Coolant Level???
 

No dumb questions right??? Does coolant level fluctuate? I’ve noticed the level is lower(near or on min marker) after the car has been sitting out in sun, but after driving it seems to rise back to a point between the min and max lines. This first came to my attention about a week ago and my first response was to take it in … after spending the afternoon pressure testing they determined it was just a failed cap, topped off the coolant and replaced the cap. Now 5 days later and its back down. I just don’t know if heat(expansion) would be a factor (possibly causing some coolant to escape through an overflow reservoir?) I don’t want to overreact by taking it back in if what I’m experiencing is just the natural role of water cooling. Also... is there some type of heat exchanger with the oil?? ~thanks!!!

In a perfect world, your level will move back and forth between min and max due to the temp of the coolant.

You should NOT have to add coolant frequently, maybe once a year at most. If you are really having to add coolant (more than a few drops that is) then you do have a leak somewhere in the system and the Porsche dealer SHOULD be able to find it pretty quickly.

Can you expand your second question a bit?

What year? S or not?

To see if you are loosing coolant, only check it when it is cold. Like Brucelee says, it goes up and down with temp so if you check it when it's hot and cold you will always get different levels. Check it in the morning before you leave and make sure it's between the "Min" and "Max" marks and write down approximately where it is between those marks (i.e. 1/3 up, 1/2 up, etc.). Drive through the day and park it for the night. The next morning, before you start it, check the level and see if it is at the same level you recorded. If it is at the same level, do it again the next morning just to be sure. If it is not at the same level, add some water to bring the level up and check it again the next day (If it was low, there could be an air bubble trapped from them adding water). Check it the next couple of days. The level should not change so if it goes down you need to have them find the leak and fix it. Be prepared if it's the reservoir. Someone quoted $1400 to replace it and it's a common problem.

For your second question, "Also... is there some type of heat exchanger with the oil??", I think you are talking about the Oil Cooler. There is an area underneath in the cooling and oil systems where the oil is passed through the coolant flow. They never mix, but the oil flowing through the coolant area keeps the temp of the oil down. If you have ever looked under the car, it's right in front of the coolant drain plug. There is a big, 17mm, plug sticking out of the oil cooler. If you pull that out, there is a spring with a cap on it so the plug can go about 2" deep. About 1 1/2 quarts of oil are in there between the coolant flow.