Green goo - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

CoBeerToad · 03-28-2018, 09:25 AM

Last January I had to move and opted to trailer the 986 for the 130 mile trip. It was sub zero degrees Fahrenheit and I was on a time schedule. I reversed the car up the ramp, but ended up bottoming it out right in front of the rear wheels. Rolled it back down and there was a puddle of green goo where the passenger rear tire was on the ramp. 1st thought, I busted a coolant line. (Remember, it was below zero degrees in the middle of a move. My brain wasn't working right.)
I grab some 1/2" boards as that was all I had and tried to make it work, but kept bottoming out. Ended up giving up and returning the trailer and hired a professional. They were able to pick it up within a couple days and deliver it to me. I will always go that route from now on.

Anyway, now it is March. The only driving I've done is into my garage after my attempts of getting it on the trailer and driving it into my new garage after the car was delivered a few days later. No leaks and it didn't seem to drive any differently. I've been dying of curiosity as to what I smashed that made some gear oil spit out in front of the passenger rear tire and then never leak again. I figured everyone loves a good mystery.

Geof3 · 03-28-2018, 02:00 PM

As crazy as it sounds... it was probably a bug or something!

911monty · 03-28-2018, 02:38 PM

Green goo sounds more like tire sealant.

CoBeerToad · 03-28-2018, 04:01 PM

Was able to get underneath it today for a glance. There are two lines that run along the passenger side. I smashed one of them. Still no idea what they are for.
I'll give it a deeper look on Monday.

What sucks is this repair looks out of my league as I can't repair metal lines and telling them looks real real fun.

The Radium King · 03-28-2018, 04:03 PM

refrigerant from ac line, gelled because of the cold.

Brian in Tucson · 03-28-2018, 04:52 PM

Gelled refrigerant? Is that even possible at temps above -200F?

Coolant lines run on the right side--is there green goo on the car anywhere, if so dab at it, smell it, give it a little taste on the end of your tongue. I'm betting on coolant. And those lines may still be available from Por sha. Or you can cut out the ruptured section and patch it up with rubber coolant hose & clamps.

Althooo. . .coolant on a Por sha shouldn't be green.

Heck, I'm stumped!

CoBeerToad · 03-28-2018, 05:00 PM

My coolant is pink so that's out. My reading says power steering is on the driver side so that's out.
It was definitely gear oil that spilled out in January. Just can't imagine what gear oil is doing in a pair of lines that run along the length of the car on the passenger side and why I haven't seen a drop since. I'll post a pic of the smash job I did tomorrow.

The Radium King · 03-28-2018, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian in Tucson

Coolant lines run on the right side

green tracer oil put in freon for leak detection. ac lines are most likely the ones impacted (coolant lines run down middle of car, not side).

Geof3 · 03-28-2018, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoBeerToad

My coolant is pink so that's out. My reading says power steering is on the driver side so that's out.
It was definitely gear oil that spilled out in January. Just can't imagine what gear oil is doing in a pair of lines that run along the length of the car on the passenger side and why I haven't seen a drop since. I'll post a pic of the smash job I did tomorrow.

Could it have simply been something already on the trailer? The only “gear oil” in the back of the car is the trans, and it’s not green and captive in the transaxle. Has to be gelled Freon or something. Weird for sure.

BirdDog · 03-28-2018, 11:57 PM

My guess would be that it was there before you backed up and bottomed out.

CoBeerToad · 03-29-2018, 05:30 AM

After 30 minutes I think I was able to attach a pic.

I originally posted this because I thought it would be fun to hypothesize on what it could be before I looked.
After looking, I still have no idea.
The arrows point to where these lines should be connected. They are a pair black metal lines that run along the length of the passenger side. The pic is me under the side looking towards the rear of the vehicle.

The fluid was a real green, almost neon, color and it did smell like gear oil.

911monty · 03-29-2018, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoBeerToad

After 30 minutes I think I was able to attach a pic.

I originally posted this because I thought it would be fun to hypothesize on what it could be before I looked.
After looking, I still have no idea.
The arrows point to where these lines should be connected. They are a pair black metal lines that run along the length of the passenger side. The pic is me under the side looking towards the rear of the vehicle.

The fluid was a real green, almost neon, color and it did smell like gear oil.

Picture is worth hours of speculation. Looks like TRK nailed it. Those are the AC lines and YOU were right on the gear oil, supercooled AC compressor gear oil.