Loosing my mind please help - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Joji · 10-30-2008, 10:49 AM

Hi,
I brought my boxster in to get my water pump fixed. With the replacement and belt and a broken oil line it cost me $1600. Then a month later the coolant started spraying on the roof of the trunk and check engine light came on. It is also having trouble starting after I have been driving it for a little while. It starts up fine when it is cold.

Now I brought it to a Porsche dealer instead of mechanic to make sure they would fix it. I just spent another $800 and they said some oil line was bend and the coolant camp was stripped so they put a new one in. I just got home and the check engine light came on. It stalled going in reverse. It took 20 seconds for the car to turn over and there is coolant and steam coming out of the coolant cap again. Same problem from both places.

I am about to loose my mind. Does anyone have any clue what is going on. Someone who is not a mechanic said that they think the head gasket has a crack and forcing the coolant back into the system or something like that.

Anyone experience this
thanks

E Kaplan · 10-30-2008, 12:50 PM

Sorry about your troubles. I can't help you out, but I see you are from Orlando. There is a very good porsche mechanic in Orlando called Red Bone. I had a 928 in the past and they were excellent with reasonable prices. You may want to check them out.

Good luck.
Eric

FrayAdjacent · 10-30-2008, 01:12 PM

I'm curious as to what failure mode of the water pump caused an oil line to be damaged. My water pump failed on me a couple months ago in the usual manner - the bearings failed and the impeller disintegrated. Replacing it (and the belt and changing the oil and filter) only cost me about $200 to do myself. It's stupid easy, if you're somewhat mechanically inclined.

I would REALLY doubt a water pump failure would have caused any damage to any lines.

Secondly, I am getting the impression that your dealer is, well, incompetent. You should not have similar issues after they've already replaced all those parts. I'd have someone else check it out.

kabel · 10-30-2008, 01:27 PM

Hmm, I'm no expert, but it sounds like it could be two separate issues. I seem to recall there being an issue with faulty coolant tank caps, that could be causing that leak.

Now this is a wild speculation on my part... the only possibility I can conceive of regarding the oil line damage as a result of the water pump failing is if the water pump seized and subsequently broke the belt which they may have hit the oil line.

In addition to Redbone, there is an independent garage I use named Zotz over here in Winter Park (Near 436 and Howelbranch), the garage is literally behind the Original mattress factory on 436. There is also Troysport off SilverStar west of OBT.

Joji · 10-30-2008, 02:27 PM

Hi,
Thanks for the tips. I just brought it back to the porsche dealer. I actually moved to CA. I live in Valencia outside of Hollywood.
The main mechanic came out who fixed it. He was very nice. He was dumb founded. They are looking at it again for no additional cost of coarse and a nice rental at least. But I rather have the problem solved then deal with the headaches.

He is not sure what it is. The parts he fixed is what the computer told him. I asked him about the head gasket. He did not think that is what it was and not the starter problem. He said it is probably related to the oil line which also makes the car have trouble starting

rick3000 · 10-30-2008, 02:40 PM

The coolant tank going is common, and water pumps go on all cars after a while. It sounds like you where just unlucky and had them both happen fairly close together. I don't think that these two things are related. I'm curious how many miles are on the car?

Joji · 11-06-2008, 07:06 PM

The car is from 1999. This is still driving me mad. I brought it to the porsche dealer. They can the cap twice. And I just got home and I smell coolant. I opened up my trunk and the cap and oil cap are wet and there is a little residue on the roof. I hear a hissing sound and a bubling type sound.

I can't believe that my mechanic and bringing it to a porsche guys twice and they still can't fix the problem.

Is there any relation to the coolant tank leaking and the head gasket. or any other ideas
thanks

rick3000 · 11-06-2008, 08:10 PM

If it's leaking directly from around the cap it could be a bad cap. There are a few different versions (I think the latest ends part number ends in .01), beyond that I don't have much knowledge.

Lil bastard · 11-06-2008, 09:44 PM

Could be coolant cap and/or a bad bleed valve seal.

FTD · 11-07-2008, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil bastard

Could be coolant cap and/or a bad bleed valve seal.

I have on '04. It had a bad bleed valve seal when it was only about 3 years old. The symptom was coolant on the top of the reservoir. Don't know if that helps...

Joji · 11-11-2008, 08:58 AM

I called porsche before bringing it back. the head mechanic said that there is probably air caught in the tube and that it will purge out of the cap after driving it for a while. He said the cap is designed to let air escape

I have a hard time buying this because after I drive it the coolant tank sounds like a pot of boiling coffee. And it smells like coolant. the boiling sounds has diminished a little. but I have had the car for 4 years and never heard this before. let me know your thoughts
thanks

pbanders · 11-11-2008, 09:09 AM

Sorry to hear about your problems. Porche repairs are often complex and almost always expensive. If I were you, I would talk to other owners in the area you live and find a mechanic that you can trust to have the experience to do a proper evaluation of what is wrong with your car. Sometimes this can be the dealer, or it could as easily be an independent shop. Once you fully understand what's wrong, you can then work with them on what you need to fix and how much it's going to cost.