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YOUR RESEARCHNew Intermix...fearing the worst
Leading reported evidence
Check coolant level and it was low
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I checked my coolant level and it was low, with a few remnants of the tan/yellow sludge on the coolant cap.
Leading evidence: 'Check coolant level and it was low' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check coolant level and it was low' (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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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I did not replace the hoses and in the intervening 12 years and 50,000 miles I think I have replaced may 5-6 hoses.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I changed the oil and the coolant, but not with flushing the coolant and the intermix came back quickly.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Ran water through the cooling system only so far, but theres still ample sludge in the coolant reservoir.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
Background: 2000 996 C2, ~112k miles, recently being used for short drives (<5mi) 2-3x week
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Suggestion
There is nothing wrong with testing the AOS or oil cooler for internal cracks that can cause intermix, and I commend your for it , and it "should" be done before jumping in to a head repair, but you will get tired of recommending that when it will be a waist 9 times out of 10...
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I love to see a serious problem fixed with a frugal repair !!
Background: 2000 996 C2, ~112k miles, recently being used for short drives (<5mi) 2-3x week
A few days ago my temperature gauge light started to flash. I checked my coolant level and it was low, with a few remnants of the tan/yellow sludge on the coolant cap. I added ~1 liter of a 50/50 distilled water/Porsche coolant mix, and as it filled up, I noticed more sludge settling to the top as the reservoir was filled. Then I looked at my oil dipstick...sure enough there was some slight sludge. Same thing on the oil filler cap.
Since the temp gauge started flashing the car has driven <10mi total. I've never had any temperature issues, nor any oil pressure issues on this car. How screwed am I? What might be the next best thing to do? Going to call my Indy soon. Thanks all!
Jesse, it's definitely NOT game over yet. But you must act quickly to flush the car of the intermix. The chemical combination of oil and coolant will destroy the coolant hoses and make it a more costly repair. More than likely it's a cracked head. You need to make plans to have it pressure tested. Also, if you need the heads rebuilt, Hoffman in Athens GA is the best for these engines.
Y2K Syndrome strikes again.
You'll find a cracked head more than likely. It may take a while to find it, depending on the level of experience your technician has with Y2K syndrome.
When I had my intermix debacle with my 99 C2, by the time the temp gauge light flashed the head was already cracked. The coolant temperature read within the "normal" range, but when the light flashed and I checked the reservoir, the level was low and there was already intermix present. Cost me about $1.5K to fix this myself, $1K to the esteemed Mr. Hoffman whom did an excellent job at a reasonable price, and $500 for head bolts, gaskets, lifters yada, yada. All in all, not too bad, and learned a ton about the car and a sense of accomplishment once all done. Car now runs like scalded cat and temp stays stable with new reservoir and low temp thermostat. Don't be discouraged, many cars have recovered from this issue. BTW, I had a 1978 Alfa Romeo Spider 2000 for 26 years, loved that little car but I wanted something more modern and moved on to Porsches. Best of luck.
How long have you been doing short drives?
Short drives will accumulate sludge in some of the places you mentioned. It doesn�t explain the coolant problem though.
If it were me, I'd flush it this weekend. I wouldn't let it sit in the system for any length of time.
Follow this guy's experience. He bought a cheap Porsche 996 and it had intermix but it was in the system too long... see what happens...
You Tube
You Tube
Based on my experience don't panic about the hoses. If you review my threads in the fall of 2008 I had a cracked head and very extensive intermix. My coolant looked like pudding and my oil like a milkshake. I also discovered the problem when the gauge light started flashing while my wife was driving the car. I don't know how long the intermix had been happening but based on the extent of the intermix I am thinking it had been a while and many mils before I discovered it. I changed the oil and the coolant, but not with flushing the coolant and the intermix came back quickly. I parked the car that fall and did not drop the engine until the next April and I found the cracked head. In any case there was still extensive contamination in the cooling system which I pent quite some time cleaning out. I did not replace the hoses and in the intervening 12 years and 50,000 miles I think I have replaced may 5-6 hoses.
I am not saying that you should not flush the system but if you are going to have the car in the shop in the next week or two I don't think you need to flush the system this weekend which is a pretty involved process and produces lots of contaminated coolant and water which must be disposed of. A good shop has the resources to do this.
Hoses start to rapidly deteriorate after 3 months of exposure to the petroleum associated with coolant intermix.
Up to 3 months we really see no big issues with hoses. Climate also matters, and it seems that cold weather drives the effects of the intermix more than hot.
Keep in mind that we see 20+ M9X powered cars per year here, with intermix. Extensive first hand experience with these failures are what drives my comments. This is n to just some random failure that we see with random cars, it is something that keeps our queue full. This is something that we deal with every week in some capacity, and have for 18 years.
You don't want to deal with hose deterioration, as it attacks the heater core hoses first, and they are a bear to change out. Flush the system ASAP with hot water, mixed with Shout.
One of my current customers is a retired cooling system engineer for a major brand. He helped explain to me why the hoses deteriorate so rapidly once the process starts. Ironically, he is on my reconstruction schedule due to intermix and Y2K syndrome.
Super appreciate all your responses!! Will have to wait on flushing until next week, planning to bring to Bauer likely. If we find a cracked head only, I'll likely send to Hoffman
Send good vibes my way please!!
Alright, just over a month later and my car is getting put back together. Long story short, looks like it was just a bad oil cooler! The car is in the final stages of repair and testing, and then we'll be back on the road, no new engine needed after all!
Absolute best case scenario.
That was awesome to read. I am tackling an intermix issue on my '99 c4 and recently changed the oil cooler + air oil separator as a first attempt fix. There is no coolant in oil, only oil in coolant. I am located in a country devoid of Shout so waiting for it to be imported before I flush it with it. Ran water through the cooling system only so far, but theres still ample sludge in the coolant reservoir.
Question: Is it okay to point a pressure washer gun into the water pump hose to quickly flush the entire system (minus the heater core)?
Happy to read this. Good for you. I was actually going to comment this. I don't know why everyone automatically jumps to the absolute worst case scenario. Not only is the oil cooler the best case, it is also the overwhelmingly most common case when intermix happens. Very rarely is it a cracked head, and when it is, usually as a result of overheating the car. Glad you avoided that.
Might just be left-over oil in the system. The coolant system has a lot more places where residual oil can cling to all the little passages and coolers/heat exchanges. I wouldn't put high pressure through the system. You are looking for volume of water, not pressure. just keep flushing it and eventually it will all clean itself out. You might find that after it looks clean and you start driving the car, some residual will still pop back up within a few days/weeks. You may have to fill, drive and flush a few more times before it is totally clean.
It's because the Y2K Syndrome is real ....The early 3.4 engines are very susceptible to head cracks. The head gaskets NEVER blow, the oil coolers rarely fail , the AOS causing intermix is also rare but happens, over the years we have found that heads cracks are the #1 leading cause of intermix on the 3.4 by a margin of about 10 to 1..
There is nothing wrong with testing the AOS or oil cooler for internal cracks that can cause intermix, and I commend your for it , and it "should" be done before jumping in to a head repair, but you will get tired of recommending that when it will be a waist 9 times out of 10...
