, which is most of the time. They make no difference to me, but I'll get them looked out whenever the engine is eventually dropped.

 

Mine once weeped from the head/cylinder/case until a retorque of the cylinder bolts was performed about 8 months ago. Now it's bone dry.

Bill
90C2

 

Oil leaks?? In a 964??
JK. Had 2, both eventually started weeping. As for myself, I don't worry about it. The $5,000 repair can go other more useful things, IMHO. I'd just verify it is the weeping head, if I were a new 964 owner.

 

I hope not as it's being rebuilt...

 

My leaks after the rebuild were from the hoses external to the engine. I replaced them all. No leaks

 

Don't be overly optimistic about that. Sometimes they still weep a bit after a rebuild. Mine is doing it and it's only 700 miles post rebuild. I'm taking it back in to the guy that rebuilt it to see if he can find the source and secure it, but there are no guarantees. However, mine is weeping only very slightly. Not even enough to drip on the floor (yet). Seems to be coming from somewhere in the back of the engine. Either a pipe or something. Not the valve covers. And it seems to weep worse under heavy load (track).

But, my thoughts in general are that all 911's (with few exceptions) leak or weep at least a little bit of oil. It just seems to be the nature of the engine design. Prior to my engine rebuild, I just cleaned the engine case off from underneath about once a month to keep things neat and tidy. It never seemed to leak enough oil to get too excited about.

 

My previous C2 did not leak at all but just before it went it developed a leak from the oil pipes in the rear wheel arch. My current C4 leaks from everywhere possible but as it is undergoing a rebuild at the moment I hope it will come back dry!

 

I have heard the term "Exxon Valdez" thrown when describing the undersides of certain 911+ engines... so I don't worry about my occasional drip here and there...

 

Mine weeps slightly, used to be bone dry. Mechanic reckons it's from the throughbolt o-rings. Not worth fixing now. Will leave until engine drop one day. The basic rule is that if you can't watch it dripping, it won't cause any harm bar annoyance. So the occasional drip to me is just confirmation that:
A. It's is a true 911
B. There is still oil in it!

Just joking off course.....

 

The question for my car is where does it not leak? Well as long as it pulls strong and I keep oil in it, a rebuild will have to wait. The cost of rebuilds is just crazy. I am hoping that I can gain enough knowledge to do it myself one day.

 

My new car ('91 C2) is dry.
My cab with 226K miles has a few drips. It still runs well so I tolerate it.