Carrera Oil Leak question

[MarkY]

I have a 1988 Carrera with 22k miles. I've owned the car for 8 months, use it for a pleasure vehicle, and fortunately haven't had a single problem.

About a month ago I took the car out for a drive and noticed a few drops of oil on my garage floor. I looked under the car and couldn't find the source of the leak despite my engine being very clean underneath.

I didn't notice this again until 4 days ago when I moved my car after it was parked at my brother's for about a week. I drove home from my brother's (about 6 miles) and parked the car until this evening. Again I saw a few drops of oil.

This time I was able to see where the oil was coming from. It is coming from the front of the engine on the driver's side. It looks like it might be coming from where the head meets the engine block. It does not look like its coming from the valve cover. There is no smoke of any kind.

Any thoughts on why I would of seen this a month ago, and then not again until now? Also, what are your thoughts on what the leak might be? Serious, big bucks?

Thanks for any help.

[pjv911]

Clean it off and check again. Could be from top off motor and running down.

[Mike Miller]

I belive the head and the cylinder are made of 2 different metals. They cool at different rates and there is no sealant in-between them. They are machined to fit together but not that great. Clean it off real good and then drive it a short ways and come back and check it again. Do this a few times to verify where the leak is coming from. If it is like I said you can live with it or spend a lot of money and pull the engine to repair it. Personally I live with it. Just a small drop or 2 each time I drive. Buy the way it only leaks while cooling not driving. You can verify it buy doing the above trick.

Good Luck,

Mike Miller 89 911

[makaio]

Is it leaking from one of the o-rings on an oil return tube?

I would suggest cleaning the area really good, then keeping an eye on it to see if you can't find the site.

If it was the top portion of an oil return tube O-ring, you might not see a leak for a few days, because it takes a while for the oil to all pool up in the bottom of the case.

[ChrisL]

To clean the bottom of the engine, I put my car on jack stands and scrubbed it with pump spray degreaser (not Gunk, more like Simple Green) and a small parts cleaning brush. I used a hose to spray it off. Depending on how dirty the bottom of your engine is, it takes a long time and you'll get filthy, but the results are worth it.

Then, of course, drive the car and its easy to see where the leaks are coming from. Post a picture or two and somebody here will id it for you.

Chris.

[porschegrrrl]

Are you serious? Porsches leak a little, like, sometimes. Ya know?

[Early_S_Man]

Mark,

Pull the left side intake valve cover and inspect the 'dry' areas on both sides of the #2 and #3 rockers ... both by feeling with a finger for any oil seepage ... and by lamp and inspection mirror. If a rocker arm shaft has wiggled loose, that could be the first sign.