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THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHCoolant leak under drivers side exhaust
Reported or suspected cause
tank....long story short, i made a special trip back
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
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Identified cause
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Suspected cause
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Reported fixes
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Discussions that report identifying a cause
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Reported cause
When I dropped the car off, I told them it was the tank....long story short, I made a special trip back to pick up the car (400 miles), picked the car up, drive three blocks, parked the car, and coolant was dripping steadily in the exact area you describe.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
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Suggestion
If the puddle is anywhere to the left, then coolant cap (should be blue and end in 04) check first, make sure it is none of the hoses because there are plastic fittings that get brittle with age (the one right next to the expansion tank and in particular the one right next to the oil filler tube), then feel/look around under the expansion tank for any moisture.
Leading evidence: 'tank....long story short, i made a special trip back' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'tank....long story short, i made a special trip back' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check first, make sure it is none of the hoses' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that suspect a cause
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Suspected cause
Most likely the expansion tank, based on that area.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
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Suggestion
If the puddle is anywhere to the left, then coolant cap (should be blue and end in 04) check first, make sure it is none of the hoses because there are plastic fittings that get brittle with age (the one right next to the expansion tank and in particular the one right next to the oil filler tube), then feel/look around under the expansion tank for any moisture.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
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Suggestion · Original poster
Didnt have time this morning to check thoroughly, but a quick check revealed nothing on the (super-expensive) coolant tank.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
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Suggestion · Original poster
Will check the tabk tank while the engine is warm, also.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
Check first, make sure it is none of the hoses
No successful repair reported for this finding.
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Reported fixes
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Unsuccessful attempts
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Discussions
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Discussions that contain suggestions
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Suggestion
If the puddle is anywhere to the left, then coolant cap (should be blue and end in 04) check first, make sure it is none of the hoses because there are plastic fittings that get brittle with age (the one right next to the expansion tank and in particular the one right next to the oil filler tube), then feel/look around under the expansion tank for any moisture.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
As someone already said, check when it's fully upto temp...if it's coolant then what ever you see with it parked will be way more obvious when it's upto normal operating pressure.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
tank....long story short, i made a special trip back
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Reported cause
When I dropped the car off, I told them it was the tank....long story short, I made a special trip back to pick up the car (400 miles), picked the car up, drive three blocks, parked the car, and coolant was dripping steadily in the exact area you describe.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
28 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T063944Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Greetings, 2000 Cabriolet with 27,000 miles. Noticed a 2-inch coolant spot on the floor over 5 days; was dripping onto the drivers side exhaust pipe. I�ve been smelling coolant right around the coolant tank. Didnt have time this morning to check thoroughly, but a quick check revealed nothing on the (super-expensive) coolant tank. My question: could this be a water pump failure (due to age, not miles), or does the water pump not leak in that area? Anybody have experience with a leak in that area? Will dive deeper into this weekend; just looking for ideas for now, and I did search before posting. Thank you. -Jim
Most likely the expansion tank, based on that area. You won't see a leak/anything unless the car is up to operating temp/pressure. The tanks are notorious for splitting along the bottom seam but generally only leak under pressure. If you're leaking coolant (as opposed to just a little condensation - which is a normal product of combustion) from your tailpipe(s) you potentially have much bigger problems (cracked head)... Good luck! I hope it turns out to be the tank
No coolant from inside the exhaust. I�m �guessing� it�s the expansion tank, due to their reputation and the location, but wasn�t sure from where where the water pump leaks.
Will check the tabk tank while the engine is warm, also. Thanks again.
Side question: I�m not a mechanic but can do things like brakes, spark plugs, etc. When looking at Pelican�s website, water pump replacement isn�t too bad. Would you guys do your own? I have a garage and don�t mind wrenching.
-Jim
It doesn't take much expertise to replace the water pump. Just follow the Pelican Parts instructions. But a word of caution, there are different length bolts that bolt the pump to the block, so pay close attention to which bolt comes out of which hole. I removed a bolt and placed it in the correct hole on the new water pump in order to keep track.
While you are at it, put in a low temp thermostat at the same time. Follow the correct procedures for refilling the coolant and "burping" the car.
