Preventative turns to fix

Took car to get brake fluid flushed this morning. $150, not the end of the world. Now I am going back next week to get oil return tube fixed and replace front differential seals on 4S. With alignment, $1,700. 1st big expense in the 9 months of ownership. Excluding replacing IMSB, clutch, coolant tank, and water pump. Amazed my wife hasn't divorced me.

It helps a lot if you can do at least some of these jobs yourself (all the ones you've listed are easily doable with basic tools) and give the savings to your wife.

Very true. A man must know his limitations though.

^^Yes^^ The wife being a major one...

In my case my wife says �spend more time with me, pay someone to do the work�. Since she made me buy my 996 when i was just considering buying one, who am i to argue. Happy wife.....

Weird, In my case the wife has gotten a not more carefree with the spending with the 996. With the Boxster S and 77 C3 (both sold), not so much. Maybe I have worn her down.

What is the issue with the oil return tubes?

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Leaking differential front seals is a sign of failure, hence the seals and bearings should be replaced. Otherwise you will be in a world of financial pain if that front diff fails. I don't see how this is very doable with basic tools and no experience. Even experienced Porsche mechanics have had to do this job twice because the customer brought it back because it was leaking again. There is no savings doing this job yourself, better off to pay somebody. Wayyyy to many folks on this forum devalue the experience, skills and specialty tools that a professional Porsche mechanic brings to the table and think everything is DIY. This is simply not true.

Return tube is cracked. Not yet making the car run funny but oil visible. Surprised I didn't see the oil change at all. Car still runs and drives great. I hope it's just seals. Shop said it could lead to bad things happening down the road. Guy is good and I feel trustworthy. Heck I told him to replace the alternator since removing with the oil tube. Told me it looked new. Leave be. I personally envy these guys. Worth every penny.

My wife has no problem if I spend time working on the cars, as long as it doesn't cost too much money. How much time do you really need to spend with your wife? Instead of watching the Hallmark Chanel with her, go work on your cars.

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Spoken like a true "Experienced Porsche Mechanic"... Leaking seals is a sign of failure of what? Uh...The seal...? Yes even experienced mechanics can make a mistake and have to do a job again. That doesn't mean no one else can do the job. In case you didn't know it, lots of people remove the front diff. and prefer the car that way... No savings ? How much do the seals cost $20 ea. That's $40 in parts, another $70 for the oil fill tube, and $200 for an alignment - Gee that leaves about $1390.00 in labor - I'd gladly spend the $110 in parts and even a leisurely day or two to pay myself (or my wife) $1390.00... Nahhhhh no savings there Granted, this type of work isn't everyone's cup o' tea but if it is, there's plenty of $ to be saved...

I have to agree with "dporto" on this one, way too many horror stories about "professional Porsche mechanics" and some of the shoddy work they've performed on unsuspecting/trusting customers' cars. I am not suggesting they are all bad, but there are enough bad ones, including dealerships, to make it a crap shoot which can be a hell of an expensive lesson. Personally, the best thing I ever did automotive wise was liberate myself from having to rely on someone else to repair/maintain my cars.

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Classic chauvinistic point of view!... I love it!!!

Leaking seals are typically followed by bearing failure due to lack of oil/lubrication. Both the seals and the bearings should be changed. Yes, mechanics sometimes make mistakes and have to redo a job. However, other times they don't make a mistake but the job has to be redone due to a defective part that they installed. Sure, anybody can attempt to do any job they want, but that doesn't mean it's always a money saver. Many of the DIY posts on this forum read: "Very frustrated, just changed my clutch and now it won't go into gear. Now I have to redo this again. Aaarrrghhh". "Just put in new coilovers twice and I still have a bad clunking sound"... "Need advice, tried to change my spark plugs and one shattered inside the cam covers"... "Help! I rebuilt my power steering rack and it still leaks"... Lot's of people post here how easy doing these jobs are and if you tackle them yourself you will save a bunch of money. But that is not always true. DIY is great, but not always worth it.

