ga993

The top on my cab stays down most of the year. However, when I have the top up, I have that familiar gas/oil smell in the cabin...which I know is common on these air cooled cars. Just curious if you coupe/targa owners have the same issue.
brandon

early_grayce

coupe = yup

cy7878

Not sure it's just an oil-cooled thing. My old VW Golf did also smell like this as did an old Audi Fox my brother lend me 20 years ago. I think it's just old German car smell.

Amfab

In my Targa I did. It was more a gas-ey smell than oil-ey. I bought it at 51k and it was like that, then somewhere around 60-70k I noticed it wasn't there anymore.... I have no idea what changed. I still have a very slight gasoline smell in the trunk, not nearly as bad as it was when I bought it, but still bad enough that I wouldnt leave a jacket or something in there for more than an hour or so.

I do fill my tank up all the way most of the time

Sorry Im not much help, I remember tightening some things up when it was buggin' me–clamps on gas related stuff in the trunk–but there never was an "AHA that fixed it!" moment, maybe that had an impact I dont know.
I did have an oil leak that was bad, and with the heater on I would get some oil smell.
However i did notice how far up little oil particles would get up on the paint in the rear–it was leaking quite a bit and between drops landing on heat exchangers and just getting flung around in the wind I would get a spotty, oily film back there after a hundred miles or so. So this grime would get way up the back of the car, which is an indication of how turbulent the air is back there, so with a cab, I would imagine if you have a little oil smell back there you are gonna get it tossed forward a bit.

Body Roll

Coupe: With the heater on I get a burning oil smell. I don't smell it without the heater on, although I think the car might have an "old car smell" that I'm just used to.

The timing chain gaskets weep a little. I assume that's the source.

I had a gas smell, too, when the car would sit in the sun with the windows closed. I tightened the hose clamps in the system in the trunk, near the tank, and I don't smell it anymore.

Cactus

Whenever I turn the heat on it smells like oil and I smile.

Edgy01

That's the price of driving an older Porsche! When new, they are quite reasonable, but as the miles and years add up the gas and oil smells begin to penetrate the cockpits. The newer water boxers have a better tendency to suppress those oil smells. I suspect over time the gas smells will show up.

mongrelcat

I remember reading a thread here or at pelican discussing the issue of the factory carpet glue being responsible for most of the Porsche aroma.

Ed Burdell

Yeah, my valve cover gaskets are due for replacement, so occasionally it gets quite aromatic in there...just drive faster, I say, and the wind whips it away.

ga993

thanks guys for the input...I had Beetles and Bugs back in the day and they smelled the same way...maybe it's just a German thing. Ed, I like your idea...drive fast and whip the smell away!

JPP

As far as gas smell in the cabin, I've been told there's a replaceable collar where the tank neck comes through the fender that can crack with age and leak gas into the trunk allowing fumes into the car.

Duckman

Hmmmmmmm? I hadn't considered the smell coming from carpet glue. Interesting. I assumed the smell was associated with being air/oil cooled. Whatever causes it, yeah, my '95 has it to.

JimPA

98 coupe. Have mild gas smell after car has sat closed up for a few days. Replaced my gas cap a couple of years back at the suggestion of my indie shop. Just had my gas filler neck pressure tested for leaks but found none. Now, I'm getting burned oil smell at shutdown, inside or outside the car. With 80K on the odo, gaskets are weeping a fair amount. Oil collects in the under-engine tray and heat from the exhaust cooks it. I'm aiming for top end rebuild in the fall.

mongrelcat

Here's the thread regarding the glue...
https://rennlist.com/forums/993-foru...hat-smell.html

TomF's post:
There's also a Pelican thread about the Porsche smell that references the old cars and horse hair in the seats.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=446805

All said, I'm sure that "Well-weathered leather, hot metal and oil" have a lot to do with it.

Ed Burdell

You can just change the valve cover gaskets if that's where the leaks are coming from, yes? Does not necessarily imply a top end rebuild is needed, unless there's other evidence for it.

And if you lose the engine tray, the oil won't collect there - your engine will appreciate that.