2004 PORSCHE 911 TURBO Engine Problems

AFTER 1 HOUR OF SLOW 880-N HIGHWAY STOP AND GO DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, A LARGE COLUMN OF STEAM WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM REAR DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE WHILE EXITING INTERSTATE. IMMEDIATELY OBSERVED HUGE COOLANT PUDDLE DEVELOPING ON FREEWAY OFFRAMP, AND ALERTS ON DASHBOARD GAUGES ("CHECK COOLANT LEVEL"). UPON STOPPING THE CAR IT WAS OBSERVED ONE OF THE COOLANT HOSES LEADING FROM THE WATER PUMP HAD COME LOOSE. THESE ARE HOSE FITTINGS WHICH ARE EPOXIED INTO THE ALUMINUM WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WHICH COME LOOSE OVER TIME AFTER THE EPOXY BECOMES BRITTLE WITH AGE. THE ENGINE DEPOSITED ITS ENTIRE COOLANT SYSTEM QUANTITY RAPIDLY ONTO THE EXIT OFFRAMP OF THE HIGHWAY WHICH MAY POTENTIALLY CAUSE A CRASH. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE AFFECTING GT1 BLOCK ENGINES MADE BY PORSCHE IN THE 996TT, 996 GT2, GT3, AND 997 TT VEHICLES.

SUMMARY: FAILURE OF COOLANT HOSES DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE, RESULTING IN IMMEDIATE FLUSHING OF ALL COOLANT ONTO ROAD SURFACE AND INTO ENGINE BAY. IMMEDIATE ENGINE SHUTDOWN REQUIRED TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE. OBSERVED RISKS INCLUDE: PANIC SITUATION TO OPERATOR AND PASSENGERS OF VEHICLE; CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO OVERHEATING AND CONSEQUENT ACCIDENT THREAT; LOSS OF TRACTION TO VEHICLE AND SUBSEQUENT TRAFFIC DUE TO HIGH VOLUME OF COOLANT ON ROAD SURFACE; VAPOR TRAIL LIMITING VISIBILITY OF SUBSEQUENT TRAFFIC; ROADSIDE ACCIDENT HAZARD AFFECTING VEHICLE AND SUBSEQUENT TRAFFIC. DETAILS: SATURDAY, JULY 27, 2013, ~7:15PM ET, NASSAU COUNTY NY - WESTBOUND ON STATE ROUTE 24 - HEMPSTEAD TURNPIKE. DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH IN 3RD GEAR, VEHICLE OPERATOR NOTICED A THICK CLOUD OF VAPOR EMANATING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. OPERATOR BROUGHT VEHICLE TO A HALT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, WHEREUPON THE ODOR OF BURNING COOLANT WAS DETECTED....

THE COOLANT FITTINGS FAILED, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.. THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *TR

MY 911 TURBO SUFFERED A COOLANT SYSTEM FAILURE, AS HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED FOR THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE, THE GT1 3.6 LITER IN THE 2001-2007 TURBO, GT2 AND GT3. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. UPON PULLING TO A STOP THE CAR HAD DUMPED MOST OF ITS COOLANT. IT WAS FLAT-BEDDED TO THE DEALER AND THE STEEL COOLANT PIPE HAD PULLED OUT OF THE ALUMINUM WATER SOCKET/CROSS OVER TUBE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THEY DRAINED THE COOLING SYSTEM, REPLACED THE WATER SOCKET AND ASSOCIATED SEALS AND FILLED AND BLED THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE FAILURE RESULTS FROM THE USE OF EPOXY TO ATTACH THE COOLANT PIPE TO THE SOCKET INSTEAD OF A HARD-THREADED DESIGN LIKE PORSCHE USES ON THE RACE VERSION OF THIS ENGINE. THIS FAILURE WILL OCCUR AGAIN IN THE FUTURE, AS THE REPAIR USES THE VERY...