Yet another coolant hose failure!
#16
07-28-2013, 06:19 AM
Maybe you can amend your report to say coolant manifold insert failure, that is the real issue. Hoses fail due to age but the coolant inserts should not have failed, that was due to poor initial engineering by Porsche, and what the NHTSA is looking at.
#17
07-28-2013, 06:52 AM
First off, thanks to you all, my friends. Your commiseration helped soothe the blow. As welcome as that was though, those that have had this issue in the past and shared their experiences here have my even deeper gratitude. Without you guys, I would have had no idea what this all was. Knowing about it, and how to deal with it made this all very manageable - ho-hum, even.
While I'm giving shout outs... AT&T Roadside Assistance, 10 years I've been paying you $4 bucks a month. This, my first and only call to you in all that time was worth every penny.
And to my indy Porsche master mechanic, who left his home to open his shop at 10pm on a Saturday to let me tuck in there for the weekend, YOU ARE THE MAN. (If you're within 20 miles of Huntington, NY, PM me for his info. You won't regret it.)
Now for the show!
Check these out. You can clearly see where I came to stop as I noticed the trail of steam. I idled for about 3 seconds to confirm the situation (thanks again, predecessors!), then immediately called the shot: reverse onto the side street, and engine off. Temp never got a needle's width or two above the 180 tic.
The car left nearly every drop of its coolant on the ground between the 100 feet of rolling to a stop and reversing to its pit-stop where I waited for the flatbed. If this had happened at night, or at speed, or some other situation where I wouldn't have caught it until my gauges started yelling at me, the engine could very well have been a cinder.
In my humble yet professional opinion, this is a woeful negligence on Porsche's part. Never mind the quality control issues and the cost to repair. This is legitimate, potentially life-threatening failure that can affect not only owners/operators of the car, but also those driving behind them. The suddenness of onset and the immediacy of the required response can cause a panic situation for the driver. The consequent trail and pool of coolant on the road surface pose a great risk to other drivers for hours after the event. Both of these threaten the lives of the operators these cars as well as those of proximate vehicles.
It's my sincerest hope that my report to the NHTSA, photos, and experience - in conjunction with those of others unfortunate enough to share it - compels a model-wide recall to address this very serious problem.
Stay safe out there,
-V
While I'm giving shout outs... AT&T Roadside Assistance, 10 years I've been paying you $4 bucks a month. This, my first and only call to you in all that time was worth every penny.
And to my indy Porsche master mechanic, who left his home to open his shop at 10pm on a Saturday to let me tuck in there for the weekend, YOU ARE THE MAN. (If you're within 20 miles of Huntington, NY, PM me for his info. You won't regret it.)
Now for the show!
Check these out. You can clearly see where I came to stop as I noticed the trail of steam. I idled for about 3 seconds to confirm the situation (thanks again, predecessors!), then immediately called the shot: reverse onto the side street, and engine off. Temp never got a needle's width or two above the 180 tic.
The car left nearly every drop of its coolant on the ground between the 100 feet of rolling to a stop and reversing to its pit-stop where I waited for the flatbed. If this had happened at night, or at speed, or some other situation where I wouldn't have caught it until my gauges started yelling at me, the engine could very well have been a cinder.
In my humble yet professional opinion, this is a woeful negligence on Porsche's part. Never mind the quality control issues and the cost to repair. This is legitimate, potentially life-threatening failure that can affect not only owners/operators of the car, but also those driving behind them. The suddenness of onset and the immediacy of the required response can cause a panic situation for the driver. The consequent trail and pool of coolant on the road surface pose a great risk to other drivers for hours after the event. Both of these threaten the lives of the operators these cars as well as those of proximate vehicles.
It's my sincerest hope that my report to the NHTSA, photos, and experience - in conjunction with those of others unfortunate enough to share it - compels a model-wide recall to address this very serious problem.
Stay safe out there,
-V
#18
07-28-2013, 07:26 AM
Yes, that's the real issue. I recommend the BBI coolant hose inserts and have your indie weld them all in. I've seen it cost $2000-4000 all in.
#19
07-28-2013, 08:56 AM
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 489
Rep Power: 108 
I'll get detailed photographs on Monday while at the shop, and update the report accordingly with those technical details.
For now I'm just happy to be okay, and glad that this happened when and how it did. Here's hoping PCNA does the right thing, or is compelled to. Whatever it takes. If I weren't a member here, I'd have no idea what was going on and probably have driven the 2 miles on the highway back to my place. Lord knows the damage and risk I would have incurred! They need handle this issue before it kills or maims someone unfamiliar with it - or a driver behind him.
