lp997

Well, with all due respect, I already had an issue. What do you do when PCNA tells you if you touch the engine to address the issue, your warranty is void on an engine that I hear costs 50K to replace. Then let's look at the issues others have had which are not related to the couplings:
1) RMS failure, would not be covered
2) piston breaks and damages the case, not covered

Financially, the responsibility belongs to Porsche and they are still manufacturing the car with this issue through 2011. I don't know what they will do on the 991 GT3 and turbo.

Your damned if you don't and you're damned if you do. There are reports of this failing on the street. It is not limited to just the GT3 but also happens on the turbo. Bottom line, where ever you drive, you have to look at the cars you are driving with. It is pretty obvious when the failure begins. White smoke comes from the car. White smoke, black smoke, droplets of oil on the windshield, debris flag, meatball, gas cap is left off and fuel is flying all over the place = slow it down and look carefully, someone is having an issue with their car. After each session, I look at the car carefully for drips, along with the other items we should all check like torque the wheels and check the tire pressures. It actually lets go a little at a time before the coupling blows out. I will have this addressed in the fall. ITMT, don't follow me or the other 40 something GT3 and GT3RS at the 48 Hours too closely. BTW, most of the owners are unaware this issue even exists. PCNA will tell you "we have never seen this happen before".

Alan C.

With all due respect it doesn't happen that wall all of the time. In my case the GT3 in front of me let go with little to no warning. Plus it happened just over the hill on a blind side downhill right turn. So no time for flags. Four cars in a heartbeat into the gravel trap. The losses to the totaled turbo, air cooled, and mine would easily have paid for your $50,000 engine. By your logic we should just do away with tech and have everybody maintain a 50 yard gap. If that fitting was in front of your left rear wheel My guess it would have already been corrected.

As far as following goes. It's difficult to not follow all of the GT3s and turbos at a distance because there are more than a few people that can catch a GT3 in something less potent. So I guess you would have them pit and give you a gap. Never thought I'd have to do that for a GT3.

Maybe the best solution to this is to have ALL GT3s in one run group. My guess is that the majority of the GT3 owners would like that.

It is refreshing to see that a large number of the GT3 community is stepping up and correcting this problem. I think that will continue as word of mouth and forums like this get the word out. It's not too much different from the control arms on the 944 turbo. It took a while but most drivers got the idea.

lp997

I read about this unfortunate set of circumstances and I feel for you for being on the receiving end of this mishap. Things happen really fast out there. Unfortunately, there won't always be a flag or a sign. I drive at the track 6 days a month at the minimum and of all of the GT3's that I drive with, this has happened only to three of us. The GT3/GT3RS pack where I drive is usually a field of 10-20 cars on an average weekend. Coolant fitting failure is about as frequent as an old 911 losing an oil line. So what do we do, have special tech for everyone?

All I can say is what I am doing based on PCNA's reluctance to fully address the issue and PCNA not allowing me to fix the issue without voiding the warranty.

You have a turbo? Is it 996/997? If yes, has your car been fixed? These motors also share this issue.

I have a solution planned but it will be in the fall when the warranty expires. In the mean time I will inspect after each session.

Alan C.

No, I don't have a turbo or GT3. I looked at a very nice 07 GT3 in December. Before I got to the point of signing on the line I got an estimate from the dealer for doing the drop, clean and weld proper fittings. That would have been done prior to taking it home. It wasn't cheap but with that cost as the numerator and the price of the car as the denominator it was a no brainer. Interesting that there was no mention of voiding the CPO. But I believe the CPO does state that damage occurring at a track is not covered.

The only reason I didn't get the car was a long standing spine issue. I don't think I could deal with the clutch long term. Wish I could.

Glad to hear that you are getting yours looked after and remember it is not just one fitting. On a side note 3 GT3s I know of breached coolant fitting connections at Mid-Ohio last summer. Let's say 50 different GT3s were at Mid-Ohio last summer. The three observations would equal a 6% failure rate. Even if you double the number of cars to 100 with a 3% failure rate that is still quite high.

Have a great time at Sebring. It's one of my favorite tracks.

lp997

Alan, I am rethinking this. I am going to go to a different dealer to see if I get a different answer. If a dealer says they will stand behind the repair, then there is no CPO issue. Actually, my car was on track when the failure started to occur and Porsche stood behind fixing it. I have to say Sebring has some of the best corner workers anywhere on the planet. They saw just a little white smoke and meatballed me. I wasn't in the paddock for 2 minutes when it completely let go. So just a little anti-freeze on track. Thanks to Rodger at Orbit Racing for getting my car back from the track and good luck to Orbit/GMG team at Daytona this weekend.

Thanks for your thoughts and inputs. Carrera GTS is a sweet ride. Enjoy it.

Alan C.

When you look at the product offered in the form of the new fittings which are TIG welded there should be nothing in the way of a warranty issue except failure of the pieces that were welded. If the car were driven with high temps after a failure I think PCNA would refuse the claim no matter which part was used.

I owned a 99 Carrera with the oiling issue. When I asked my service advisor about having the oiling modification performed he told me the warranty would be voided. I asked what would happen if my engine died from oil starvation in its stock form and he said I'd get a new one. He smiled and said 'I know it's crazy'. Go figure.

mkk62

My CPo runs out in may. Was told by two dealers and that if I do the weld I would void my engine warranty. stupid but true so I'm holding off until after may. The only downside about pulling the engine to do the repair is that i might be forced by my addiction to get the Plenum/flash new headers exhaust and re gearing on the car

Alan C.

It's worse than crack.

JohnPG

lp997,

Interesting that both you and mkk62 have had a dealer tell you that if you fix the fittings it will void your warranty. Two individuals at my dealership have told me the warranty wouldn't be an issue unless a motor failure was a result of the fitting repair, i.e. the engine overheated due to the fitting weld failing. If the engine failed for another reason, then it would be covered. If the RMS failed it would be covered. The way they put it, is that if a modification didn't cause a failure then the warranty would still be good. They just wanted to be sure that the work was done by a qualified person. When I mentioned the individual doing the work they were fine with that.

For purposes of this thread it would be interesting to hear from others who may have had similar conversations with other dealers to see what kind of responses they have recieved.

FFaust

^^ Similar experience to yours.

Dealer dropped the motor for a repair at some point, and I asked if they could get it done. It just got a bit too complicated, so it didn't happen. They happily filled it up with Water Wetter however.

JohnPG

Francois did dealer say it would void the warranty if it were done?

FFaust

No. Fore some reason, Canadian dealers seem pretty open and fair. Same for tracking, they don't seem to mind terribly. As long as the car is not abused.

mkk62

yeah..tracking didnt void anything at these dealerships 10 yrs ago..just in the last 2 yrs they have been "cracking down" on tracking and non coverage...before i had a giac flash intake and other mods without voiding any warranty,,if i did that today it wouldnt be covered..some dealerships still are more lenient epsecially those who update their gt3 every other yr and buy new at that dealer..

HiWind

Has anyone noticed if there might be geographic or atmospheric correlation to this failure? Ie could it be in states that have wide range of temps that contribute to the breakdown of the glue etc..? I have checked across multiple race groups of 6 and 7 gt3 and RSs in SA and almost no reference or experience of this problem. is it well known in UK (Dan?) or Oz (Jimmy) or both (Oz951) or Europe (Swiss or German?) too?

aussie jimmy

i haven't heard of any reports here, although the gt3 community pretty much keep to themselves. i will ask dealer next time i go in, and an independent specialist.