Allan A

Porsche has a problem in their own backyard.

https://www.motor1.com/news/538976/n...-open-session/

Bxstr

Yes, my assumption was it was a 996/997 Mezger that dumped and wasn't a random other coolant line that somehow burst or cracked on a 991 car. I'm sure they will confirm that soon. Either way, if you're on the track, pin/weld your lines to prevent a tragedy like this, or even something less severe like someone not having the traction they expect when braking or shutting down the track temproarily when people want to be out driving. My street driven car I had pinned, which I know is controversial, but I sleep better at night knowing it's done and that's what matters.

bonehead

To believe that only track driven Mezger's are susceptible to coolant line failures is a fallacy. My old 997.1TT fell victim to this. Never tracked before the incident. Fortunately, I only discovered mine was relieving itself of coolant while it was parked.

Bxstr

If that’s how my post came across, that was not how I meant it. Clearly, I think it can happen on all cars, given that I did it on my street driven 997 GT3 and to my knowledge my car has not been on track previously and if it has, was very minimal. I’ve heard of plenty of them going on the street. I know Mooty has mentioned he’s seen or had personally, street driven cars with lower miles blow. It’s cheap insurance on a $100k car. But there was a big discussion the other day in the 997 GT3 cars for sale thread about not doing them on low mileage cars and street driven cars and I was trying to avoid starting any controversy there.

bonehead

Ha, no. I was 100% agreeing with you. No one should feel they're 'going overboard' by pinning a street-only driven car. These lines will fail regardless of use.

ChrisF

There was a discussion on the Cars for Sale thread last week. Was shocked at several claiming it was overblown and not necessary on street cars. My comment was "first time you drive thru a coolant slick at speed, you'll change your mind".

JG 996T

Horrible.

One alternative pre-fix is to run on water no coolant.

Steve2k1116

Terrible terrible news. This is why I had mine welded, its always a personal decision but for me my car may see one track day a year and I do not want to live with the guilt of something like this happening due to my car. Prayers out to the departed such a shame.

ilko

The thread title is misleading at best.

I don't disagree that 996 & 997 Mezger coolant lines need to be addressed. However, I have read several articles on this horrible incident this week and the only thing reported so far is that the coolant came out of a "911 GT3." Not one of them mentions the exact cause of the coolant spill or model year of the car. I would reserve judgement until all the facts are present.

cbracerx

In SCCA you have to run water (with optional WaterWetter) - no coolant. I had a glued in line let go on my 958 last year and strand me 20 miles from home. It was the one on the back (eek!) but I found an easy way to fix it. Will be pinning the two front lines this fall.

As for the GT3 (and my previous 996TT) I pinned the lines just as soon as I could. Why get stranded, or even worse cause an accident for someone else?

It is a plain old flaw in the design and the pinning pretty much insures you won't get badly bit.

GM.RS

"Your honor, I would like to enter into evidence the entirety of the Rennlist 997 GT2/GT3 forum"

74goldtarga

I think it goes without saying (but I am saying it) that dropped fluid is one of the more dangerous events that can happen on track (most dangerous maybe but I'm sure we can imagine worse if we think for awhile). It's the one thing that you can't necessarily avoid even if you are being extremely careful and conscientious as a driver. A friend of mine crashed on the main straight at BIR - which is a drag-strip and therefore has concrete barriers on either side of the straight - after running across coolant dropped by a driver that admitted that he hadn't properly fixed a coolant issue (Audi). I have tried to be extremely careful about such things and in any case have had small coolant leaks due to a burst hose and small oil leaks on my 944 turbo race car - this with meticulous care to avoid such events and insisting on professional maintenance. It can still happen despite extreme caution. What does not represent extreme caution in regards to an extremely dangerous and possibly fatal fault is driving a 997 GT3 without addressing the lines, this is inexcusable - if you aren't going to address the issue then just sell the car to someone who will or leave it in the garage. I am not saying that is what happened at the 'ring but we all have a responsibility to do what we can to reduce the risk of these sorts of events. I trust that the readers and users of this forum have already had their coolant lines addressed so I am preaching to the choir and I second the previous posts.

mooty

yes drive over coolant you learn fast.

street cars
track cars
cars never driven
all will fail sooner or later
just fix it
no condom sooner or later she will be preggo. it's when not if....
try it.

Bxstr

Can always count on Mooty for the perfect analogy and summing things up in way fewer words than I.

DWNDRAFT

I would hesitate to conclude that this was caused by a 996/7.
The ring is properly one of the most photographed roads in the world, every minute everyday day. 2min of research combined with the information shared from witnesses on the day can shed more light on this.

But even more important, I do not think its fair to put this terrible accident and the outcome on the driver of the car that lost fluid, regardless who and in which car.