coolant level low - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

dbansal · 08-21-2013, 11:35 AM

guys...after reading the thread on the coolant cap....

i did notice that my coolant level is a bit low under the min line... I'm not sure which cap I have... once i get home tonight I will check the cap...

solution: fill coolant get new cap?

Mark_T · 08-21-2013, 11:51 AM

That would be a good start. Porsche coolant only, and check under the trunk carpeting to see if you have a coolant tank leak.

madmods · 08-21-2013, 11:51 AM

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dbansal · 08-21-2013, 11:57 AM

ok.. thanks for the tip... will check it out tonight.... i've driven the car almost 1500 miles since I've had it and the coolant level is still right below min... hopefully its just the cap... will check under carpet... wish me luck!

dbansal · 08-21-2013, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madmods

If like me you get a cloud of condensation on the bonnet (located just above the cap) then you are okay to assume that your cap is defect. Mine is like that at the moment.... I just forget to order one every time (thanks for the reminder!).

If you have no cloud then the problem may be a bit more severe. Leaking hose, tank, rad, or even a crack head/gasket. Get a pressure test done to be certain I'd recommend.

also... if I had a cracked head/gasket... pretty sure I would know??

madmods · 08-21-2013, 01:24 PM

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Perfectlap · 08-21-2013, 02:33 PM

you probably have air in the system if its below the minimum hash mark due to the coolant cap going loose or maybe it's a leaky coolant tank as other have suggested. Either way the system may not be air-tight which means you need to visit the mechanic to evacuate any air and that's should include replacing the old cap with the new. Driving around with air in the system can lead to a big engine problem. I predict your wallet will be $200-$400 lighter. More if the coolant tank has split/is drippy.

p.s.
what color is your coolant?

dbansal · 08-21-2013, 04:39 PM

so i took a look, and looks like the cap went bad as there's condensation all around... do i still need to get my air evacuated? Can't i just fill in some more coolant and get a new cap?

dbansal · 08-21-2013, 04:40 PM

dbansal · 08-21-2013, 04:42 PM

the coolant looks brown...

Ckrikos · 08-21-2013, 04:42 PM

I have lots of condensation coming from the bleeder valve. Last year my mechanic didn't purge the lines well and the car blew out lots of coolant since then it had the condensation problem. I tried to fix it by changing the o rings and made it worse. So this year I'm going to just take it somewhere to have them replace the tank.

dbansal · 08-21-2013, 05:02 PM

just ordered coolant cap and 1 gallon of coolant from pelican..

madmods · 08-21-2013, 05:23 PM

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madmods · 08-21-2013, 05:27 PM

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986_c6 · 08-21-2013, 06:28 PM

Can we just top off with distilled water (for those of us that prefer less coolant and more water for better cooling properties)?

dbansal · 08-21-2013, 07:34 PM

So I just checked the color of the coolant again and it's orange more dark orange and smells sweet so I guess that's normal.

dbansal · 08-21-2013, 07:49 PM

Also there is no coolant under carpets. So am I good to just top with the coolant do I need to dilute it?

Perfectlap · 08-22-2013, 08:44 AM

Nope. You may have a leak elsewhere. Lack of coolant is not your big problem. It's why the coolant droped that low in the first place ...and that you've been driving around with air in the coolant system. When was the last time you checked the coolant level, and last time the coolant was flushed? If you take that cap off now you may be nixing what little pressure that out-of-date cap can hold.
Do yourself a big favor and bring it to your Indy today. The minimum coolant line is not really a polite suggestion.
Also, check the oil dip stick. Anything weird?

p.s.
A trick I used to see the coolant when it's dark or hazy is to flash a light behind the coolant tank. I used my smartphone's video flash the other night.
I could perfectly see the exact level of pink coolant. The white plastic makes it hard to see sometimes.

dbansal · 08-22-2013, 09:34 AM

ok...im bringing it to the dealer that I bought it from today... they owe me a new key and an explanation on this coolant.

Perfectlap · 08-22-2013, 09:57 AM

wait a minute, I couldn't make out the part number before. But I see you have the 04 cap. That is the most recent. They may not have vacuum filled the coolant tank, did it the old school way and it wasn't burped properly. You have to run the car up to temp, let air out. Do it again. And again.
If its done in a hurried way you'll end up with a bubble in there. And a bubble in there could split the coolant tank just a little bit (for now) so that you get a drip leak. It could eventually split open the old, brittle, original coolant tank and spill all the coolant while you're driving -- $600 and a tow (ask me how I know this). So they need to check for leaks and get out the air. If they did fill with an Airlift like most Porsche shops that know what they're doing, so that all air is out, and you have the most recent coolant cap to ensure an air-tight seal then you have a leak somewhere else.
Check the dip stick like I said.

p.s.
If you're near North Jersey (Newark Airport) try R.O.C.S. in Belleville. They do vintage Porsche and new Porsche.
In-house lazer alignment, no touch wheel mounting, they work on Rolls Royce, Bentley and BMW as well.