Winter Driving: Engine Risks?
Thread Starter
Track Day
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 24
Likes: 6
Winter Driving: Engine Risks?
Hi folks, thanks for creating such an amazing repository of 996 information! I've had my '99 Aero C2 since April, and winter is finally coming to Colorado (it's been warm until fairly recently).
I was reading the "I think I got burnt!" thread (https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...got-burnt.html), and noticed that in post #9, Jake referenced an issue I'd not read about before: cylinder failure during winter driving (one of the 99 failure modes?).
Can anyone share their thoughts on the best way to avoid a similar problem, if it's at all possible? Thanks in advance!
I was reading the "I think I got burnt!" thread (https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...got-burnt.html), and noticed that in post #9, Jake referenced an issue I'd not read about before: cylinder failure during winter driving (one of the 99 failure modes?).
Can anyone share their thoughts on the best way to avoid a similar problem, if it's at all possible? Thanks in advance!
Pro
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 505
Likes: 51
From: MN
I live in MN(really cold here in the winter) and drive my 99 C2 without any issues. Sure it's a little stiff when it's-15F and been sitting outside the office all day, but so is every other car. I just give it a chance to warm up before kicking it down. Remember, it's a Porsche. They test these cars under much tougher conditions than most of us would ever put it thru ourselves. Don't let the fearmongering get to you.
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Drifting
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 2,150
Likes: 942
From: Henderson, NV
Aside from any other winter driving common sense, just be sure to warm the car up by driving it vs. letting it sit idling. Keep your RPM under 3,000ish until fluids come up to temperature. Then keep RPM over 3,000 
Oh, wait, snow! Nevermind.
Oh, wait, snow! Nevermind.
Thread Starter
Track Day
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 24
Likes: 6
Thanks all, especially strathconaman for clarifying the scored-cylinder issue.
It's 66F out, with no snow- I'm going for a drive!
It's 66F out, with no snow- I'm going for a drive!
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Dubai & Toronto
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,591
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From: Toronto, north of the lake.
I am sure the car will run at -35, and if you only started it once at that temperature, things would be fine. However the collective wisdom is that the M96, from the factory, doesn't like cold starts, and eventually will chew itself up.
Oddly, Jake says he developed a block heater and couldn't sell any of them. But unless that heater was actually warming the cylinders I don't think it would matter much. But I digest.
At 66F I would be in shorts and a T-Shirt. It will be ~50F here tomorrow, and we would be going to be beach, except the lake is still frozen over.
Oddly, Jake says he developed a block heater and couldn't sell any of them. But unless that heater was actually warming the cylinders I don't think it would matter much. But I digest.
At 66F I would be in shorts and a T-Shirt. It will be ~50F here tomorrow, and we would be going to be beach, except the lake is still frozen over.