Hi guys, just became an owner of a 2002 s silver/black with 50000k on the clock. I just had the car 2 days and i already have what it is hopefully a minor issue. I just noticed leaking under the car not oil but I think it is coolant. The previous owner says he never had any leaks at all. is there a way to check besides taking it ot the shop. It only leaks for a short period after i drive it but it is quite bit. i havent check the coolant window yet since i am jsut getting familiar with the car. if there is a leak on the coolant system shouldn't it be leaking at all times not just after the engine is hot??? Can it be the tranny ( manual) it shift smooth. definately not engine oil. Teh car came with an after market warranty but i just want to see if this could "possibly" be "normal" undre certaind conditions.....i guess i can always hope for..... Love the car already, i am jsut afraid of possible repair so early in the game.....oh well you pay to play...[&:]

 

Hi gvargas101,

there could be a lot of places where the leak is coming from but im suspecting busted water pump. Does your temp gauge climb up more than normal?. The best way to check is to jack the car up and take the plastic covers off from underneath. put a jack stand and go under the car to trace the leak. also if the leak is coming from way behind as in directly under the trunk then take the carefully take the lining off the trunk and check the resovoir if its leaking from there. another check that doesnt require jacking up the car is to put the seats forward. take the cover off from behind the seats to acess the panel where you can remove the serpentine belt. just put your hand under the water pump to check if its wet with coolant.

 

You said you smell/taste coolant. Is the color green?
You could have a possible leaking coolant tank. Or too much coolant is spilling out once coolant warms up and expands. And you might need a new coolant cap, old caps have a bad seal on them. Porsche has also come out with a new cap that seals better. Buy one at the dealer.

Do you have a CEL (check engine light) on your dashboard gauges?

If so.......
First, check your coolant level when the car is cold and when it is hot.
Make sure the coolant is at the max level (when your car is cool) and a low coolant level is not the cause of your problem or CEL. When the tank is just a bit low the light will go on. When you restart the car and the coolant is hot then the light does not come on because the coolant has expanded and raised the level. You need to rule out a low level condition first.

If you think the the tank is leaking.......and is a problem.
A simple way to see if your tank is leaking is to pull up that carpet in the rear trunk. If your tank is leaking, you will see coolant under the carpet. If the tank has cracks you might need a new coolant tank. No worries many people have DIY installation.

Coolant Tank Failure:
http://dietersmotorsports.com/tech/tech9-03-2003.htm

I had some coolant spill out on my Boxster at high elevation in Lake Tahoe one time because of a bad cap. Coolant was hot, expanded and spilled out on the ground when I arrived at my destination. Once the car cooled down I filled the coolant tank up to the max level with some distilled water. And I was fine. When I got home I bought a new coolant tank just in case. Which I never did install.

If you have any more concerns or how to DIY coolant tank, check with Renntech : http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?act=home

You did mention you had a after market warranty with the car. Hopefully your problem is not complicated.

BTW, You can drive with the CEL on but not flashing. If the light is flashing you should not run the car (it will damage the catalytic converters).

Good luck

 

I am going to guess either a leaking reservoir tank, or the waterpump. If it is back by the passenger rear tire, then it is proably the tank. If it is in front of the passenger tire, more towards the front of the engine, then waterpump.

 

Thanks guys, It ended up being the water pump. i took the car for a short drive and when i parked it was literally coolant pouring out, so i just added cooland and took it directly to the shop where it was diagnosed. so I will finally be getting the car tomorrow and hopefully will be trouble free for a while. thanks for the responsed you were correct. Thanks
G

 

Glad you got it fiqured out.
Now go enjoy the car