A leaking water pump is pretty evident...it leaks and drips straight below the water pump. If the puddle is anywhere to the left, then coolant cap (should be blue and end in 04) check first, make sure it is none of the hoses because there are plastic fittings that get brittle with age (the one right next to the expansion tank and in particular the one right next to the oil filler tube), then feel/look around under the expansion tank for any moisture.
there�s a Plastic Tee connecting some small coolant hoses near the water pump, and if it cracks slightly or the hoses are old, they will leak. Usually this leak is fairly large (a large puddle) but I would check those first and you will see if there is build-up of sludge from leaking hoses. They are behind some of the accessories and the serpentine belt so if you have a relatively clean motor, this area can still be easily missed.
I will caution beware checking any of the plastic hose t-pieces and barbs "aggressively"...or you will cause the issue you are hoping you don't have! They get really brittle with age
As someone already said, check when it's fully upto temp...if it's coolant then what ever you see with it parked will be way more obvious when it's upto normal operating pressure.
One other general caution...I dodged a bullet recently with a very slow coolant drip at the AOS connection that clearly had been happening for way longer than I had realized (it stopped completely as the vehicle cooled). I park on an angled driveway, there's a nasty little shelf in that coolant bottle that holds a little coolant pool near the cap and min/max marks....I had way less coolant in the bottle than a casual quick look had indicated.
j just had this failure; unfortunately, I was 400 miles away from home with no tools or time so I had to take it and leave it with the Porsche dealer.. they had the car for a week...they informed me it was the coolant cap (which I replaced less than 500 miles prior - they thought it was cross-threaded). When I dropped the car off, I told them it was the tank....long story short, I made a special trip back to pick up the car (400 miles), picked the car up, drive three blocks, parked the car, and coolant was dripping steadily in the exact area you describe. It was only leaking when up to temperature, despite being told they did a pressure test. It�s fixed now, $800 later.
Hopefully you paid with a credit card - cancel the charge! Then negotiate for the tank and time at cost. It's a $150-$200 part and an 1-1.5hr labor... No way it should cost you more than $450-$500. Besides that I'm sure they charged you for a new cap even though yours was probably fine.
Right - I am pissed...tried calling the GM to discuss, no answer...called my credit union, they are sending me form to disputed the charge...btw, this was Porsche North Scottsdale...this event might have cost them the sell of a new Macan (dad was going to trade in his A8, now he is pissed).
$214 diagnostic (misdiagnosed), incl new cap (not needed. - $46), rags, etc. - first invoice. (I don�t have a copy of this invoice - left it on the passengers seat and it was gone when I picked up the car the second time)
second invoice (next day) - $295 labor, diagnoise and replace tank, replenish coolant; (parts: tank: $192, coolant: $42,)...summary labor: $295, Parts: $234, Tax:$20, Total: $549
The second invoice seems fair (considering), but the work really was only�1.5 hr max (they charged for 2.7); I will dispute the first invoice.
genuine tank is not $600 for my car, 2001 Carrera.... parts guys actually quoted that but then said he made a mistake and requoted $171.05, this us more inline with genuine Porsche part available on-line
FWIW Replacing the coolant tank is a bit of a bastard of a job, for sure it's easier with familiarity with the tricks involved, but a bit of labor is reasonable and inevitable. No idea where Wyovino gets his $600 number for a tank from, I just paid $119 for a genuine factory one from Sunset.
My advise is to find exactly where it�s leaking. No sense replacing parts unless they need to be replaced. It could be a hose, a T, a reservoir tank, any number of things. There are a LOT of hoses on that side of the car, and it could be any of them.
It�s probably not the water pump because the water pump sits below the exhaust mufflers (but not below the exhaust pipes connecting the headers to the mufflers).
I'm guessing you didn't get a genuine factory one from Sunset for $119. I hope the one you bought at least was from Germany. If not, you'll be buying another, more expensive one very soon.
https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/99610614756.htm?pn=996-106-147-56-OEM&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIu-X7-4OF3gIVDlYMCh1u9AQ0EAkYCyABEgKFNfD_BwE
https://www.suncoastparts.com/product/SKU996RSRVR.html
https://www.sunsetporscheparts.com/o...MtNGwtaDYtZ2Fz
That is strange. What would account for that big of a difference in price?
Btw - the original poster has the same year car as mine, so his tank should be in the $500-600 range if they used a genuine Porsche part.
