PHX 911

Here in PHX, in the summer, we're pretty much over 100 every day.
I've noticed that after parking the car in the garage, a few minutes later, the engine fan is running every time I've gone back out there.
I've opened the hatch, and when I do, the fan turns off. I don't think you can do both, as someone indicated.
I've left the hatch open overnight, and didnt think of locking the car turning the hatch light off, so I appreciate that little nugget of wisdom!

jhbrennan

If it runs with the lid open, something is wrong with the cut off switch.

slicky rick

I actually just open the lid and run a stand fan to cool the engine. Engine is cool to the touch in 15 min and then i close the lid. Best option i think.

utkinpol

at DE after session i always open it up. you do not want water to boil.

PasPar2

I pour a tub of ice water over the louvers via trip wire in my driveway....

Rocco07

If opening the door rather than running the fan was a better way of cooling the engine, Porsche may have made that the automated solution connected to the thermal switch.

Picture it, after a drive, you park the car and the door pops open all by itself to cool the motor

Dr.Bill

A bunch of really smart German engineers put a fan in there for a reason - let it do its job.

Of course, they also put the engine in the wrong place, so maybe it would be prudent to open the hood!

Macster

Put me down on the side that says let the fans work, leave the lid closed.

I have not read all posts so pardon if this is a repeat of what someone else posted.

The fans drive the hot air down and out from the engine compartment.

This is for a very good reason: The hottest parts are the exhaust hardware and these are the bottom of the engine/engine compartment.

If the lid is opened, the hotter air rises and "bakes" the cooler engine parts, the wiring and hoses mainly, which are more affected by higher temps.

Let the fans blow this hot air away from those critical wiring/hoses as the good engineers at Porsche intended.

Sincerely,

Macster.

eflight

These kinds of threads make me laugh.

We buy a Porsche because we regard it so highly, which means some pretty smart engineers must have designed it, then we start to second guess those same engineers feeling that somehow they got it wrong.

neanicu

There's a video on YouTube that some member suggested watching on another thread. You will find it if you search ' Porsche 911 Documentary ' . It has 5 parts. I found it AMAZING! Best video I've watched in a long time. It's showing Porsche's assembling line in Stuttgart.
For those that doubt Porsche's engineering...
Here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL8muMYEVOQ

csorrows

Yeah, but remember...

These are the same guys that put the battery in an electrically-operated compartment.

yemenmocha

I converted part of my garage to an air conditioned wind tunnel and I just turn that on for about 30 minutes at 65 degrees. Car is crisp and cool for the next drive.

Hella-Buggin'

The same engineers that also took what 10 years to get rid of the IMS issue.

Manufacturers have to take into account that most people won't buy a car that should, for long term enthusiast ownership, have the engine lid opened while parked.

My manual says change the oil every 10k miles but I still do it every 5k because it's better for the car.

Hella-Buggin'

Thanks for the response macster. This is the kind of details I'm looking for.

Edgy01

Years ago when I lived in a really hot part of the country (Oklahoma) I drove air-cooled 911s, and I got myself a very large box fan and used to pop the decklid, and prop the box fan in there, forcing the air down.

The answer is simple. Do you plan to keep the car awhile? If you plan to keep the car for many years then you want to keep the components from getting ultra hot which will ultimately shorten the life of those components. Wiring looms and other soft material will dry out and crack. So many plastics are used in these cars today that I would expect them to be taking a significant hit due to heat.

Fortunately, if you're in SF and I'm in SB, it just doesn't get THAT hot where we are so any special effort on our part is not necessary. If I were in Oklahoma or Texas I would routinely do the box fan thing again.