Driving home and started to see some white smoke coming out from the decklid at the stop light. Smell like coolant burning (sweet smell). Then started to hear a whistling sound when the car slows down. Got home and coolant started leasking from the driver side rear next to the exhuast tip. No oil just coolant.
Could this be the tank or hose? Coolant light and temp guage was fine when driving. But looks like the leak got really bad when I got home.

How do I get my car to the garage with the leak for repair?

HELP!

 

I am 99% certain you have a cracked coolant tank. Have the car flat bedded to the shop, or you can do a DIY replacement.

 

The leak might only occurs under hot condition of the engine (under pressure cracks open-up more). That was my situation, I was able to drive to the dealer in the early morning when it wasn't too hot without loosing any coolant. They found hairline cracks on the back of expansion tank when removed from the car... If yours is already badly cracked (still leaked even engine cool-down) than it safer to flat-bed the car to the dealer. Good-luck.

 

I did a search on coolant leaks and the tank is a common problem. Does it make a whistling sound when it is cracks? What is the cost to replace?

 

My expansion tank leak did not make any whistling, the coolant just poured out from tank under high pressure. But yours may be related to a bad cap as well (pressure vapor trying to escape from leaky cap?) making that whistling sound??? My coolant tank repair was done under extended warranty at Porsche dealer, coolant tank was ~ $250, cap was $17, coolant was $45 and finally labor was $690. So a total of around $1K. Lucky that I had extended waranty coverage at the time of failure.

 

Suncoast has the tank fro $99. How many hours of labour? $690 for labour...holy #$@#$

 

I believe there is a DYI on here somewhere to replace the tank. fyi

 

Its fairly simple to replace....but do yourself a favor and dremel off a bit of that coolant tank. (that plastic extension that serves no purpose on teh right side of the tank.

 

what whistle, I dont hear anything
(says Beaver)

 

On the 2002 and up the tanks are different. Make sure you get the correct one. Changing it is fairly straight forward. Here is the link for a DIY http://www.renntech.org/forums/index...on-a-my99-996/
On the '02 and up it is MUCH easier to replace if you remove the rear motor mount bolts and let the motor drop down. After removing the fuel rail which is easy you will have plenty of room to get the old tank out and the new one in. This only takes about 5 minutes to do and will save a ton of time.

Read all of the posts and you will see what is required.

Tony

 

That was a few years back (June 2006) when I was living in San Jose CA, Stevens Creek Porsche's labor rate was like $150/hour and they charged me like 4.5 hours for this coolant tank replacement, crazy expensive. But again I was covered by the extended warranty so they ripped the Ins. Co. as much as they can. Many people here DIY and save a bunch, but I think you have to drop the engine a little bit to get the tank out...

 

Thanks for the help guys. I'll let you know how it goes. No DIY for me.

 

FYI: Took the car in and it wasn't the coolant tank. It's the water pump and cost double to get it fixed. ****!

Thanks again for the feedback.

 

Dood... you are driving a Porsche..... sounds about right to me

 

waterpump is easy to DIY