3 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHIntermittent white smoke and coolant loss
Leading reported evidence
Replace rear main oil seal
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
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 performed work without a confirmed outcome
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.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
The rear main oil seal was replaced by Porsche in 2005.
Leading evidence: 'Replace rear main oil seal' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Repair | halfords uk' (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 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.
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.
3 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
911uk: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
1 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Outcome without a verified action link
Another member on here had a similar problem, and although a bit unorthodox he put a bottle of steel seal (from halfords) in his coolant and it cured it without the expense of expensive engine work.
Hi everyone.
I've owned a 2002 996.2 C2 manual for about 8 months.
I'm having to top up the coolant quite often. When topped up to the correct level and on cold startup, the car occasionally and randomly produces clouds of white, sweet smelling smoke from the right exhaust only. Once warmed up the smoke stops but the coolant level has dropped so that the expansion tank is empty, so it's coolant exiting the right hand exhaust somehow. It doesn't happen every time but it doesn't seem to like the coolant being at the correct level!
But weirdly the oil level doesn't change and the oil is perfectly golden coloured on the dip stick and no gloop on the oil filler cap. So I don't think it is head gasket.
Could it be water pump or air/oil separator (which I think is water cooled)?
Has anyone had these symptoms previously?
I took it to an independent porsche specialist who wasn't much use as he was focused on it possibly being bore score, which it isn't and his suggestion was to get rid! I'd like to keep the car and save it if possible.
The car drives beautifully otherwise and the engine runs and sounds very healthy.
No warning lights, no overheating, no puddles on the drive. Oil level remains correct and constant.
It's on 98k miles. The rear main oil seal was replaced by Porsche in 2005. It had an IMS bearing upgrade in 2019 at 79000 miles.
All a bit of a puzzle really!
I'll try another Porsche specialist in the coming months but there aren't any others near me, so wanted to hear if anyone else has experienced this issue first before I go further afield.
Thanks for reading.
Neal
Either cracked head or head gasket on that bank by the sounds of it. Could also have a leak elsewhere if you're loosing a lot of coolant (as well as the head fault). Another member on here had a similar problem, and although a bit unorthodox he put a bottle of steel seal (from halfords) in his coolant and it cured it without the expense of expensive engine work. I'd fully diagnose the issue before resorting to that though.
Steel Seal Head Gasket Repair | Halfords UK
The Steel Seal Head Gasket Repair is a simple pour in solution to fix blown head gaskets
www.halfords.com
Pull the head on the affected side and send it to be tested, if it's ok fit a new head gasket and proceed from there. The .2 heads can crack between the waterway and exhaust port. There is a you tube vid on one that shows where. Think it may be the Raby guy flat six innovations .
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
