5 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHCoolant Smell
Reported or suspected cause
leaking water pump seal
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
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 report identifying a cause
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.
Reported cause
When I smelled antifreeze (just a single whiff) from my Turbo it proved to be a leaking water pump seal and when I smelled antifreeze (just a whiff once in a while) from my Boxster it was the tank.
Leading evidence: 'leaking water pump seal' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'leaking water pump seal' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Test cooling system, help locate/identify leaks if any' (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 report identifying a cause
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.
Reported cause
When I smelled antifreeze (just a single whiff) from my Turbo it proved to be a leaking water pump seal and when I smelled antifreeze (just a whiff once in a while) from my Boxster it was the tank.
Test cooling system, help locate/identify leaks if any
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
pressure test your cooling system, help locate/identify leaks if any.
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.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
leaking water pump seal
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Discussions that report identifying a cause
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.
Reported cause
When I smelled antifreeze (just a single whiff) from my Turbo it proved to be a leaking water pump seal and when I smelled antifreeze (just a whiff once in a while) from my Boxster it was the tank.
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.
Reported cause
When I smelled antifreeze (just a single whiff) from my Turbo it proved to be a leaking water pump seal and when I smelled antifreeze (just a whiff once in a while) from my Boxster it was the tank.
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.
5 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: 20261026T024951Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Recently purchased my 996 C4S and now that weather is nice can drive with windows down...
I have started to sometimes get a whiff of what seems like coolant now and again. I topped off the reservoir and drove for 200 miles, the level did not move, no drips/drops evident anywhere. I let it run and walked around car several times, but cannot find the source, nor is it evident all of the time.
Any common problem areas I should look for? Assume there must be a very very slight leak somewhere that burns off immediately? Any direction appreciated.
As peteb3 suggested, radiators. A used car and the previous owner probably never cleaned the radiator ducts out.
But it could also be from a water pump leaking or a crack in the tank.
I've had them both. When I smelled antifreeze (just a single whiff) from my Turbo it proved to be a leaking water pump seal and when I smelled antifreeze (just a whiff once in a while) from my Boxster it was the tank.
If you want with the tank topped up and the A/C off drive the car around until it is fully up to temperature. You want to be able to hear the radiator fans come on. This signals the coolant temp is (based on my info) 212F.
Someplace where convenient then pull in and raise RPMs to say 1200 and hold until the fans come on. Shut off the engine. Wait.
When I did this with my Boxster the build up of pressure finally had the tank gushing coolant (hot coolant so be careful).
If a radiator is leaking, or the tank, you'll probably know it.
If the leak is at the water pump unless you can view this or the leak is bad enough to drop coolant on the pavement, you won't know it.
But you can inspect this area cold. Look for antifreeze residue or in the case of my Turbo's water pump there was enough residue to build up blob of green stuff was visible under the pulley.
BTW, I might mention this that sometimes I catch a whiff of antifreeze through my car's open window or when walking up to at a parking lot and it is coming from a nearby car. Real hot days really bring out the coolant leaks in cars.
