How to Detect Oil & Coolant Leaks in Your Porsche

by admin April 1, 2021

While you’re enjoying the ultra-refined experience of driving a Porsche, routine maintenance that car owners are supposed to have done isn’t always your main focus. However, when you own a car with Porsche’s well-engineered design, knowing how to detect oil and coolant leaks can help you preserve your car’s high performance and quality for years to come.

Why Oil and Coolant Levels Should be Checked Often

Monitoring oil and coolant levels are two of the most important fluids checks that need to be regularly done on your car. Owners are generally recommended to check their car’s oil levels once a month and the coolant levels every six months, as long as there are no other signs that indicate a current leak.

If you have an oil leak, over time, your Porsche’s engine will be dangerously under-lubricated. That means additional wear and tear on engine parts and a potential fire hazard. Coolant leaks are also a risk to engine health. If coolant levels are too low, your engine can easily overheat. Also, internal coolant leaks can mix with other engine fluids and cause serious corrosion to its parts.

In order to understand how minor maintenance can spare you major repairs, you need to know how problems like oil and coolant leaks can be spotted. Once you know how to identify these leaks, you can make sure to get appropriate service and maintenance for your Porsche and stop the damage before it costs you for repairs that might have been prevented with proper maintenance.

Oil Leaks

If you notice dark, greasy pools of liquid where your car has been parked, you have an oil leak. The issue can stem from several different parts of your car, including:

oil pan seals
oil pan drain plug
timing cover seals
valve cover gaskets

Because there are so many possible places from which a leak can originate, it’s important that a knowledgeable professional evaluates the issue and helps you determine what steps need to be taken next. At this point, having a certified mechanic inspect your car will be the quickest way to determine whether a part needs replacing, if your oil pan needs better sealing, or if the leak is the result of more serious damage.

Remember, the earlier that you address the problem, the less wear and tear low lubrication can cause to your car’s engine. So, make sure to get your vehicle inspected as soon as you can after you notice the leak. Many oil leaks are quick fixes, as long as they’re taken care of in a timely way.

Coolant Leaks

Similar to oil leaks, coolant leaks can drip from the underside of the car. Coolant will often be green or orange in color. Most car fluids have specific colors that can be found in your owner’s manual. So, if you can see a liquid coming from the underside of your car, its color will often help you figure out what kind of problem you’re dealing with.

The important thing to know, however, is that many coolant leaks are internal. You need to know what signs will tell you when there’s a hidden problem. If the coolant is leaking internally, signs include:

vehicle overheating while driving or idling
persistent smoke coming from the exhaust
coolant bubbling in the radiator

In case of a suspected internal leak, your Porsche should have an indicator light that will alert you if coolant levels are too low. If you suspect a leak, but the indicator light hasn’t illuminated on your dashboard, make sure to take your car to a knowledgeable mechanic who can inspect your car and make sure that everything is working properly.

Let McIlvain Motors Help Maintain Your Porsche

At McIlvain Motors, we have specialists Porsche Oil Level Check ready to maintain and protect your Porsche from avoidable issues with oil and coolant leaks. If leaks do occur, our ASE-Certified mechanics will identify and fix the underlying causes and get you back on the road. We have experienced people with the right knowledge to keep your Porsche in top condition. Bring your car to our convenient locations in Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale and Tempe, AZ, and experience our quality customer service today.