Track Monkeys. Get your coolant lines checked.
09-19-2010, 05:28 PM
#16
Rennlist Member
If there is anything worth checking that can be checked without dropping the engine etc. we might as well... This has been happening more often than I am comfortable with...
09-19-2010, 05:29 PM
#17
Rennlist Member
The engine needs to be dropped. All cars have weaknesses, and this is a weakness in the GT3. Don't worry too much, and enjoy your track days.
I agree with you about some of the events being too crowded. A track membership makes sense if you want to get a lot of track time. I can get four sessions of 30 minutes each on a Friday afternoon or Saturday morning during "member days" at the track.
I agree with you about some of the events being too crowded. A track membership makes sense if you want to get a lot of track time. I can get four sessions of 30 minutes each on a Friday afternoon or Saturday morning during "member days" at the track.
09-19-2010, 05:59 PM
#18
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
So will they address all the connection points or just fix the offending one? This sucks. I would have seriously reconsidered purchasing this car had I known...
09-19-2010, 07:08 PM
#19
Wow, and I thought there was just a problem with the hose bracket ties, the mechanic at the dealer indicated that they had seen several problems with the ties, and they just replaced them with more sturdy zip ties. This is a whole other issue, and damn scary!
09-19-2010, 08:03 PM
#20
I had a small leak in one of theses joints. Porsche replaced the manifold (with joint included) under warranty but did not replace the others, since there were no other leaks (yet.)
09-19-2010, 09:34 PM
#22
Nordschleife Master
Did you see the spin itself? Or just the plume of steam coming out of the rear end as I limped it over to the bert smith trailer? 
Yes, it sucked losing the day. Better than losing the car or worse though.
I wasn't thrilled with yesterday's event. Way too crowded. Couldn't get a clean lap to save my life.
Not to mention session one was black flagged less than halfway through due to a guy in a 350z creaming the inside wall on turn one. Not quite sure how he managed to pull that off. And of course session 2 was cut way short due to my "leakage". Oh well. Nice to see the crew.
Sorry we didn't get a chance to meet but I went home early
Yes, it sucked losing the day. Better than losing the car or worse though.
I wasn't thrilled with yesterday's event. Way too crowded. Couldn't get a clean lap to save my life.
Not to mention session one was black flagged less than halfway through due to a guy in a 350z creaming the inside wall on turn one. Not quite sure how he managed to pull that off. And of course session 2 was cut way short due to my "leakage". Oh well. Nice to see the crew.
Sorry we didn't get a chance to meet but I went home early
I was standing watching the lines of your group on 17......
Was two cars away from bert smith, in staging when the wrecker was blocking the line.
We will meet next time, I am doing roebling with citrus in oct
I met another rennlister, in the white gt3....one of the auto quest labeled cars.
09-19-2010, 09:57 PM
#23
Rennlist Member
I simply meant that I was glad that you didn't hit anything in the spin. Let us known what they find.
Last edited by DHI; 09-20-2010 at 09:41 PM.
09-19-2010, 10:06 PM
#24
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Saw the end result, end of spin
I was standing watching the lines of your group on 17......
Was two cars away from bert smith, in staging when the wrecker was blocking the line.
We will meet next time, I am doing roebling with citrus in oct
I met another rennlister, in the white gt3....one of the auto quest labeled cars.
I was standing watching the lines of your group on 17......
Was two cars away from bert smith, in staging when the wrecker was blocking the line.
We will meet next time, I am doing roebling with citrus in oct
I met another rennlister, in the white gt3....one of the auto quest labeled cars.
How close did I get to the wall? I didn't stick around long enough to take measurements
I'm sure it felt closer than it really was.
09-20-2010, 02:05 PM
#26
DeputyDog- glad to hear you and car are ok!
