R0llTideEsq

Hi all,

A few months ago I bought a house with a gravel driveway and it seems my 992 just loves eating those rocks, which causes radiator issues. I've had the check engine light come on a few times and when I bring it in for service, they always tell me it's because the radiator is clogged with rocks. I try to drive very slowly on the driveway, but it seems like an endless amount of rocks keep getting kicked up into the radiator compartment.

Any folks with gravel driveways have this issue? Any tips on how to avoid having my 992 eat so many rocks (aside from just paving the driveway)?

tbo12

I would think that whatever rocks are being thrown are being done so behind the front wheels and not forward towards the radiators, and pretty sure that the radiators are not open to the inner fender liner.. A long way of saying I can't offer a solution. Hope the dealer is telling you the truth about the cause for the engine light being thrown.

Butzi

Dakar.

nyca

Do you have grills installed on your car?

VarTheVar

I find it interesting that you're kicking up rocks into your own radiator. I didn't know that could happen. I'm guessing the check engine light was because the vents could no longer open and close?

ipse dixit

You need these ===> https://rennkit.com/product-info/zunsport/

R0llTideEsq

Yeah, it's a bit weird. A couple weeks after the rocks got cleaned out and the light came back on the first time, I looked and did see some rocks, but my car is in the shop so I can't post a pic of where the rocks were collecting. But it was towards the front, which was odd.

R0llTideEsq

But aren't those to prevent rocks flying at you from the front? In my case the front wheels are picking them up and pulling them into the radiator compartment.

R0llTideEsq

I'm not sure, I'll have to ask why specifically it's causing the check engine light to trigger when I pick it up tomorrow after they replace the radiator fan (they're going to do it under warranty). The car was driving normally, even with the CEL on.

RG88

I feel there should be an option in the official configurator for protection for this kind of thing. yon know like they have options for painted wheel crests, rear slats in body color, etc. and maybe something like "driveway gravel protection" or similar for around $1200. High margin stuff right there

ABSFlyer36

I have had my 992 soon coming up on 3 years - 45,000 miles - and have a long gravel, small river stone, driveway. I have never had an issue like you describe. A year ago I did get the grill covers, more for the look, but never an issue. I did have to take it in to have a couple of stones removed that got up in the rotor. this caused a wear sound like the brake pad was worn. I had Goodyear F1 and Continental winter tires for the first two years with no issue. I did just replace the GY with Michelin and notice that they seem to pick up more stones. Considering the TLG mud flaps though I do drive slow on the driveway. Best of luck.

R0llTideEsq

Thank you, I appreciate you sharing your experience. I imagine a lot of 911 owners have gravel driveways, and yet this doesn't appear to be a widespread issue, so clearly I'm doing something wrong here, haha. I guess I'll just have to take things SUPER slow and hopefully it's less of an issue when I switch to my Winter tires.

Icegrill

I would not have a 911 with a gravel driveway, except a Dakar. Unfortunately the rocks are being thrown in the louvers in the wheel well and collecting at the rear of the condensers. This is why they can’t function properly.

breny4104

Is it pea gravel size?
I'm having a hard time visualizing how this can happen. Do you think the front tires are picking up the gravel on the back side and flinging it over the top and into the radiator?

Cyclman

I have had the same issues with gravel, had to take off the fender and pull the gravel out with some tweezers. Annoying, and can cause overheating of the car if it blocks the fan from running.