Check engine -P2189 & P2187 along with white exhaust smoke

2007 Cayman S with 78K: I got a check engine light with the codes P2189 and P2187 (System too lean at idle bank 1 and 2) The next day car started puffing out white smoke from the exhaust on startup, it's done it both times i've started it up in the last day. I'm not driving the car until I take it into the shop, but it was driving totally fine. I just wanted to get an idea of what I might be dealing with before I take it in monday, possibly the head gasket?

That would be my guess. Are you down on coolant?

I just checked the coolant levels and they do look low, there is no liquid between the min-max, but the engine temps have been fine.

The car was a bit low on oil a couple days ago, so I put in about a half a bottle, and thats when i started to get the white exhaust smoke. I thought maybe the car just had TOO MUCH oil, but that isn't the case.

Let the car sit for a day then take an oil reading. Could you have put too much oil in it with the funky oil "e-dipstick"? To be honest I have never heard of so much of an oil overfill to trigger those error codes but it might be worth a look.

I checked the oil with the 'e-dipstick' but it's sitting right in the middle now. I'm just wondering if it was a coincidence that i'm getting these white smoke clouds after i topped the oil off.. The smoke smells dirty and almost like burning rubber.. but it is very whitish and almost blue which i'm pretty signifies burning oil. I'm just crossing my fingers I don't need a new head gasket.

A puff of oil smoke (blue) on start up isn't uncommon on these engines. Even at normal oil levels. The estick on the 987.1 seems to be the best of a bad lot. The later models sound like a bigger PITA. Certainly easier to live with changing the oil etc. Thinking about it a little more as opposed to just a guess two bad head gaskets doesn't seem likely. Maybe an AOS going bad. Not sure if that would account for the messages or not. It would affect both banks. If it is it must be just starting as you don't seem to be using enough oil for a failed one. Afraid it's still not much better than a guess.

Or you could try this, http://www.planet-9.com/987-cayman-...xster-problems-and-complaints/44958-p2187-p2189-error-codes-posible-causes.html Type the code into google. It's not Porsche specific. Stick with potential issues that would affect both banks. An O2 sensor would only give a fault on one bank for instance.

Thanks, I'll report back monday when I find out what's wrong with it.

I'm sure you are doing this anyway, but you need to make sure the car is on level ground when checking the oil level.

Is your air oil separator ok?

Hey, to anyone interested, it was indeed the AOS . Got quoted about $350 including an oil change. Thanks guys.

Glad it was nothing major.:dance::dance:

So I picked the car up and put some gas in it, and it was idling really rough, and lost power and totally died 3 times when giving it gas.. Took the car right back to the shop and they are looking at it. edit: So I'm getting a new mass airflow sensor now.. part was $625 from the shop, but I got it online for $220.

currently having this same problem now. I had noticed the car was bogging off the start, I started needing to give a little more gas from a stop. I just had the fuel pump replaced a few months ago, I'm wondering if it's the culprit.

been there done that. since i was 200 miles away from civilization when my aos went out the mechanic via cell phone asked me to start the car and pull off the oil cap . If you can feel a vacuum when you put your hand over the oil filler, its the aos . indeed it was. 200 mile tow into the mechanic. Easy to fix and not expensive. He did have to pull out the mass air flow sensor after I drove it home and it was bucking, drove it right back and 30 mins later I was on my way. You don't need a new MAF unless you really destroyed it, try just cleaning it with MAF sensor cleaner first