26 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHCoolant expansion tank alternatives
Leading reported evidence
Replace about every 10 years
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
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 performed work without a confirmed outcome
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.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
BMW's need the entire freezing cooling system replaced about every 10 years..
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
I'm sure someone could knock up something similar if they chose too for a 911, but given the various challenges with placement and a need to easily check levels etc.
Leading evidence: 'Replace about every 10 years' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check levels etc' (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.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
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.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Let's just take the lowly expansion tank with new coolant/flush replaced by Indi.
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
I'm sure someone could knock up something similar if they chose too for a 911, but given the various challenges with placement and a need to easily check levels etc.
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
If you are going to replace the tank, I would recommend an OEM part.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
Check levels etc
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
I'm sure someone could knock up something similar if they chose too for a 911, but given the various challenges with placement and a need to easily check levels etc.
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.
26 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: 20261026T124918Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
I have a leaking tank in my 99. It seems by using the search function it's a common problem through the the life span of the 996. Has anyone made a metal alternative or used a different tank in its place?
There has to be a better material out there.
Is there a reason why other expansions tanks from different car makers last longer and don't have issues like the 996? My 928s4 is older, way more miles and doesn't leak from original.
Another "better idea" from the folks tasked with increasing profits in spite of the fact that it might/will reduce the reliability or quality of the product to the injury of the end user...Hey, its the modern way! Designed obsolescence.
Of course price is everything. I would surely try a better alternative if the price is right. Your reasonable price might not be reasonable for others. Often times creating a niche market with higher price isn't profitable vs having high volume sales with low pricing.
Jake is right about this. I don't think many consumers do a risk-cost analysis much these days. Let's just take the lowly expansion tank with new coolant/flush replaced by Indi. @$700 done with engine lowered already for other work. Don't know how long the average tank lasts but a longer life tank could be very expensive and still be a financially attractive if it has double or triple the life of the original. This does not take in account towing, out of use and customer comfort. I for one know the paranoia of walking around the car every time parked in garage sniffing and looking beneath car for leaks. Same goes even more so for the water pump. Cheap is not always the best!
If you are going to replace the tank, I would recommend an OEM part. Mine cracked on my 99 after upgrading the cap to the latest revision cap with the original tank. Bought a good OEM type replacement and it failed the next time the ambient temperature got hot (when I was in FL in the spring).
I then bought an OEM tank and all is good since. Been about 1.5 years.
Which is what Porsche applied with the Boxster, and 996.... Which is why we bitch about genuine parts not living long lives, or being the best product.
That never happened in the aircoled days, the genuine part was the best that could be bought, and we all hated anything aftermarket. Today I find myself buying nothing thats genuine, except a few gaskets.
I am in the opposite boat. I use to buy OEM parts when I can or the OEM part manufacturer (Bosch, Beru, Conti, etc) when not. And they can not be blamed of been cheap by the way... and from my experience, they work well too.
We can discuss if a small company is able to provide the same quality level control than a big manufacturer does (I know quite well the last ones) and we wont end that discussion, so, it is more a personal option.
PS: you wont see on my cars "no-name" consumables neither, oil, bulbs, filters... always just first products from first brands... bad choice?... so far going well.
BMW's need the entire freezing cooling system replaced about every 10 years.. My E46 cost me 2300 bucks to do it,
their expansion tanks fail randomly,, I went through 3 of them in 8 years.. YMMV <-- Like no kidding!!!
@NuttyProfessor
Thanks for the tip. I'll save others about 60 seconds and just reveal that (spoiler alert) Jake says he only uses the OEM coolant expansion tanks in the video.
That's a helpful clarification, given that this is a thread about coolant expansion tanks, and Jake is generally steering people away from OEM parts in thread.
And as for people being willing to pay more for a quality part - that might well be true, but something just doesn't add up with the cost of these plastic expansion tanks, in particular.
A genuine BMW replacement coolant tank for my e90 is about $100.
I looked up the genuine replacement coolant tank for a Ferrari 458, and it was also around $100.
Moroso makes aluminum coolant tanks for less than $200.
Genuine Porsche 996 tank is $600. 6x the cost!
So it really makes me wonder why someone can't deliver an OEM equivalent plastic tank for the 996 for $200, or why someone can't deliver an aluminum tank for $600. Any of us would gladly choose either of those options of over the current offering.
I think his opinion on this topic is very clear. Basically, a better product could be made, but there isn't any. In the case of coolant expansion tanks available today, the genuine OEM Porsche part is the best option out there. What everyone has found is that the aftermarket expansion tanks and caps don't last as long as the genuine Porsche OEM tanks. It's a PITA to install and so bite the bullet and get a genuine part. My 996.2 expansion cost me around $160.00. Unfortunately, the 996.1 tanks are almost $600 for some reason. Supply and demand? Maybe. Greed? Possibly. Regardless, it's Porsche's way of hitting you where it hurts!
I had a similar problem on my Ducati 996, the upper tank splits and covers the motor and sometimes the rider in boiling coolant. Its a common problem and while standard tanks aren't too expensive, they're a pain to replace (not as bad as a 911 tank), and quality of even the new stuff is hit and miss. It made me want to do something better. So I did:
Easy enough to fab up, has now lasted 20 years+
I'm sure someone could knock up something similar if they chose too for a 911, but given the various challenges with placement and a need to easily check levels etc. Its probably best to just stick to factory stuff?
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
