Coolant Expansion Tank question

[steveng1993]

Mine just bit the dust today. I had to have the car towed home. I have been reading up on it. How does the coolant tank failure cause coolant to get into the engine oil? Is that common? I lost a lot of coolant on the ground today and removal of the carpet revealed the leaking tank.

[Sapientoni]

I don't see how the coolant expansion tank could cause oil/coolant mix. There's no crankcase connection there. If the coolant tank failed, you'd leak coolant on the ground, probably/possible run hot, then get a warning. If there was no coolant at all in the block, you might run hot, not get a warning and cook everything. Sounds like a premature diagnosis to me.

Best of luck.

[Scnell Gelb]

Steve ,
If you have oil in the coolant - read up on "intermix". Let's hope it is not that !

[steveng1993]

I don't have coolant and oil mixing. I guess I was a bit confused as diy's for the coolant tank on several sites both tell tales of coolant getting in the oil. I got the old tank out last night. It wasn't really hard. It was a PITA. I was able to undo clamps from the top side.
I undid the middle clamp for the oil tube.
and from the top I undid the clamp for the larger coolant hose. You need to have the cable operated tool. I was able to pull the tank out a little bit and was able to undo the clamps for the smaller hoses from inside the trunk.

I think though that if you undo the oil clamp in the middle and then the clamp for the larger hose and the clamp for the smaller hose that is attached to the metal line you should be able to pull the tank back. The 3rd hose has a lot of slack and also a connector in the middle, I think you can just undo that one in the middle. So really once you remove the carpet and all the crap in the way I think someone could pull the tank out in well under an hour. I spent about 45 minutes getting mine out.

Mine has a big crack on the bottom. I ran the car pretty hot last week, AC on in stop and go traffic, although there was the tell tale sign of dried up coolant underneath that had I pulled the carpet and looked I could have seen while it was small.

I have not put in the new tank yet I ordered it from pelican but it has not arrived yet.

Of course once I get it back up I am going to check for leaks and then replace the pump too.
Might as well while I have it apart.

[Scnell Gelb]

Steve,you were smart to order your new tank from Pelican. Here is a story that will make you glad you did buy from Pelican:
Coolant Tank -lots of problems & a FIX - 986 Forum - for Porsche Boxster Owners and Others