964 Oil Leaks (alot)
 

Well, this is no doubt not a new subject as we are all well aware of the notorious 3.6 leaks. I had a mechanic put it on a lift and he said that where the oil leaks can get expensive (and where it is common) are the thru bolt seals and mine are fine. However, he said the leaks are coming from the oil coolers, timing sensors and it would also be a good idea to replace the oil lines. Does this sound sincere and is there anything else you should change when you drop the engine to prevent the leaks. Any type of checklist out there?

Thanks much.

I've spent countless hours under mine and it still leaks. I've given up, save every piece of cardboard bigger than 2' square and carry an extra quart with me at all times. Lower valve covers are next for me. After that, the only thing left is all of the oil lines, return tubes and a reseal of the engine. Not ready for any of it yet, so it'll continue to slowly weep at me.

Not trying to threadjack, but mine drips a bit when I leave it parked for a couple of days. I notice it leaves its mark down the centerline of the car, but in the middle of the rear axle area, not rearward. Is this an engine oil drip, or could it be the transaxle?

Hi gosmaryynes and alfred_hybrid. I have been advised that even after a rebuild that would fund another Porsche that leaks oil, the initial Porsche will continue to weep it's life blood - essentially no matter what. No matter what you do, it will always leak oil.

This is considered cute by many. I.e. Just a Porsche being a Porsche.

I think more should be
expected of a premium
builder but I am truly in the minority here.

My motor is currently being
rebuilt. I have no illusions that it is capable of holding its oil for any length of time, even after the massive check has processed. However, it is the road I choose, happily, to travel as I find kinship with my chaotically engineered 911.

It offers "almost" excellence in design and pure excellence in the moment. Very few pieces of assembled parts provide a "living in the moment" opportunity. I believe a 911 can provide a memory worth having. Oil leaks and all.

Had my top end done about three months ago...still no leaks. Went the route of machining new surfaces on barrels and heads.

My car used to leak/weep oil for years. It eventually got worse to the point of on long drives I would have a film of oil on the back bumper where the airflow pushed it back. Other than that the engine always ran like a dream.
I finally had the engine rebuilt at JZM 18 months ago and since then not a single drop has come out of the car. I would expect it to stay that way.
I have two close frinds with 964s that also do not leak any oil, so there is no reason to EXPECT a Porsche to leak.

I'm closing in on 170k miles and have had no re-build (to my knowledge). Yes it weeps oil and I've been advised the worst is coming from no.6 thru bolt. But I hardly ever had to top it up, so I figure it can't be losing that much. And it runs well (in my opinion with no prior 964 to compare to!).

I know one day it might need a rebuild. But as was inferred further up the thread, large pieces of cardboard in the garage and a top up of oil every now and again is much cheaper for the moment!

(That said, I do find it embarrassing if I park on a friends drive and leave a spot!!)

Seight - if I do ever take the plunge for a re-build, JZM are on my short list. Were you happy with their service? PM me if you prefer not to publicly announce.

Guy - keep us tuned in on your re-build.

My 964 engine doesn't leak any oil either, although each year a different one of the oil pipes decides it wants to leak instead...! 156,000km so far.

Hi Andy. I sure hope mine stays dry once it's completed.

Kai, thanks for your interest. I'll update shortly on my rebuild. Should be done next week. I sure hope this means it's potty trained and doesn't need a cardboard diaper on the garage floor!

My 993 did not leak a drop. The 964 has some leaks that I will have to try and sort out when I get some time.

Dude...I spent like 2 K replaced all the chain gaskets and every other gasket known to man minus splitting the case and I still have a leak. Save your money or buy a new car. The only way to get these cars to stop leaking is a complete rebuild which far out values the vehicle itself (even in pristine condition with low mileage). Take it from a guy who ended up paying 2K to remedy the leaks but in reality after 4 weeks ended up with only a valve adjustment, spark plugs and an AC belt replaced. Save your dough and drive the car (or sell it)...The price commanded to rebuild one of these engines is almost criminal...if anyone wants to disagree and charge me 5 K (which is still about 3 times what a crate motor of similar horsepower cost) I will bring my car and a case a beer right over so we can get started ...FLAME AWAY....

No flame at all from here.

You just don't belong in one of these cars. Its a love thing.

Before you spend a lot of money trying to fix any leaks, first clean the engine thoroughly, then take the car for a spirited drive and then jack up the car looking for shiny or wet spots. Those are your leaks. The engines cooling fan/air will blow oil around and potentially lead you astray. About 14 years ago, my cab had a bit of wetness. My mechanic (local dealer) recommended a total engine reseal. I asked how much that was. They said $11K plus parts. I laughed saying do you know how many quarts of Mobil 1 I can buy for that? They insisted that it was for safety. I declined. I went to another mechanic who found that my oil pressure sender was leaking. For less than $500, my engine dry again. The engine now has an additional 130K miles miles without a rebuild. It has some leaks but the point of my story, if you find the right mechanic or yourself, you may be able to fix the problem for significantly less money.