Water/Oil mix in Coolant reservoir
03-05-2019, 05:32 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Water/Oil mix in Coolant reservoir
Hey All,
I'll start with I just bought this a week ago. 2000 996 C2 runs and drives great, but I found what must be oil/water mix (white and sticky) in the coolant reservoir. I have checked the dipstick and the oil is perfectly fine, temp gauge stays steady at about 195, and the oil pressure runs from 1-2 at idle and up to 3-4 when driving hard. All of my gut says it's a head gasket but the motor has no other symptoms than the goo in the reservoir. This was a new buy from a dealer that I am going to talk to on Monday. I feel pretty dumb for missing it during the test drive but here I am now.
Update: Took it back to dealer, they are going through it and fixing it. I guess this is as good as I can expect from a small used car dealer?
I'll start with I just bought this a week ago. 2000 996 C2 runs and drives great, but I found what must be oil/water mix (white and sticky) in the coolant reservoir. I have checked the dipstick and the oil is perfectly fine, temp gauge stays steady at about 195, and the oil pressure runs from 1-2 at idle and up to 3-4 when driving hard. All of my gut says it's a head gasket but the motor has no other symptoms than the goo in the reservoir. This was a new buy from a dealer that I am going to talk to on Monday. I feel pretty dumb for missing it during the test drive but here I am now.
Update: Took it back to dealer, they are going through it and fixing it. I guess this is as good as I can expect from a small used car dealer?
03-05-2019, 05:37 PM
#2
It's good you quickly took it back to the dealer, because intermix issues on this cars can get very expensive to repair especially if it's a cracked block. My bet it's a cracked head and NOT a head gasket. The head gaskets on these car never fail. (knock on wood)
03-05-2019, 05:42 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
I'd want pictures and details as to what was found and what was done. Y2K syndrome is real!
03-05-2019, 05:50 PM
#4
Thank goodness they took the car back. My guess is that small used car dealership doesn't know what they are up against. Second the comment of documentation of repair. If it is indeed a cracked head and they send the head to a machine shop for repair, they should have some kind of proof.
The last thing you want is they just change the coolant, send the car back to you and pray the intermix won't show up again before any goodwill time window runs out.
The last thing you want is they just change the coolant, send the car back to you and pray the intermix won't show up again before any goodwill time window runs out.
03-05-2019, 06:31 PM
#5
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Thread Starter
Proof seems completely necessary, the car is technically mine after all. I already called a lawyer and left a VM just in case this goes south. Their mechanic said he had done a head on another. I'm hoping it gets fixed, but I don't trust these guys at all or to do good work. The car was also a screaming deal, not a rebuild but under book with a few electrical issues I fixed quickly with expensive Porsche Parts. So some of this is my fault going after a cheap 2k C2 with 85k miles. Too good to be true. Any further advice on what to do with these guys is welcomed. I'm going to atleast ask for all removed parts to be kept with the car.
03-05-2019, 08:39 PM
#6
First of all, if they are standing behind the sale, and fixing it, there is not much you can do legally. Let's just say that if they pull the engine and replace the head gasket, there is not going to be any profit left for them. So, that seems to be a big pill for them to swallow.
Secondly, you bought a cheap car at a screaming deal and … did you do a ppi or you just drove it and paid for it? If not, due diligence did not get done on your part and you own this so don't start throwing lawyers around. It does not seem to help in these situations, at least until it is absolutely necessary. I don't think you are there yet.
Thirdly, these engines are pretty simple to fix. Any competent mechanic with the right timing tools can handle a head gasket job on a 996 engine. Drop the engine, separate the valve train and the head, install new gasket, time the engine, put it back. I'm guessing a 40 hours job for a new-to-the 996 or 20 hours for an experienced Porsche mechanic.
Last, you might still end up with a great sample for cheap. Be happy with that.
Secondly, you bought a cheap car at a screaming deal and … did you do a ppi or you just drove it and paid for it? If not, due diligence did not get done on your part and you own this so don't start throwing lawyers around. It does not seem to help in these situations, at least until it is absolutely necessary. I don't think you are there yet.
