Do I have RMS? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

shadrach74 · 08-26-2012, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlawrence54

Hello all. I have a 2000 Boxster S 6-speed manual with 121K miles. After an oil change I had a significant cloud of oil at start up but, car drove fine (lots of power, good temp, no noises). I drove 85 freeway miles with no visible smoke, even when I stopped at lights nothing visible with temp and power looking and feeling great. I parked it and came back 2 hours later and the initial smoke again but performed fine. When I returned home I plugged it into the computer and it came back with both O2 sensors being bad. Then I check the oil and it was essentially gone, barley registered on the stick. No visible oil leaks underneath. Did I burn through it all? Do I have an RMS issue? I've parked it since. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Your oil was likely not essentially gone. Not registering and no oil are completely different. Why did you "plug it into the computer"? You never mentioned seeing a CEL?

Are there any oil soaked areas under the car?

How much oil did you use for the fill?

And yes you do have a Rear Main Seal (RMS); whether or not it's leaking remains to be seen. The first step is to look at the underside of the car!

jlawrence54 · 08-26-2012, 05:15 AM

shadrach74,

Thanks for the quick response. Let me clear up some of your observations. I'm aware of the existence of the RMS, I fat-fingered the keys and launched before I could finish the title with the word "problems". As to your last comment, ". . . look at the underside of the car!". If you will look the fifth to the last sentence I indicate that I did just that. So, with that clarified, I used 9 quarts as well as a new filter. Any thoughts?

black_box · 08-26-2012, 05:57 AM

I don't see any way that an RMS leak could in any way affect what comes out of your tailpipe. Its sole purpose is to keep oil from leaking out of the engine altogether.

jlawrence54 · 08-27-2012, 04:14 AM

Thanks for the reply. I could be looking at two problems that coincide.

shadrach74 · 08-26-2012, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlawrence54

shadrach74,

Thanks for the quick response. Let me clear up some of your observations. I'm aware of the existence of the RMS, I fat-fingered the keys and launched before I could finish the title with the word "problems". As to your last comment, ". . . look at the underside of the car!". If you will look the fifth to the last sentence I indicate that I did just that. So, with that clarified, I used 9 quarts as well as a new filter. Any thoughts?

I'm betting the clouds you see at start up are normal. My car had an RMS leak when I got it, but a quick glance underneath did not reveal it. If I were you, I'd find a way to get it on a lift and verify its completely dry. A qt in 85 miles is a lot of oil and I have my doubts that it's leaving via the exhaust.

jlawrence54 · 08-27-2012, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadrach74

I'm betting the clouds you see at start up are normal. My car had an RMS leak when I got it, but a quick glance underneath did not reveal it. If I were you, I'd find a way to get it on a lift and verify its completely dry. A qt in 85 miles is a lot of oil and I have my doubts that it's leaving via the exhaust.

Thanks again for the reply. No, it is definitely normal. In the two years I've had it there has never been that kind of discharge, I mean it will produce smoke like a 1930's locomotive going uphill. Also, it was ~9 quarts in 170 miles (sorry, the 85 miles I reported earlier was one way). What baffles em the most is the lack of evidence underneath as well as the way it still has lots of power and stays cool. Perhaps I dislodged a section of the fill pipe? I don't know but, I'll keep digging.

shadrach74 · 08-27-2012, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlawrence54

Thanks again for the reply. No, it is definitely normal. In the two years I've had it there has never been that kind of discharge, I mean it will produce smoke like a 1930's locomotive going uphill. Also, it was ~9 quarts in 170 miles (sorry, the 85 miles I reported earlier was one way). What baffles em the most is the lack of evidence underneath as well as the way it still has lots of power and stays cool. Perhaps I dislodged a section of the fill pipe? I don't know but, I'll keep digging.

OK that's different. In reading your original post, it seemed as if all was normal while driving with just a nice plum of smoke on start up. If your putting off a smoke screen under load, then it could be a few things. AOS system is where I'd start. Check the plugs for oil fouling. The AOS has a diaphragm that controls the vacuum applied to the crank case, if it splits, vacuum is no longer controlled (read full engine vac). Under the worst scenarios, the AOS actually sucks enough oil from the case through the intake and into the cylinders that the engine will succumb to hydraulic lock (this can happen on radial engine aircraft as well though not for the same reason, but I digress). Probably not the best idea to keep driving it. Find a shop or start researching on the internets.

dagdisco03 · 08-27-2012, 10:18 AM

Just want to clear something with what you are saying. If there is oil on the dipstick and you also say one bar or the lowest reading on the readout in the gauges then you are down 1 liter not 9. Dipstick reading displays the amount of 1 liter not the total fill in the sump/oil pan.

shadrach74 · 08-27-2012, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dagdisco03

Just want to clear something with what you are saying. If there is oil on the dipstick and you also say one bar or the lowest reading on the readout in the gauges then you are down 1 liter not 9. Dipstick reading displays the amount of 1 liter not the total fill in the sump/oil pan.

I agree and mentioned that in an earlier post. Liters, quarts...8.5, 9... the reality is that not showing oil on the dipstick and being "almost" out of oil are vastly different.

jlawrence54 · 08-28-2012, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dagdisco03

Just want to clear something with what you are saying. If there is oil on the dipstick and you also say one bar or the lowest reading on the readout in the gauges then you are down 1 liter not 9. Dipstick reading displays the amount of 1 liter not the total fill in the sump/oil pan.

Thanks for all the help, that is a load off my mind that it may not be catastrophic. I appreciate your pointing out the possible culprits. I'm definitely taking your advice to park it, it is sitting on a pair of full length ramps as we speak. When I, or a qualified mechanic, find out the cause I'll post it. Take care.

jlawrence54 · 08-28-2012, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dagdisco03

Just want to clear something with what you are saying. If there is oil on the dipstick and you also say one bar or the lowest reading on the readout in the gauges then you are down 1 liter not 9. Dipstick reading displays the amount of 1 liter not the total fill in the sump/oil pan.

Thanks for the heads up, Shadrach74 pointed that out as well. I guess seeing the unusual smoke, combined with just having the oil changed and verifying the level, and then seeing nothing but a drop at the bottom of the stick I panicked. After taking a breath, and a couple of JD's on the rocks, I am formulating a plan of attack.