GuyMonnin

I can be a dumb a*s at times but a liar I am not. It leaked oil so bad that it actually caused smoke from the burning oil to flow into the cab through the HVAC system. Seriously. It leaked oil from the valve covers, the timing chain cover, the crank case and some other area that the mechanic said was seriously bad...It leaked oil onto the exhaust (stink/potential hazard) and onto the HVAC heater baffle. In order to reseal the car, the local Porsche dealer quoted $ 9,000 (included breaker down crank case etc). The shop I am working with quoted $ 8400.00. I asked how much for a rebuild..."about the same."

Then, the mechanic started taking it apart and thats where the cams, wear on the pistons etc. came to light.

amber lamps, If I tell you its not raining outside, you don't need to look out the window to verify. I'm a straight shooter.

SeanR

It's called sharing tech with the others on this board, who also, share tech. Hence the reason we are all in a Technical Discussion Board.

Laker

these oil leaks didn't happen overnight. The previous owner wasn't as **** and meticulous as he lead you to believe.


From my own experience: I spoke with the Previous Owner's mechanic, who said "This is the driest 964 around" What the PPI revealed: Chain Cover gaskets leaking, Power Steering pump drive shaft seal leaking.
Front Diff seal (C4 only) leaking. Actual mileage 34k.
Age 20 years, just like everyone else

KaiB

+964

swftiii

Guy,

All the oil leaks you just listed will be back shortly...these are standard equipment and don't even come close to requiring a re-build to address. My 11 years of ownership of 2 911 (97 - 993 and 91 - 964) have never seen a leak free car. I am planning on addressing some of the leaks as I have project time, but that is part of the fun of these cars.

As for leaking on the exhaust, I believe this is caused from over filling the oil. Checking oil level takes a process, so please read up on it and don't use the 'Honda' or 'Other Marquee' approach.

As far as your decision to keep the car...I am happy for you on that decision and in the end, give it a couple years, and you will absolutely love the car. When the sould of the 911 finally gets into you (assuming you will become an enthusiast) all of this will ultimately become worth it. The countless hours I've spent here, driving on the street, driving on the track, and the friends I have made all because of Porshe has been worth every penny I have ever spent on them.

My only suggestion at this point is to be sure to leverage the knowledge here as there are many more pitfalls that can be avoided and mechanics aren't always thinking about your wellbeing and financial situation.

You will love it...

-SKip

Amber Gramps

I appreciate the clarification on the quantity of oil, but that doesn't clear up the fact that your mechanic may have bilked you out of thousands of dollars.

Laker

Chain cover leaks often drip onto the exhaust.

Porsche964FP

And - If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

Ok I'm done - best of luck.

IXLR8

Upper and lower valve cover seals and 38 new socket head caps screws if you are picky about what they look like; about $100 from Sunset Porsche. Mine were leaking; they are bone dry now.

Both cam chain cover seals and 18 cam chain cover rubber seals; about $80.

Well under $200, whats the problem? Get some dirt under your fingernails!

Amber Gramps

That was freaky. Why is the quote twice as long as what was showing in the post????

...anyway. Leaks are part of the deal. Valve cover gaskets leak. I've personally replaced mine, with my regular valve adjustments, with the best on the market. They leak, so what?

Laker

I added the personal example after the fact with an <edit> so as not to do another post. Didn't realize it would retro actively update quotes. Lesson learned. So much for avoiding another post

stinkydog

If the oil leaks were really that substantial, the PPI wouldn't even have been needed. A simple 15 second inspection of the bottom of the car (and the previous owner's garage floor) would have sufficed.

And the guy's other thread here doesn't jive at all.

Either the car is "well maintained" or it is a leaky piece of "junk". Which is it?

There was definitely some dishonesty somewhere around here. Apologies and back-pedaling won't change that.

Amber Gramps

Kind of a ghost post, if you will....


again, Guy....I ain't calling you a liar, just the victim of emotion and circumstance. Hope it all gets sorted out. Truth be told I did my own PPI in a dark warehouse, without the use of my own tools, with my wife standing over me.

Quadcammer

why are you defending leaks? They are not normal, nor should an engine leak oil.

One would think such a renowned engineering firm could construct a product that didn't leak oil.

cobalt

Might be my PC but having issues with rennlist today after being away for a while.

I am not going to try to copy and paste all that i read but Guy I am glad to see you have calmed down a little.

I am sorry to hear your first 911 experience was such a bad one but as others have said there is only one person to blame.

I have owned most model Porsche's over the past 30+ years along with countless BMW's and other cars. There is no substitute Porsche is the most fun for the money. However you have to buy the right car. I have owned many 911's more than listed and I have had nothing but great experiences and made money on most of them when I sold after driving and owning them for many years.

Changing the thread's name to "Why you should never buy any used car without a PPI" is a good idea. I made the mistake of buying my last used BMW through a local dealership and it was CPO'd and it was the biggest disaster i had ever had to deal with. I figured since it was CPO'd I wouldn't need a PPI. After 2 years and a lot of back and forth with BMW it almost came to a lawsuit before the dealer gave in and purchased the car back from me for such serious problems and when I purchased it, it was only 2 years old low mileage car. So a PPI on a used car is a must no matter what.

Plain and simple you got snookered. If not by the previous owner by your mechanic. I just don't understand your motivation regarding anything you did. There is no sugar coating it, it was poor judgement on your part and nothing else that put you in the position you are now in.

So now that this is understood what do you plan on doing? You may be paying serious money for an engine rebuild that you might not have needed.

Did your mechanic say what caused the leak? It could have been any of hundreds of minor and a few major issues that can occur on an air cooled engine of this age.

For example I purchased and restored a 1974 914 2.0L that had it's engine rebuilt a few thousand miles before it was retired for 10 years because of the same persistent problem. The car had low miles and the smoke from the oil was so bad I was afraid it would catch fire. So I dropped the engine removed the shrouds and found that the $5 Bosch oil sending unit had failed and was the culprit. The pot metal housing broke and oil gradually sprayed over the entire engine making a huge mess. The wife of the original owner said the car suffered from the identical problem the engine was rebuilt for the first time. Since the owner was deceased she traded in the car. The sad part of it was that this owner gave up on the car when in fact it was his mechanic he should have given up on. The engine was perfect the problem should have been easily diagnosed but instead he charged the guy for an engine rebuild. When the problem came back he gave up. Very sad because all the aggravation could have been avoided for very little $$.

i would go back to your mechanic and press him for the exact problem and have him prove to you it was the culprit. If he can't you might consider other options.