My radiator story and thanks to the Rennlist community

I have no skills (mechanically that is) but was motivated by some oil change posts to change my own oil successfully a few months ago saving $150. Last night I got motivated reading Rickker�s radiator story and watching the youtube demonstration to pull the bumper, shrouds, separate the condenser and vacuum the crap from the radiator. In the process two dustpans of leaves, feathers and a few cigarette butts dropped to the driveway ON EACH SIDE. BTW, that�s another reason to disdain smokers besides the way they stink up the air and increase our health costs. Thank God for the tax revenue we rake off those fools. Anyway, when I finished for the first time ever I had no parts left over. This community has really motivated me to take on some projects I never would have considered. I know I didn�t pull the engine or fix an IMS but this is a huge step for me as I have no car skills (outside of my scary fast driving on the track). So a big thanks to everyone on the forum! I couldn�t have done it without you.

nice story, its good to learn and be empowered with knowledge and new skills !!

rwiii I love your story This forum reminds me a lot of the W163 forum on benzworld. It was, and remains the most active forum and we all formed fast friendships and learned so much about our cars and ourselves from one another

+1 Brakes are next. They are a relatively easy job, and you'll kick yourself for paying for it otherwise.

Cool Deal and good job!! Doing the DIY's actually makes you believe that you can take on more projects. This is a great forum...good guys and a-holes...regardless they all bring good info to the table..

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Uhmmm..... I won't ask which of the two categories I fall into because I might not like the answer!

Hey, I am not always an A-hole As for brakes - easy! Fluid flush, a little harder, but if you spend $75 for a power bleeder, its SO simple! For non-track car I like Castrol GT LMA fluid. You did the oil, so that's under your belt. Aren't ya glad you bought a car that is designed for the owner to work on

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No worries Tim.....your one of the good guys! Actually 98% are in that same category. Its the 2% that pains me ......kinda like a cold toilet seat.

+1 for butts, I found a lot of them when I cleaned my radiators. I've been a motorcycle rider for 25 years and have been hit by discarded lit butts many times. Once a co-rider friend of mine had a lit one fall inside his jacket, we followed the offender to a downtown portland parking garage. She got kind of scared by being berated by two 'biker-dudes' (believe me, I'm not really very scary in real life) and she called the police. When the police arrived they gave her a ticket for throwing a burning object out of her car, which is a $500 fine here in Oregon. Needless to say I don't think she'll be throwing her butts out anymore.

Before and after washing my Porsches, I take my leaf blower, and blow out the front air intakes and radiators (and oil coolers). Stuff comes flying out each & every time. Some when dry and some when wet. Now, I understand that a bumper removal my be more thorough, I think my method is highly effective if done often and diligently. Easy to do too.

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Where do you point the leaf blower so the air comes through the radiators from back to front?

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I blast the air straight into the front side, from varying angles. I don't have access to the backside. All kinds of stuff comes out; leaves, straw, bugs, cig butts and last year a very dead and very dehydrated bird. Prior to winter hibernation, I also vacuum out with a crevice tool on my shop-vac.

Your story hits home. This forum has helped immensely doing so many Porsche 'how to' projects that I once thought were best left for a 'qualified' Porsche trained mechanic. So many Rennlist members have shared step by step instruction that enables the majority of owners to get to know their Porsches better by performing some of the work themselves.

.... I dont venture to much out of the 996 forums, we seem to be the most active and most plesant of the bunch. Lots of good guys here... a-holes - havent been around here lately.

Does that mean you have parts left over when you do an oil change?

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I think I'm just having a bad day, your right Ferd....had a terrets spell about an hour ago and that seems to have done the trick. Now I just need to go home and kick the cat and I'm good to go.

Yea, oil on the driveway and all over me!

Get an oil drain pan. They are not that expensive and it is easier to clean up after you are done.

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my guess is he had one, just not one that accepted the oil fast enough - my 996 would "almost" overflow the top section of my pan, but the 86' oil comes out just a tiny bit faster and I had about a cup or two hit the floor while I ran around like an idiot screaming "NO NO - AWE CRAP.... NOOOOO!!" I now have a much bigger hole cun in the top of my pan

No mess is too big, just need to have one of these on hand

Oh, I had the pan. Just still a little clumsy!

My original drain pan had a recess in the top with a small hole in it. Every time I changed the oil it would overflow. The oil comes out of the engine much faster that the drain hole in the pan would take it. And with 8+ quarts it always made a big mess. I got a drain pan that is open on the top and still have a pour spout. No more mess. I keep a 5 gallon bucket from Home Depot and transfer the oil to it. Then take it to the local oil change store where they accept the oil, they just pour it into their tank. I used to use gallon milk jugs but they were much messier and you end up with lots of "contaminated" jugs. The 5 gallon bucket can be reused again and again.