-V
For now I'm just happy to be okay, and glad that this happened when and how it did. Here's hoping PCNA does the right thing, or is compelled to. Whatever it takes. If I weren't a member here, I'd have no idea what was going on and probably have driven the 2 miles on the highway back to my place. Lord knows the damage and risk I would have incurred! They need handle this issue before it kills or maims someone unfamiliar with it - or a driver behind him.
-V
#20
07-28-2013, 10:35 AM
it will be instructive to hear of your indies suggested repair. jb weld ( which many have found to work ) or actual tig weld/pinned..
and then there are the costs.. cpl grand at the least (?)
and then there are the costs.. cpl grand at the least (?)
#21
07-28-2013, 11:41 AM
Well the most common area that goes is the hose by the alternator. We JB Weld it together and so far after 3 months with easy to hard driving no issues. Ya some people will say well thats the cheap way better then spending 3k for right now.
#22
07-28-2013, 12:19 PM
Vendetta- I live in Huntington and just picked up an 01tt, can you give me the heads up on the mechanic you were referring to in earlier post- Would appreciate it-
#23
07-28-2013, 12:28 PM
i woud sure try the jb weld before i spent 3-4k too. though it is a bit.. well. it's just a different kinda glue.
#24
07-28-2013, 12:33 PM
Ok so here is the steps on the JB Weld for whoever is going to do this.
1. Buy the black and the red containers they are sold together.
2. Mix them and make sure there fully mixed.
3. When applying make sure its fully clean and you get the whole thing with the JB Weld. Don't put a ton of it on.
4. Most important do not dry it with a heat gun let it dry on its own for 1 to 2 days. If you think of drying it for 6 hours you will be right back in the shop LOL.
5. Have fun driving it hard.
Last edited by 996tt550hp; 07-28-2013 at 10:43 PM.
#25
07-28-2013, 12:53 PM
did i read somewhere that these cars and this issue now requires that coolant line repairs be completed on the cars before they can be tracked? how's that work..? is it track by track discretionary call.. or pca events??
and does the jb weld fix constitute a "repair", if even these new requirements exist? maybe i imagined it. lol
and does the jb weld fix constitute a "repair", if even these new requirements exist? maybe i imagined it. lol
#26
07-28-2013, 01:16 PM
just had this done due to failure. the hrs to take everything off, weld, and reassemble cost a lot.. had BBI do this, and while i was there, added the last of my mods that were sitting in boxes.. expensive, to say the least!
#27
07-28-2013, 01:28 PM
Sorry to see another members car down because of this issue. However, if it had to happen, a scenario like this seems to be ideal in terms of vehicle/driver/motorist safety. Catch it quick, pull over, and shut off the car before any damage can be done.
Keep us posted on the outcome.
Keep us posted on the outcome.
#28
07-28-2013, 01:37 PM
Bummer to hear this. This should be on every PPI list also..almost more important than the 2nd gear popout..
I also had a coolant issue years ago..wasn't this coolant line issue, but it was a coolant vent line in the front radiator that failed..spewing coolant everywhere..and it happened while I was out doing so some..ummm. field testing...slippery and smoky scary...
I also had a coolant issue years ago..wasn't this coolant line issue, but it was a coolant vent line in the front radiator that failed..spewing coolant everywhere..and it happened while I was out doing so some..ummm. field testing...slippery and smoky scary...
#29
07-28-2013, 02:55 PM
IMO it's a good time to inspect everything while the engine is out and do a clutch or intake pipes. JB weld will only hold that one pipe - there are 5 more that can fail at any time. I just liked to get it all taken care of and not have to worry about it. Plus my mechanic found a bad engine mount and he replaced all the vac lines he could since it was out and they were 10 years old...
#30
07-28-2013, 03:05 PM
Yes your right a tad stronger.
Ok so here is the steps on the JB Weld for whoever is going to do this.
1. By the black and the red containers they are sold together.
2. Mix them and make sure there fully mixed.
3. When applying make sure its fully clean and you get the whole thing with the JB Weld. Don't put a ton of it on.
4. Most important do not dry it with a heat gun let it dry on its own for 1 to 2 days. If you think of drying it for 6 hours you will be right back in the shop LOL.
5. Have fun driving it hard.
Ok so here is the steps on the JB Weld for whoever is going to do this.
1. By the black and the red containers they are sold together.
2. Mix them and make sure there fully mixed.
3. When applying make sure its fully clean and you get the whole thing with the JB Weld. Don't put a ton of it on.
4. Most important do not dry it with a heat gun let it dry on its own for 1 to 2 days. If you think of drying it for 6 hours you will be right back in the shop LOL.
5. Have fun driving it hard.