fullymatted.
Back to search
Rennlist

996 possible engine failure engine failure gray smoke l exhaust coolant ? leaking

Add to repair workspace
Open repair workspace
Original source
19 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW

Discussion summary

YOUR RESEARCH996 possible engine failure engine failure gray smoke l exhaust coolant ? leaking

Leading reported evidence

Replace ; new or

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
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 · Original poster

OPTIONS,rebulid,replace; new or used?

996 possible engine failure engine failure gray smoke l exhaust coolant ? leaking
Read full discussion summary

Leading evidence: 'Replace ; new or' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace ; new or' (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.

Read captured replies

1 matching discussions · 19 captured posts examined · 0 partial discussions

Compare 1 other evidence results

Replace those coils

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
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

Codes and then my money is on replacing those coils.

996 possible engine failure engine failure gray smoke l exhaust coolant ? leaking
Frequently discussed actions (2)

These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.

Replace ; new or

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 · Original poster

OPTIONS,rebulid,replace; new or used?

996 possible engine failure engine failure gray smoke l exhaust coolant ? leaking

Replace those coils

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

Codes and then my money is on replacing those coils.

996 possible engine failure engine failure gray smoke l exhaust coolant ? leaking
Coverage and how to read this overview

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.

19 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: 20261027T154520Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources

POST 1 / ORIGINAL POSTEROriginal post

2002 Carrera 4s Cabriolet 57k, 1 week ago was on line at car wash; engine stalled. When I restarted engine had terrible miss; sounded like a couple pugs (coilers were off. Got thru car wash w roving engine about 2 to 2500 revs. Then Stupidly drove home keeping the revs up (It wouldnt idle) About 4 miles and keeping speed below 50mph. old pressure and temp was ok When I got home and turned it off. Clouds of gray smoke from L exhaust. I noticed later small ant of coolant (pinkish color) on garage floor. Haven't tried to start it; making arrangement to tow to independent dealer on Monday. Question is blown head gasket or valve or piston ? Guess I'll soon find out. OPTIONS,rebulid,replace; new or used? Any advice would be appreciated

POST 2Original post

Head gaskets typically not a failure item on these engines. Where was location of water leak on floor? Any Check engine lights? Any unusual/disturbing noises? How does water tank fluid look? Milky? What does dipstick oil look like?

POST 3Original post

Could be a number of things, like bad coil/coils for one. Best to have an m96 specialist look at it and don't drive (worst thing you can do) it until you find out what's wrong. To soon to panic!

POST 4 / ORIGINAL POSTEROriginal post

Thanks for reply. The engine light did come on, and the coolant? under the car is far back ( going to jack it today and have a closer look see. No unusual noise except the loud miss. the coolant looks ok,(but. temp was WNL.

POST 5 / ORIGINAL POSTEROriginal post

Oil level Full and not discolored

POST 7Original post

Quotes source posts: 15156608, 15156624

Yep and Yep In addition, location of water beneath car could be valuable guessing information. Good Luck!

POST 8Original post

Automatic car washes are about as bad for cars as mice.

POST 9Original post

First thing as already stated is pull the codes/

POST 10Original post

Could the pink water under the car just be some soapy water from the car wash?

POST 11Original post

Codes and then my money is on replacing those coils.

POST 12Original post

Quotes source post: 15156565

Op said "on line". I think this means outside of the car wash when the engine died and on restart had the bad miss. Not sure if car wash water related, but the codes should tell a story.

POST 13Original post

I think the standard Porsche coolant is orange. Is your coolant pink to begin with?

POST 14Original post

Coolant leak onto the coils is my wild guess...

POST 15Original post

In 16 years could be most any color coolant in there! Like the Stones sang: "She comes in color..."

POST 16Original post

High-pressure car wash plus 16-17 year old plastic coil packs? MUST be the head gasket. This is the part where we hope OP has an honest mechanic.

POST 17Original post

Quotes source post: 15160178

+1 Yes, yes it must catastrophic!! The AOS went taking the out the mains, rods and IMS bearings. Or some/all of the coils are cracked and some of them shorted when the water got to them. That snuffed the fire that let unburned fuel build up in the cats lighting CEL.

POST 18Original post

You took a cab through a high pressure car wash? Can I make a suggestion? Bucket of water and some car wash soap, hose and wash, then dry and sit back and relax. Your car panicked at the thought of entering that car wash....

POST 19Original post

Quotes source post: 15160397

it also killed the mouse that was nibbling on the wiring harness. He bit down so hard he severed several wires in an inaccessible spot. in all seriousness, I was serious about NEVER taking a car to an automatic car wash. I�ve had old junk cars that I DID take to an automatic wash and the coils would go nuts, check engine lights would come flashing, etc.

This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.