Cooling system leak?

[mikeyg]

Forgot to say...
2003 (facelift) boxster 2.7

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[911monty]

Since you said tyre shop instead of tire shop I assume you are on another continent and car is right hand drive. If so then relax. The coolant expansion tank overflows in that vicinity. What you need to do is check your coolant cap and see if the part number ends in .04. If not replace the cap, refill and purge the system.
The coolant light flashes when the tank level is low. And the countdown timer is increased due to the car not being at temp when SD.

Also forgot to say.....The coolant cap is stupid easy to install incorrectly. Works best to turn backwards until cap drops as threads engage then tighten. I also see the speaker confirming RHD.

[mikeyg]

Thanks for the reply.
Yes, it's a RHD model, I'm in Cyprus.
There seemed a hell of a lot of liquid so a lot of panic as I'd never seen the cooling system light flash before (and I can't remember what it usually showed on start up) and even when I've left the car in the drive for days, the oil countdown has only ever been about 6 seconds.

I'll check the part number tomorrow when I go back to the car
The car is parked just outside where I work. Fortunately, I was able to walk and get my work car to drive home.
It's about a 8 mile drive to the garage in one direction or 12 mile home in the other!
Can it make a trip or will it require fixing first?
Think for safety if I can move it I'll risk driving it to the garage and have the MOT redone as well as it expires early Feb anyway.
Is there anything to keep an eye on while I'm driving it in case it gets worse?

[mikeyg]

Had a check online, I get get a 04 cap delivered out here via the forces post (I live over here in Cyprus working for the military) for about £16 so if the cap is not an 04, at least I can change it easy enough... just have to wait 2 weeks for Forces mail!!
Easier than the local garages tho. Stupidly expensive in Cyprus

[911monty]

If you find an issue with the cap, not latest cross threaded etc, then fill tank to high level with distilled water. You can lift the bail to purge on the drive to the shop. In general the older caps get weak and will leak when SD due to the residual thermal expansion. I'd fill and drive 7-8 miles no problem, although flatbedding would certainly be safer.


The following excerpt from the owners manual compliments of 78F350 to explain the timer.

[mikeyg]

Thanks Monty.
The distilled water will just be a temp measure until replaced with proper coolant once I find the problem?

Is the owners manual on here somewhere? I'll do a search. Didn't get one in the car

Also, you mentioned SD twice...
Apologies for being a newbie but what's that stand for? (It's gonna be something obvious but it's midnight here and I just can't think lol!)

[911monty]

Originally Posted by mikeyg

Thanks Monty.
The distilled water will just be a temp measure until replaced with proper coolant once I find the problem?

Is the owners manual on here somewhere? I'll do a search. Didn't get one in the car

Also, you mentioned SD twice...
Apologies for being a newbie but what's that stand for? (It's gonna be something obvious but it's midnight here and I just can't think lol!)

Depends on what your current antifreeze tests to. The standard coolant mix is 50% coolant and 50% distilled water. The important thing will be the type of coolant currently in your system as certain types are incompatible and cannot be mixed. Yours should be Pink but could be green.

If there is an online owners manual somewhere hopefully someone will provide a link.

SHUT DOWN and get some rest.....LOL.