11 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHEngine Question
Leading reported evidence
Check leaks
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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 contain suggestions
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Suggestion
Before I messed with the camshaft covers I'd do the spark plug tube o-rings (and while you are there change the plugs if they are due) then clean the engine and drive and check for new leaks.
Leading evidence: 'Check leaks' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check leaks' (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.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
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
Before I messed with the camshaft covers I'd do the spark plug tube o-rings (and while you are there change the plugs if they are due) then clean the engine and drive and check for new leaks.
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 contain suggestions
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.
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 contain suggestions
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.
Suggestion
Before I messed with the camshaft covers I'd do the spark plug tube o-rings (and while you are there change the plugs if they are due) then clean the engine and drive and check for new leaks.
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 contain suggestions
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.
Suggestion
Having to reseal the covers is a very common issue with the 996.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
Check leaks
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that contain suggestions
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.
Suggestion
Before I messed with the camshaft covers I'd do the spark plug tube o-rings (and while you are there change the plugs if they are due) then clean the engine and drive and check for new leaks.
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
Before I messed with the camshaft covers I'd do the spark plug tube o-rings (and while you are there change the plugs if they are due) then clean the engine and drive and check for new leaks.
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
Before I messed with the camshaft covers I'd do the spark plug tube o-rings (and while you are there change the plugs if they are due) then clean the engine and drive and check for new leaks.
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.
11 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: 20261026T183130Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Hi Just purchased a 2000 996 Cabrio (C2) from a very unscrupulous dealer in cocoa fl. (Extreme Motorcars).
One of the many issues I was not informed about is when the 996 is warm there is an oil smell and upon inspection oil smoke can be seen exiting the drivers side rear wheel well.
There is no noticable oil leaking when the engine is not running, not a drop.
Being new to the boxter engine my "guess" is a leaky valve cover dripping on the header, does that sound reasonable?
How difficult a job?
if not, any other ideas of what else it could be?
Thanks for your help!
Rick.
Having to reseal the covers is a very common issue with the 996. Mine was leaking when I purchased it, but not enough to smoke visibly. Note: The engine is a "boxer" engine, but that's more of a Subaru term. Porsche dorks just call them flat sixes; super dorks refer to them by model (M96).
I'd get it on a lift or at least ramps asap and see where the oil is collecting. Post up a picture if you're not sure what you're looking at.
On the plus side, maybe you could convince the insurance adjuster that your car was actually one of the new GT3s...
I hope the car has some redeeming qualities, and isn't just a leaky POS.
Sounds like a spark plug tube leaking. Do a search for "spark plug tube". Plenty of info. You can change it out as a DIY if you are handy if not not find an Indy. Good luck.
Definitely getting under there and checking out where the source of the leak may be coming from will help narrow down your issue. If/when you find it, we provide a lot of great in depth
Tech Articles
that may help you with repairing the leak.
-Luccia
Have the same issue with my 2000 C2. Valve cover gaskets and spark plug tube have a small, but noticeable, leak. I was quoted about $1300 for parts and labor from my indy. They estimated about a 9 hour job if I recall correctly.
$1300? LOL
On the MK1's it's mostly the Spark Plug tubes/o-rings and less of valve cover issue most of the time. If you can turn a wrench, you can do this in one afternoon yourself and save close to $1200.
My limited experience is the tubes leak more often than the camshaft covers.
Even after nearly 290K miles the camshaft covers on my Boxster were oil tight. The o-rings were leaking. They were just worn out. Came out in pieces.
Before I messed with the camshaft covers I'd do the spark plug tube o-rings (and while you are there change the plugs if they are due) then clean the engine and drive and check for new leaks.
Frankly, I wouldn't touch the camshaft covers unless they are leaking and need to be resealed. These are more than just covers.
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