3.6 coolant leak

Hello guys, Im a newbie here as just recently bought my first Porsche, 2000 996 3,6 tiptronic. I am in Moscow. Well already have a problem unfortunately I was driving around town when temp gauge rose above 180 degrees, and red light started blinking at temp gauge. I stopped and under the car around the middle of rear wheelbase coolant was leaking out, as i turned off the car it stopped, then i topped up with water to get to my garage, but all the way home it was leaking, so i turned on fans to hottest and well temp didnt manage to rise too high. A question, is it a commmon problem? What could have gone wrong? I am quite good at mechanics, but i have always had BMWs, this is bit different now, and i do not have any manuals to look at to find the problem.. It leaks only when car is running. Help me please :?:

Check around the coolant bottle for signs of leak[by left rear] , older 996's can get cracks in bottle or cap. TB

Any leaks always come out in the same place because of the engine undertray. However, coolant bottle is a good place to start. I had a similar problem with mine once and it turned out just to be a loose coolant expansion bottle top (it is under pressure, so the slightest crack / half turn loose and it will lose coolant like it's going out of fashion.) When you top it up, use a 50 / 50 mix of correct grade anti-freeze and water - else you'll have big problems in the future...

Hmm, in engine bay it all looks neat and clean :?: Also around the bottle looks fine. I was also told that there is sort of small metal pin next to the coolant bootle. And it has to in position UP, not bent down to sides, that looks fine too. Level was low, i topped it up almost 3 litres of water before continiue driving as i had no other option. Could the reason be that coolant level was quite low, and that is why it overheated and started pushing coolant out? Do you think i can drive, or better get a tow truck to take it to garage? Also warning light didnt flash anymore as i topped up. Thank you in advance!

Small update, just went to the garage, it leaks as i pour water in, it leaks out straight away but tried to look for Expansion Tank cracks, couldnt see :nooo:

Just ahead of the rear suspension you will find a plastic undertray. Immediately above that there are two small plastic water carrier pipes(which sit close to the undertray) If they(the black plastic water carrier pipes) have(common) fell away from there clips they begin to rub against the undertray until they start leaking. You can put a temporary rubber hose over them (if this is where the leak is) and jubilee clip the hose. Thsi gives you a good temp repair. Best thing to do is to secure the pipework back on with tie-wraps when the pipes are replaced. Notes - this is an issue on GT's so maybe someone with a std 996 can comment re does it exist on C2/C4 also?

Thank you! i will definately have a look today underneath, need to get under car! Your explanation seems close to truth as leak is just there. Also one more question to You Wizard, funny thing is that as i pour water in, it starts leaking imediately and exactly as from a small tube, if it was crack in tank, then i think it would not start leaking so constantly and quick, it would take some time for antifreeze to leak down the body and i doubt that crack in tank would be so big, that it would leak as from small pipe. :?:

Small update, Wnt underneath the car to find the leak. Took me some time to get to the point, but did so finally. It is quite hard for me to explain in english, but i will try. Basically there is a small coolant pipe, a 90 degree on that is connected via rubber pipe to tank, and what happened, this small aluminium pipe cracked and started bleeding anti-freeze. Loaction is quite close to manifold, so i guess thi scould be the reason why it cracked. Now i am looking for this part and hopefully i will drive tonight again and enjoy my Porsche on empty Moscow streets at night. Maybe somebody could advise how much coolant do i need to bleed and refill the system. As i understand i need the lime green one, as that is what leaked. Thank you again for advices and hope it will turn out fine. :bandit:

Well, my car is fixed, did a test drive, wonderful :angel: Problem was as Wizard said, hoses rubbed, and created a hole. Only thing that i want to ask now. I put in RED anti-freeze liquid, before that was green one. They are the same in general, i used both in BMWs(of course not mixed together), but maybe Porsche is more fussy and wants just green? But well, shouldnt be big difference.. :?:

It is best to use one antifreeze only and avoid mixing them together. Good news it was easy to fix your leak :thumbs: TB

Glad my advice was spot-on as finding water leaks on 996's can be somewhat problematic....:thumb: :thumb: PS - stick to the green antifreeze my friend.

Hmm, Wizard, thank You once again, and yes, Your advice was spot on :worship: You say stick to the green anti-freeze, but now i have red one in, should i bleed the system straight away to change for green, or can i drive for a while and when it gets colder (in Russian it does get COLD COLD in month time) then change for a green one as long with oil change etc? :?: And i am really glad of this site i found, really helps, if anybody of You guys are in Russia, just PM me and i will show around, booze, birds whatever 8) :thumbs: BTW in 21 of november i have my wedding, and me and my wife are planning a honeymoon travelling around europe in my 996 :thumbs: Our last stop is London, as i have a house in Colchester, so maybe i manage to show up on some Porsche club gathering, we also plan to go all around uk and scotland, i've always dreamed of driving those mountain roads :thumbs:

Looks like I've just suffered the same problem. No fluid in the expansion tank at all and coolant all over rear bumper and undertray. I've had red coolant in mine since the tank split over two years ago with no problems.

Glad you got your car fixed mako great this internet thing aint it? you know it may just catch on... :lol:

Yes internet is great ))) Can do all the fixings of the car without taking it to specialists :thumb: Also what i noticed underneath the car..it looks like oil is leaking out somewhere, i couldnt find fresh leaks, but i also noticed that when i do hardcore driving it smells of burning oil at the back of the car when i stop, also if the windows are open i can feel it inside of the car as well, smells like oil is dripping on manifold :?: