JAO

I have a 2005 CGT with 1260 miles (I know, I don't drive it enough) that I took to the dealer for a new battery (#3 despite, or maybe because of using the Porsche battery maintainer rather than my usual Battery Tender) and 4 year service. I drive the car long enough every couple of weeks to get up to operating temp, but it's stored for 5 months every summer. They found some slight oil leaks around the scavenge pump and the flywheel seal. The flywheel seal had been replaced 2 years ago. The scavenge pump seals were quoted at $2840 plus labor, which seems crazy. The 4 year items are expensive, but didn't seem out of line given the car. Any thoughts/suggestions besides driving it more? Thanks

No HTwo O

Do you mean winter?

JAO

No, summer. I live in Montana in summer (way off the nearest paved road) and Florida in the winter. The GT stays in an air conditioned garage year-round.

gmgracing

We have serviced this problem before and not uncommon.

Happy to help as a dealer option.

We service a ton of CGT's in the area..

Macster

It is tough to counter the effects of lack of sufficient usage. The seals dry and shrink and even when the car is driven the seals will not regain their original size.

You need to be worried not only about engine seals shrinking and leaking, but tranny and A/C seals (o-rings) too.

For the engine one 'trick' is to run a Group V (ester based) engine oil.

My info is an ester based oil causes some seal swelling and can tighten up minor seal leaks.

There are problems with this: The seals may overreact to the oil, swell more than their original size and then wear and then resume leaking, this time even more so than had the Group V oil not been used.

The oil does nothing for those seals that are not engine seals and not exposed to the ester based engine oil. The A/C o-rings and the water pump seals to name a couple.

You have to be sure you use a Porsche approved Group V oil. There are some for other Porsche models but I'm not sure if Porsche has a Group V oil approved for the C-GT.

Of course you should check with a Porsche tech qualified on these cars to make sure there is nothing against using a ester based engine oil.

Sincerely,

Macster.

JAO

Macster,
Thank you for the info on the oil. I'll talk with the tech, but probably stick with the spec oil and commit to driving it more. I'm sure I can find someone to run it while I'm away.

The good news is that between the dealer and Porsche, it's costing a lot less than originally quoted to do the necessary work. I guess it helps to be a good long-term customer.

Sincerely,

JAO

enthusiast

I'm against fixing components with slight oil leaks unless the oil is contaminating some other component. I think the best thing for you to do (you just mentioned it in your last post) is to get a trusted person to exercise the car during that five month period. As 'Macster' said every system on the car should get a bit of use (AC is often neglected in cold weather months resulting in dried out seals that shrink or crack).

GMG post brings up another point. I recommend that if you have any service done, it be performed by technicians who currently work on Carrera GT cars. I know when the car was introduced many Porsche technicians went to a Carrera GT course. It is not your typical Porsche so the training was very very important. Anyway, if one doesn't use that training, one normally forgets it. Again, need someone with current experience and proper knowledge of this car regardless if they are an independent shop or dealership. Referrals from Carrera GT customers are important as well.

Battery. Many of us use a CTEK 3300 battery maintainer with great success. I believe the Porsche labeled charger is made by CTEK (and they cost more money). Your batteries should last longer if the car electrical system and charger are performing normal. If the charger doesn't step down to trickle mode then something is wrong.



This is a favorite post. Great photos of a car in for a 4 year service.

https://rennlist.com/forums/carrera-...ure-heavy.html

Macster

You're welcome. The 'oil' suggestion was not my #1 suggestion, you understand. But you did say you wanted thoughts/suggestions besides driving the car more.

My #1 suggestion, way above the oil suggestion, is to drive the car more.

Lots more.

Way lots more.

Way way lots more.

Sincerely,

Macster.