Thirdly, these engines are pretty simple to fix. Any competent mechanic with the right timing tools can handle a head gasket job on a 996 engine. Drop the engine, separate the valve train and the head, install new gasket, time the engine, put it back. I'm guessing a 40 hours job for a new-to-the 996 or 20 hours for an experienced Porsche mechanic.
Last, you might still end up with a great sample for cheap. Be happy with that.
03-05-2019, 09:30 PM
#7
Rennlist Member
Who said the car was bought cheap, Did I miss something?
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03-05-2019, 09:49 PM
#9
Rennlist Member
These head gaskets are MLS and NEVER fail. Since you have oil in your coolant and not also vise versa, that means your intermix in on a high oil pressure area. The most common is a crack in the head in the lifter passage, but could also be in the oil cooler, But my bet is on a cracked head..Y2K !!
03-06-2019, 12:34 AM
#10
Thirdly, these engines are pretty simple to fix. Any competent mechanic with the right timing tools can handle a head gasket job on a 996 engine. Drop the engine, separate the valve train and the head, install new gasket, time the engine, put it back. I'm guessing a 40 hours job for a new-to-the 996 or 20 hours for an experienced Porsche mechanic.
03-06-2019, 01:10 AM
#11
Rennlist Member
03-06-2019, 01:25 AM
#12
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03-06-2019, 01:56 AM
#13
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Thread Starter
Bought for 13.9k which is good but not the motor doesn’t run, good. This is my daily driver that I only drive occasionally with my commute for work, but it is my means of transportation. Having a small dealer dig into it and try to fix it as cheaply as possible.......I’m just not confident the problem with be gone when I get it back. That wasn’t a salvage price, the car should have some level of reliability from a dealer. This hopefully isn’t a 17k anchor around my wallet for a few yeArs.
03-06-2019, 08:20 AM
#14
I would want them to call me and have me come in and look at it when they "discover the problem". If they are an inexperienced shop when it comes to Porsches they will assume head gasket (as you did) drop the engine, replace both gaskets and reinstall. You will leave there with the same issue. In all my research on these engines I do not recall EVER seeing a head gasket itself being an issue, a cracked head is more likely.
I wish you the best, and I hope this is resolved properly. It does sound as if they want to make it right, just make sure they have the capability to do so.
I wish you the best, and I hope this is resolved properly. It does sound as if they want to make it right, just make sure they have the capability to do so.
03-06-2019, 08:34 AM
#15
Rennlist Member
First of all, if they are standing behind the sale, and fixing it, there is not much you can do legally. Let's just say that if they pull the engine and replace the head gasket, there is not going to be any profit left for them. So, that seems to be a big pill for them to swallow.
Secondly, you bought a cheap car at a screaming deal and … did you do a ppi or you just drove it and paid for it? If not, due diligence did not get done on your part and you own this so don't start throwing lawyers around. It does not seem to help in these situations, at least until it is absolutely necessary. I don't think you are there yet.
Thirdly, these engines are pretty simple to fix. Any competent mechanic with the right timing tools can handle a head gasket job on a 996 engine. Drop the engine, separate the valve train and the head, install new gasket, time the engine, put it back. I'm guessing a 40 hours job for a new-to-the 996 or 20 hours for an experienced Porsche mechanic.
Last, you might still end up with a great sample for cheap. Be happy with that.
Secondly, you bought a cheap car at a screaming deal and … did you do a ppi or you just drove it and paid for it? If not, due diligence did not get done on your part and you own this so don't start throwing lawyers around. It does not seem to help in these situations, at least until it is absolutely necessary. I don't think you are there yet.
Thirdly, these engines are pretty simple to fix. Any competent mechanic with the right timing tools can handle a head gasket job on a 996 engine. Drop the engine, separate the valve train and the head, install new gasket, time the engine, put it back. I'm guessing a 40 hours job for a new-to-the 996 or 20 hours for an experienced Porsche mechanic.
Last, you might still end up with a great sample for cheap. Be happy with that.