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Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHLittle puddle in the garage - hope it's coolant!?
Reported repair
Repair photo link, i think
Reported resolution
1
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0
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1
Discussions
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1 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
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Leading evidence: 'Repair photo link, i think' (1 discussions report resolution; 0 report an unsuccessful attempt). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'coolant tank' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Repair photo link, i think' (1 discussions). For that action, 1 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. The most frequently reported fix is 'Repair photo link, i think', supported by resolution reports in 1 discussions. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Suspected cause
Left (driver) side over exhaust is, as others have said, probably the coolant tank.
water pump leaking, the puddle would be slightly closer
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Suspected cause
If it was the water pump leaking, the puddle would be slightly closer to the centerline.
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Suggestion · Original poster
Update: I took the car out again last night after clearing the check engine code.
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Suggestion
Getting those square plastic pieces to sit correctly was difficult for me, keep changing your angle left to right and up and down and when it goes you'll know it.
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Suggestion
I suppose you could always keep some PH level test strips on hand to be able to test the liquid in the future as good coolant will have different PH levels than oil.
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.
46 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
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Your picture doesn't work....but it could easily be the coolant expansion tank if original. Here's my thread and there are before pictures and pictures of the tank where it failed.
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...ant-issue.html
Pressure test.....then you'll know what and where the leak is from (unless you're able to conclusively ID the liquid via sight/touch/smell). Best of luck.
P.S. My WAG is also a cracked tank as Paul above suggested.
$1 says Hurdi says "egg cup" at least once in this thread.
Left (driver) side over exhaust is, as others have said, probably the coolant tank. If it was the water pump leaking, the puddle would be slightly closer to the centerline.
I had a similar thing happen with my car recently...small puddle under the driver's side exhaust, with a little pooled on the tips. It was definitely coolant and was the result of a cracked coolant expansion tank as others have already said. Good luck with the fix.
There's no way you're getting oil that color out of your Porsche. It's not even that color when you put it in - and it sure as heck isn't that light after it's been in the engine for a while.
That's not oil. Used motor oil is dark brown/black.
I attached your photo to make it simpler for other viewers. If you're not going to use the image inline using the img and /img tags, you can attach them. Since you're a paying member, you can click the Go Advanced button, click Manage Attachments, and add your photos as an attachment to your post.
Looks like coolant to me and I agree with others that it's likely the coolant tank. Need a pressure test to be 100% unless you can see exactly where from the tank it's leaking from. Is your coolant kind of greenish?
Did you open your cap and see what kind of coolant you had in the resorvoir tank? Also can you visually see if there is any leaks underneath it?
Looks like green coolant to me too.
You can also see where it has dried leaving the whitish residue. My money is on coolant. Keep an eye on the level in the coolant tank - when cold make sure that it is above the minimum mark. Keep an eye on the temperature gauge. Other than that, I wouldn't race to fix it assuming it isn't a puddle that you find everyday.
Definitely coolant (thanks for attaching the photo)! I actually opened my tank and the coolant IS a brownish orange. It's a steady drip, so, looks like I should get a new expansion tank - and learn how to install it? Right after I take a basic chemistry class to know the difference between oil and coolant before panicing!
I suppose you could always keep some PH level test strips on hand to be able to test the liquid in the future as good coolant will have different PH levels than oil.
Easy recipe to kill off your significant other slowly and make it seem natural if you slip a little bit at a time in their food. I carry my own PH test strips for just that reason. lol
Ha ^^
Just ordered a new tank. From the instructions on Pelican's site, it looks pretty straight forward for my C2. Not so for the other models though.
next time wipe some off with your finger and smell it. If it has a sweetish smell, it's coolant, if it has a burnt smell, it's oil. If that doesn't work, get some on your hand and then try and rinse it off with water. If it rinses off with just water, it's coolant, if it's still greasy and water beads up on your finger, it's oil.
If you want to be frustrated, use channel lock pliers and you should be able to get them off, that's what I did. It would almost be impossible to get them in place during installation, or at least easily.
Do yourself a favor, go get the Craftsman tool for $35 or $39 and you will thank me later. That's less than 1/4 hour labor at your local Porsche dealership. You won't regret it, trust me on this one.
Also, the fuel filter has to be moved during this evolution, I would consider getting a new one and replacing it. However, I am unsure of what tools are needed to un-hook and hook up the fuel lines to it. It would make it a lot easier to have the fuel filter out of the way when changing the tank out. Get the new expansion tank cap also. I needed about 1.5 liters of coolant (bought 1 liter, but wasn't enough) diluted to a 50/50 ratio (3 liters on hand) to properly fill it. 2 liters was short a small amount.
I read that the C4 is harder to do than my C2 (I don't have to move the fuel filter, for example) - probably due to the extra drive elements up front. Still, I may get that special clamp tool - assuming they have it at Sears.
I'll buy some coolant to top off after the install. Hopefully I can take care of it this weekend!
[I hate the new mobile app: I started writing a reply, went to Safari to look up a part, switched back to the app and *poof!* the post that I was writing had disappeared. Also the Favorites function is broken. But hey, at least no more Parse Error!]
AndyK - I second Paul Waterloo's recommendation of the remote hose clip pliers. I bought mine from Amazon and found them invaluable for the coolant tank. In my opinion they are essential especially if you end up doing the water pump and thermostat where there are several hard to get to hoses.
I'm not sure that my coolant tank was actually leaking but the tube that attaches to the angled plastic fitting at the base of the tank was (
this one
).
On my 2002, there is no fuel filter near the coolant tank. I lowered the engine, removed the left motor mount completely to give me additional room to work, and was able to remove the coolant tank without touching the fuel rails. Reinstallation was trickier and I had to modify the black plastic piece that the coolant tank slides into. Let me know if you'd like a picture.
OK, I removed the fuel lines, and finally got the old tank out! What a PITA!
Even worse, looks like the dealer sent me the wrong replacement - unless the updated part is longer, with the sensor located on the side and not the bottom??
image_zpst72csjpk.jpg
Andy-
Do you have the 3.4? It looks like it from your sig picture.....the old tank looks like mine from a 3.4 with the fuel filter mount on it, I believe the 3.6's don't have the fuel filter mounted on the tank. But it sounds like you already figured out that you have the wrong one.
Getting those square plastic pieces to sit correctly was difficult for me, keep changing your angle left to right and up and down and when it goes you'll know it. If it doesn't appear to be seated correctly in the body, it's not.
Good luck!
I finally wrestled the new tank in, and there is still a leak. Bet it's a hose after all. I'm taking it to a mechanic - I'm done trying to fix this problem!
I topped off the coolant (distilled water), and took the car for a drive. Got a rough idle, and a check engine light (Code = P0301).
I did remove the fuel lines and re-install them, also there could be coolant on the motor. The car was sitting for a good week and a half.
Would this cause a temporary rough idle?
I'm guessing one of your coil packs might of got ruined with coolant on it for a week or you accidentally unplugged one
Also I offer 10% off to RL members so you could of saved a few bucks on this part.
-Jason
There really wasn't coolant all over everything. I could see accidental unplugging with all the bashing I did getting that coolant tank in there!
What should I check?
Update: I took the car out again last night after clearing the check engine code. Car ran fine on all cylinders and, no leak today! I'm guessing the new leak was just residual coolant spilled during the tank change!
