Cyn Crvr 997S

You should consider performing a coolant system pressure test . either purchase one or have the shop do it . That is whats needed to expose and identify the source of the leak ..

captainbaker

I second a pressure test.

crixer

Okay, it has been a while. I have been busy restoring the braking system on my 1984 Targa. I think I have figured out where the leak is coming from. Looks like the AOS (air oil sep) is on the back of the engine on the driver's side. It has coolant lines running to it. I am in the process of getting to it. I have the engine lowered a little and the alternator and coolant tank out. It is an absolute bitch to get to. I have a 2007 base carrera so the 101 projects book and every other source of info I can get on this m96 engine isn't exactly the same. There is some **** under the driver side intake in the middle of the engine that is in the way of me getting to those last intake bolts. I am taking pics and will post again. I am going to replace the AOS, all of the hoses, the starter, the starter to batt cable, alternator, and anything else I can get to easily while I have this all apart because I never want to do it again.

I have broken so many plastic bits just tearing into it. It is amazing how the parts quality is just utter garbage in these water cooled cars compared to the older air cooled.

TheBruce

Thx for the update @crixer . Glad you found it.

A write up and pics on how you got to it would be great. I am kicking myself for not replacing mine when I had the transmission out while doing the clutch. Its super easy to get to from the backside. I asked my mechanic and he said its a pain, but doable. I can text him to ask for any tips if you still need help.

Yea the plastic tray above the fuel rail is really fragile when working on the driver side. The workshop manual says to take that and the fuel rail off when replacing the expansion tank.

Re the starter/alternator cable, you can inspect the cable just by looking at the rubber boot where it connects to the starter. If you see any heat damage the cable is bad. Mine was melted. You will already have 3/4 of the job done with everything removed anyway. You just need to snake it around the passenger side and get it into the track, that was a little tricky. I have a writeup on it if you need.

With all the stuff out its also a good opportunity to so some spring cleaning in the engine bay. I found tons of crap under the alternator.

Good luck and keep us posted.

crixer

Well.... I finally got the 997 AOS replaced. 2019 has been a hellish year. A lot of crazy drama (death of best friend, death of parent, a layoff, etc) and I just couldn't enjoy/play with the Pcars. I finally threw the towel in and towed it to a shop and let them replace the AOS. MVP in Tucker Georgia did a great job and price was around 850ish which included putting the engine bay back together from my attempt at getting to it from the driver's side intake. My 2019 luck has just been so horrible... I pick it up on a Saturday right before they were closing for Christmas holiday and I drive away. 15 minutes later, my shift linkage cable breaks. I had it towed back to my house an hour away via AAA and did the overnight from Pelican for the parts I needed. What a pain in the rear but I got it done and now I am driving it again. What really pisses me off is how how much cheap plastic they use on building these things. I was so gentle taking the interior apart but it was no use. I broke tons of plastic. There were stress cracks in the plastic around the screws. Things just crumbled. The second screw I went to undo (T30 or T25 can't remember) stripped and I didn't even apply a lot of force.

I am so confused on how to feel about this car. On one hand it feels so solid and tight. I love driving it, it is a wonderful experience. On the other hand, it is full of cheap plastic. I guess I am going to need to become an expert at plastic repair. I deal with vintage computers and this brittle plastic issue is going to be a big pain years down the road when people are trying to maintain them. How in the hell does the shift linkage break in a 911? They couldn't engineer that a little better? I guess Porsche is just VW's luxury brand now. Maximize profits and skimp on quality. Engineered enough to hold up until warranty coverage expires.

TheTorch

Thanks for sharing -- even bad news has a way of helping others learn something. Here's wishing you a much better 2020 all around.

TheBruce

@crixer sorry for the bad 2019. Bad things always come in threes, as do good things. Your 2020 will be great!

As for the 997.1, attack the problem. Getting the car running right is good for the soul.

Vincent713

What I do when I run into issues or when troubles fall into my lap is confront it and face it head on like Bruce said. It's the best way to resolve any issues and often times the process is easier than you think. The 997 overall a great car that just needs some TLC every now and then. 2020 is going to be a great year you'll see.

LucV

OMG that didn't age well! How naive were we back in 2019! 🤣