Very frustrating to keep hearing about this. A friend just bought a 2007 GT3 and on his second track day with this car he had one of these infamous fittings come loose, hosed the rear with antifreeze and spun. Took seven hours for the mechanic service trackside to repair. A sh i tt y introduction to GT3 ownership (came out of an RS6).
Living with 5 months of freezing temps I am out of luck to run only Waterwetter. Porsche needs to step up on this issue before someone is killed.
Very frustrating to keep hearing about this. A friend just bought a 2007 GT3 and on his second track day with this car he had one of these infamous fittings come loose, hosed the rear with antifreeze and spun. Took seven hours for the mechanic service trackside to repair. A sh i tt y introduction to GT3 ownership (came out of an RS6).
Living with 5 months of freezing temps I am out of luck to run only Waterwetter. Porsche needs to step up on this issue before someone is killed.
09-20-2010, 09:53 PM
#27
The water wetter alternative has been discussed, but it is unclear whether this is better or worse. Coolant allows a higher boiling pressure and, I suspect, less internal pressure on the system; therefore maybe less likelihood of a leak or joint failure. And while water may be better for other cars on the track, there is no reason to think that it won't cause the car with the leak to spin just as fast.
09-21-2010, 06:04 PM
#28
Rennlist Member
Almost had a very very ugly incident yesterday at Sebring.
I was doing around 140 going into turn 17. Braked and did the first turn in. Right after I setup to turn right to complete the corner, the rear end let go with no warning and I spun. A lot. I'm in the 540 club now Both feet in and got it stopped pretty quick.
Luckily no contact with the wall or any other drivers. Hustled it off the track. Track workers said the back end is gushing coolant. Limped it over to the dealer's trailer in the paddock before it overheated.
Nothing they could do for it other than get it towed in. One of the tech's commented that they have been seeing a number of 997 GT3's blowing a coolant hose coupling at the track and it resulting the rear end being dowsed with coolant.
The car behind me when it happened said that he saw a couple puffs of smoke, then coolant gushing, then me spinning out of control. Luckily he wasn't that close and gave me a wide berth so he could get by with no contact.
They are going to figure out what happened tomorrow. Tough to diagnose with the bottom cover on.
Its definitely worth getting it looked at though as obviously the outcome could have been much much uglier.
I was doing around 140 going into turn 17. Braked and did the first turn in. Right after I setup to turn right to complete the corner, the rear end let go with no warning and I spun. A lot. I'm in the 540 club now
Both feet in and got it stopped pretty quick. Luckily no contact with the wall or any other drivers. Hustled it off the track. Track workers said the back end is gushing coolant. Limped it over to the dealer's trailer in the paddock before it overheated.
Nothing they could do for it other than get it towed in. One of the tech's commented that they have been seeing a number of 997 GT3's blowing a coolant hose coupling at the track and it resulting the rear end being dowsed with coolant.
The car behind me when it happened said that he saw a couple puffs of smoke, then coolant gushing, then me spinning out of control. Luckily he wasn't that close and gave me a wide berth so he could get by with no contact.
They are going to figure out what happened tomorrow. Tough to diagnose with the bottom cover on.
Its definitely worth getting it looked at though as obviously the outcome could have been much much uglier.
09-21-2010, 10:32 PM
#29
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Yep. Engine is out. As suspected, coolant coupling on the top of the engine behind the alternator was the culprit.
So far they are going to repair the one fitting. I have asked about the other 5. The answer I have gotten so far is that the other 5 haven't broken yet so why would they address it. Does not give me the warm fuzzies
This is the bugger that came loose. Should be plugged into the block.
So far they are going to repair the one fitting. I have asked about the other 5. The answer I have gotten so far is that the other 5 haven't broken yet so why would they address it. Does not give me the warm fuzzies
This is the bugger that came loose. Should be plugged into the block.
09-21-2010, 10:34 PM
#30
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
BTW, I started a Failure Registry Thread to try and consolidate just how many people on here have had this problem and the facts surrounding the failure. Might be helpful.