Coolant loss and steam...Trouble

I knew this water cooled 911 lark was going to be trouble. Against my better judgement I aquired a 996 TT just a month or so ago. Coolant level has been dropping slightly and today in traffic I notice steam rising from the Near side of the middle grill in the bumper. It's definitely coolant but has any one got any ideas. Is this a common thing with these strange water cooled jobbies. Is it likely to be a leaky radiator or something. Appreciate any help

Hey Lee I felt the same about the water cooled Porsches but this is the way ahead... Anyway, I managed to pierce mine during a low flying exercise... I had it repaired at the OPC Guildford and only after three visits they managed to have the cooling system balanced again. I will not bore you with the reasoning but even now sometimes I can still smell antifreeze. What I am trying to say, is that Porsche's water cooling system is still a bit messy and if I were you I would just take the car to be pressure tetsed. In the mean time keep checking your oil level, the 996TT engines are as much oil cooled as they are water cooled... Cheers [ ]

Sounds like the same old expansion tank cracking syndrome. Northway Porsche change 3 a week on 996s.Probably the most common fault on the 996 inc RMS. Design fault. When the tank expands, it cracks and leaks coolant all over the engine which smells for months afterwards. Cost is £250 for a new tank. Si

I don't think it's expansion tank - Lee said the steam was coming from the "Near side of the middle grill in the bumper". Sounds like the centre rad in the front (or pipe going to it) to me.

The radiators are a little vulnerable, the centre one more so. I have many dents in the matrix, but nothing too serious. I would guess either a stone has holed it, or the pipe coming into it has cracked at the join. I don't think it is that common. (I suppose accident damage is possible if it was a 2nd hand car.) I have had steam come from mine once on a damp morning, but it was condensation/rain that was inside just evaporating. The collant system is supposed to be sealed and good for the life of the car. So if it has dropped there is definitely an issue.

The 996TT air intakes in the front PU collect leaves and other debris resulting in premature corrosion of the radiators. Just had my MY2001 radiators replaced as my OPC noticed the smell of hot glycol and traced it to a slight leak in one of the rads. After you have them replaced, ensure that you clear out the front air-intakes regularly

I've just notice damp bits under the front now. I called my local OPC on Monday and they put me straight through to voice mail where I reluctantly left a message...............Needless to say that I am still waiting for a call back. This "bargain" looks like it's going to be a false economy. I don't suppose radiators are cheap? Are they difficult for Non Porsche workshops to replace? I have noticed that some of you refer to it being a complicated system. cheers lee

Lee, I think the complicated bit is actually getting rid of all the air from the system. the runs from the front all the way to the rear mean that it is easy to get air pockets that take some while to work through the system. Even on my car when it was new, the coolant went down a couple of times in the first month, requiring topping up, and then it stabilised.

ditto Complicated means tricky to bleed and you have to take the front bits off before you fit the rads. OPC charged me £800 incl., I cannot see any problems with non-OPC. What they will charge you less is the labour, but check the parts...... Cheers [ ]

"ensure that you clear out the front air-intakes regularly" How? I saw the post that showed (on a Boxster) how to remove the front PU, but is there an easier way? Can the OPC do it for a sensible amount of money come service time?

One way is a vacuum cleaner with either a thin nozzle, or you can slip a cardboard tube (tinfoil inner or similar) over the vacuum hose-end, and partially flatten to get it between the grille-slats. Awkward, but it can suck out most of the leaves, cigarette cartons, bits of small mammals etc, that tend to accumulate in there.