Oil Leaks normal???

[fastlanecutie]

Okay, sorry if this is a goofy question, but is a small amount of oil leakage normal in an 82 911 SC? Guy tells me if you park it for about a week there will be small oil leak spots. Is this something i should be wary of, or is this normal. One other guy i spoke to also (same exact type car) told me the same thing about his.

[PRE-H20]

fast lane cuite,

yes its normal, especially in older cars......

Alexander

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

A little bit of oil can be normal. Lots of oil is bad. How much oil is being used in 600 miles? One quart is normal.

[Rot 911]

I would want to know where it is leaking from. If the leaks are oil return tubes or oil breather housing those are cheap fixes. If the leak is a flywheel seal or chain housing leak, expensive fixes.

[widebody911]

If it ain't leakin', it's empty

[Beethoven]

My '88 has yet to leak a drop of oil.

[fastlanecutie]

lol. Thanks guys! Makes me feel at least a little more comfortable in initial stage of gauging a car. Now I know not to immediately rule one out for small oil leakage, and if anything serious, hope PPI catches it. Also, just a note of thanks to everyone that has been so great and generous with the responses and info. Wish I had something to contribute. Thanks again!

[Superman]

Widebody's got it right. That's how you know a Porsche engine has oil in it. It leaks.

fastlanecutie, beware. If you're really cute, and it appears you may be, or even if you're not, this place is filled with nerds without boyfriends.

[RSBob]

this place is filled with nerds without boyfriends.

I find this statement highly unsettling.

[SC-targa]

Originally posted by Superman
this place is filled with nerds without boyfriends.

I hope that you meant to say, "nerds without GIRLfriends".

Jerry Kroeger

Too far away to chase a pretty girl in Houston.

[tiorio]

Originally posted by Superman
nerds without boyfriends.

Eh? There may be a gender bender there...

[PRE-H20]

old porsches dont LEAK OIL......

they just mark their spots, they haver earned it!

[fastlanecutie]

old porsches dont LEAK OIL … they just mark their spots, they have earned it!

I like that!


OKay - gotta go - need to actually work! lol.

[PRE-H20]

ya when i heard that it just hit home. t-shirts on the way!

work? on 12/20...... wow you are committed!

[TurboBert]

...what oil leak?

[Jim Smolka]

Yes, older 911 can be leak free, but it takes a bunch of work. Oil leaks should be fix as soon as possible especially if the leaks are on the top side of the motor.

[aigel]

Oil leaks may be common, but they are nothing you *have* to live with. If you check out a used, older 911 that leaks, it generally is a sign, that the owner does not do the maintenance 100%. Otherwise he or she would get it fixed. There also may be the fact that the cheap fixes (e.g. oil return tubes, as mentioned above) would not work, and it is more involved. The more involved oil leaks generally require an engine drop, complete or partial.

So, what I am saying is that you should not take oil leaks too light hearted if you are shopping for a car. If you own it, it's a different story. The PPI will give indication where it's coming from. In any case WHINE about it as much as you can, it will help you set the price lower.

My car did not leak a drop when I got it. Unfortunately, after a few days of driving the cobwebs out of it, I had some leaks. They got worse and worse (from autocross to track events) and I ended up replacing both sides cam endplate gaskets and o-rings and resealing all 12 rocker arms with the RSR seals. This would have been a couple grand at a shop here in the Bay Area, no question.

Cheers, George

[widebody911]

"Is that an oil leak or are you just happy to see me?"

[Mr9146]

Oil leaks are not a bad thing.

Not only do they prevent rust, they are also a perpetual oil change.


EDIT: I don't trust any female who drives faster than I do.

[no substitute]

Originally posted by Beethoven
My '88 has yet to leak a drop of oil.

Yup. Same with my '80 with very high mileage, and I mean NOT A DROP on the concrete floor of my garage where Stuttgart's finest sleeps at night. It still amazes me.