pnoob2

Hello I just bought my first 965 today and drove it 700 miles so far in one day!!! However I did notice a heavy gas smell every time i were to park it....almost as if its running extremely rich. Anyone else have this issue? All I have on it is a 1 bar boost spring, nothing else! Any input on the origin of the smell? There seems to be no obvious leaks of any sort..maybe its a characteristic of these cars to run rich I just don't know because its my first air cooled Porsche. Thanks

Vifa

Congrat on the car. You have to post pics of the car, otherwise we can't help you.

JamesE

Warmup regulator could have gone **** up. If it has it will be running very rich.

Frank 993 C4S

Congrats! However, this thread is worthless without pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!














Now that that's over with: Turbo charged cars running rich is a good thing because it gives you an additional margin of safety. All kinds of things can go wrong it you're running lean. Second, you won't necessarily know whether you are running rich, just from the smell of gas when you park the car. If it is a sulfur smell, try another brand of gas. There could be other reasons, such as a bad gas cap, etc... If you can smell gas under WOT as boost kicks in, then you are most likely running rich. Best to have the car dyno tuned while safely monitoring AFR. Do you have headers or just the 1 bar spring?

Or the answer might be here:

Fumes Thread Below

pnoob2

hello thanks for the input....the reason im putting this many miles on the vehicle is due to my drive back from STL to LA with the new car...hence no pics yet. I do however need some major help right now....after stopping over in SF for the day, I was stuck in about 30 minutes of traffic and then came to a stop in the city while looking for something in the trunk...in a matter of 20 minutes or so my engine temp or oil temp had gone up to the three quarter line almost to the red portion of the gauge directly left of the oil pressure gauge. While white smoke is puffing consistantly out of the passenger side tail pipe. I had to move the vehicle since I was parked in a red zone and after 10 minutes of driving the engine temp started to slowly decline. Is this STANDARD behavior for a 965? Is the temp suppose to variate this dramatically because of traffic and idling? The temp out today was in the low 60's in SF. Any ideas?

pnoob2

I also noticed that with the heater on ...you can smell the engine....or a exhaust/oil burning smell...very overwhelming feels like your in a closed garage with a cat less car idling

benzyne

No. Temp shouldn't vary so much. I would check to see if the electric fan in the passenger side front wheel well is turning on to feed the oil cooler air in traffic.The white smoke is a concern as well.

The reason exhaust only comes out of the passenger side tail pipe at idle is because that is where most of the exhaust exits. The driver's side tail pipe is only attached to the wastegate and will not expel exhaust until the wastegate opens.

Did the PPI at Chris' German indicate any problems with the thermostat or cooling fans?

benzyne

Your heat exchangers may not be sealing up properly, or might be rusted out.

Hard to tell without looking at them. Too bad I didn't make it to Chris' German to see the car myself. It might have saved you some headaches.

pnoob2

it passed PPI with flying colors at chris germans, compression and leakdown numbers were EXCELLENT..however it had a weak alternator that I already replaced...seems like the overheating started after the new alternator was put in...man this is a headache...I did notice the engine oil is slightly low , I will be topping it off tomorrow morning....I am currently stuck in fremont, CA because I didnt want to drive the car in its current state. If you are still up I would sure appreciate a call on this so I can pick your brain... btw, how do I check the passenger side oil cooler fan?

pnoob2

Im not too concerned about the white smoke, as my 996tt did that also...the color probably has to do with the humidity up here in the cold...I am more concerned about the over heating in traffic. Excuse my lack of knowledge with air cooled cars but what are the heat exchangers for?

Staffan

Overheating:
1. Problems with the oil temp gauge or sender, I have a problem with my gauge, it sometimes shows a higher temperature, but if I tap hard on the gauge it shows the correct temperature. But this is probably not the cause of your problem.

2. Could be a problem with the thermostat that opens a valve for the oil circulation to the oil cooler located at the right front.
You check it by letting the car idle (I put a blanket over the engine lid) when the oil temp is at 9 o'clock (or so, don't remember exactly), the valve should open and you should feel the heat from the oil by putting your hand on the right front fender. That means the oil is circulating through the oil cooler at the front. If this doesn't happen you pretty much know what the problem is.

3. A problem with the so called ballast resistor or temp sender at the oil cooler
If the valve opens, your oil fan might not be activated as it should.
You check this like #2 above, but at apx 10 o clock on the oil temp the oil cooler fan should start, it has two speeds. If it doesn't starta at all, it's most probably the temp sender in the oil cooler that is broke. It can also be a problem with the ballast resistor.
There are many threads covering 2 and 3 on this forum, search and you will find plenty of information on how to test this, what temperature things starts to happen etc. The parts are cheap.

4. Broken heater blower
At some temperture the heater blower starts (you have two, located in the quarter panels) to cool down the engine. I don't know at what temperature they should start, you can feel the airflow from them inside the rear wheel houses.

I think your overheating problems is either 2 or 3, most common is #3 I think.

As for the smell in the car, have it checked out, like someone wrote, could be a header leak inside the heat exchangers which is bad for your health.

Staffan

The heat exchangers sits around your headers, air circulate through them to heat the cabin. The big engine fan sends air from the engine room, through the heater blowers, through the heat exchangers and into the cabin. There is a valve that regulates if the hot air should enter the cabin or if it should be released inside the rear wheel fender (not 100% sure about that last sentence).

nathanUK '81 930 G50

+1

Sorry for maybe stating the obvious, but you are checking the oil with the engine ticking over?

pnoob2

ok took it to the dealership...apparantly my thermostat is not working ....now that Im back in los angeles anybody know a good air cooled mechanic in the walnut/diamond bar area ? Man what a way to start 965 ownership.... Even after all this bs I can tell this cars gonna be a keeper =)

Vifa

I started my 964 Turbo ownership with a bad sunroof and other minor electric problems. Don't worry, it could be worse. I have learned that it is necessary to have an budget, there will always be things to repair on these cars; despite that, my car is also a keeper...