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I think it depends on a variety of factors: abilities - fairly obvious, but the learning factor of doing things yourself cannot be over emphasized. So many people own these cars and know absolutely nothing about them, it is amazing facilities - if all you have is a gravel driveway to work in, this becomes a problem for some jobs admittedly. Tools are also a factor. Tools to me are an investment. I�ve got tools I purchased 40 yrs ago and still use today. disposable income - this one is obvious. If you�ve got lots of disposable income, don�t care to get dirty, or want to learn anything about the car, there are lots of $150/hr mechanics that will add windshield washer fluid for you. enjoyment factor - I personally enjoy wrenching on my car. It�s my zen time. Plus I like the independence of it. I�ve always been extremely independent and like to be able to manage on my own (with a little help from friends periodically - like Rennlist) Remember, while there are lots of those threads where the DIY ends up bad, there are almost as many where the car went to the paid shop and came back with issues.

michaelo, I would suggest that the examples you refer to are more a function of skill level, individuals whose DIY skills and/or tools were not up to the task they attempted. As Clint Eastwood famously uttered, "Man's gotta know his limitations." As with so many other problems in life, accurate diagnosis is equally or even more important than remedy. Having said that, perhaps its just a matter of perspective: professionals looking to make a living, sometimes unscrupulously vs. rational economic DIY'ers. Many, many competent DIY'ers on this forum whose experience and encouragement will assist the uninitiated in getting over the learning curve, paying it forward, and that's all good.

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^^^ Much clearer and more reasoned post! The first one came off as you were just pissed off that people were doing their own work, and that they couldn�t possibly do what a �experienced mechanic� could... Generally speaking, I totally agree with what you�re saying here. My point earlier was that most people with a modicum of mechanical knowledge and skill could pull off that job and save money. Clearly, many come here asking questions after they�ve already screwed something up, so we get a skewed viewpoint regarding diy...

Just hope I don�t need new bearings. As mentioned, car drove perfectly fine. I guess with Covid going on, the mechanic had more time to look over entire car before bleeding brakes. Pointed out bearings, oil return tube and confessor leak. Said brakes I can do myself soon. Usually just fix what I bring in for. Big shop, usually super, super busy. Quiet yesterday, owner worked on it. He�s a super nice guy and has done all great work for me on the past. Usually off racing when I go.

I did my front wheel bearings the first time I changed out my suspension (C4 so, front axles to deal with). Once again, not a "difficult" job per se', bit it's quite involved. I even had to fabricate my own hub puller as the "official" Porsche special tool was $400 plus. I made one out of scrap steel and coupled it with a $90 bearing puller kit - worked like a charm! https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...al-tool-2.html One of the main trick when re-installing the wheel bearings is to put them in the freezer over night before installing... they go in like BUHHHHTAHHHHHHH

I would try it, I just do want to leave the car up on blocks for a month or so. I replaced the struts on my 986. I got it done but it took me a month and I lost weight stressing about it. I use to have that fearlessness. I now worry about leaving a car on stands for an extended period. I was once semi fearless. When I had my 77 carerra 3.0, I built stands and pulled the motor out in my garage so a friend could rebuild tranny. I was a guy who never did more than an oil change. I also stripped this car down to bare metal and painted in my garage. Google �Argeo a pelican success story�. I did pop in a wheel liner last night so I�m not totally useless. Oh, I want to drive now, not in August.

I hear ya... Time is always a major factor. If you have someone you trust and don't mind paying them, then that's a fine situation! Good luck with it & I hope you're driving soon!

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Ha!^^^ I just did a quick skim...You may have been a newbie then, but after that project, I'd say you moved into the "well versed part time mechanic" if not "closet pro" ! Great Job...do you still have the car, or has it moved on? I bet during times like these, you at least get a little itch, no?

Thanks. I�m a okay hack. Anything technical, my head starts to spin. No, sold the car to a guy from a Miami. After finishing the outside, started working in inside and found rot. I had just had enough and decided to sell. The car had electrical gremlins all the years I had it. I bought a book about car electricals and never figured out. I typically couldn�t go to the end of the street without breaking down. Best buyer ever. Flew up, bought and drove home from Boston in February with no heat. I heard he made it to the Mass Pike and tried to shift like a Honda and jammed something. Had it towed to a local shop to get it going again. I think it was minor and was off again the next day. He never called me about it. Sold for a whopping $8.5k. I think he did okay.

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Then might as well change the ring/pinion gear and all the other gears in there.......you know, just to be sure! Throwing parts at a project without any need is a colossal waste of money. If you are so concerned about the bearings, take the differential apart and have a look at everything AND THEN replace only what's needed.

There are a lot of DIY guys on here and some are really good. But there are hundreds of thousands of Porsche drivers of all types and the overall majority of owners are not DIY people. Professional mechanics are not at risk of losing their jobs. You just need to find a good one.