Triple Black

My guess is coolant reservoir. A known maintenance issue. Had mine replaced last year (had very similar symptoms as you have).

Southern Man

I've got the same issue, and suspect the coolant tank.

fpb111

If your cap ends in a number lower than 04 replace it. Early caps failed often. It is hard to see cracks in the tank because they are usually on the fender side. Look on the "frame rail" under the tank for signs of leakage.

fpb111

It probably means it is a Porsche proprietary code. Emissions and safety codes are standard. Other code can be manufacturer specific. Buy a Durametric reader. It will save you $$ in the long run.
http://www.durametric.com/

KoB

+1 ... I just replaced my tank and cap.

OP, it sounds to me as though you're probably in the market for a water pump, regardless of what you decide to do with the tank and cap. You might want to search the forum for threads about water pumps -- replacement pumps can have either a steel or composite impeller. Consensus generally favors a pump with a composite impeller, but you might want to read up on the pros/cons of composite vs steel.

targa996

If you are worried about coolant in your oil check the dipstick the oil filler cap .... No milky stuff ?
As others said - probably bad water pump - replace before driving again - mine failed in a similar way after a hard drive - do themostat and any brittle looking hoses while at it - and pressure test coolant tank for leak - cap is cheap to replace

OverTake

Thank's so much to everyone that participated in this thread.

I've just ordered:
Coolant Tank and Cap
Water Pump with Composite Impeller and gasket
Thermostat with Cover and Gasket
LN Engine Oil Drain Plug (18 X 1.5 mm) and washer
LN Spin-On Oil Filter Adapter
LN Oil Filter, for Spin-On Oil Filter Adapter
Drei Bond "Type 1209" 30 ml for sump plate clean out which was never done when the LN bearing was installed

The serpentine belt looks good. I haven't ordered any replacement hoses or screws, but maybe I should. If anyone sees something that I might want to add to the list, please let me know.

Looking forward to learning some new mechanical skills, as I've not done any of this before.

kromdom

* serpentine belt
* coolant

Best of luck

5CHN3LL

Are you sure you need to pull the sump plate? Yes, you'll get the peace of mind knowing there's nothing there, but it's easy to goober sealant all over the place and block the oil pickup.

kgoertz

I'd also add ECS Tuning to the list of companies with great Porsche prices and service. I got my water pump from them since they had the best price.
Replacing the water pump is a bit of a PITA due to clearance but it is pretty straightforward. Remember to use a small torque wrench since the bolts have very low torque specs.

No clue on the engine light though. I'd recommend picking up a $15 USB obd reader. But if the mechanic didn't see a code that probably means you wouldn't either. I thought that any reader should be able to read a code that is enough to trip the CEL.

5CHN3LL

OP mentioned that he had auto parts store scan for codes after seeing the check-engine light. As FPB111 suggested, OBD-II won't show codes for stuff like Litronics and the other manufacturer-specific (non-OBD-II-standard) items.

OverTake

My mechanic told me that there was no proof that an LN beering had been installed by Porsche of Delaware because the sump hadn't been dropped, and there wasn't a LN bard code on the car. Mechanic told me that LN calls for dropping the sump plate as step one in diagnosing whether or not bearing needs to be replaced. He told me that even though bearing was said to have been replaced that I should clean any debris that could be in there to keep it from recirculating.

Porsche of Delaware service manager said sump plate didn't need to be dropped/cleaned out.

What do you think?



And is the durametric the only tool that will read a code for me? I see a couple on ebay for 220 with 2 vins left on them. I don't have a regular computer though. Just a chromebook and a samsung galaxy 3.

alpine003

You're mechanic looks to be thorough by doing a prequalification to play it safe where as the dealer didn't do a prequalification.

Now a days with aftermarket IMS bearing failures, it is highly recommended to do a prequalification so you know what you're working with and to determine if it's even worth it to retrofit with newer IMS bearing.

OverTake

Ok, so this is simply a prequalification which is NOT necessary as the bearing was already replaced.

Is my mechanic right that there could potentially be metal shavings in the sump which are continuing to recirculate with the oil? Or is it assumed that the filter would catch these shavings, and dropping the sump at this point is a waste of time.

Byprodriver

Unless you drop the sump plate you will never know if there is anything there that should not be, including sealant blocking the oil pickup screen. Be sure to clean the mounting surfaces throughly & it's very easy to reseal. Torque bolts to 7.5 ft/lbs.