White smoke on start up from driver side.

[Jumpingjackflash]

I’m bought a 2001 996 Carrera with 85k miles from a nationwide dealer with six months warranty only two weeks ago.

When I fist got the car the oil level was showing high. As the days have passed it is now showing half way. One day the oil showed minimum but admittedly the car was on a slight hill. There is no oil leaks under car. The last couple of days there is white smoke on start up from driver side exhaust. When driving oil pressure is high with no signs of excess smoke.

Any ideas?

[MrC986]

I've just Googled the symptoms and one of the causes could be failure of the Air oil Separator (AOS). Anyhow, linky below...
https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=7371...

[Jumpingjackflash]

Thank you. I found that myself. Would that cause the engine to use more oil?

[Willwors]

The oil level sensor is particularly sensitive to inclines / camber. On my street in London my oil level will show full when parked on one side of the road and much lower when parked on the other.

Flat sixes do smoke on start up from time to time as well. Again sensitive to camber and how long the car has been left for. Mine also occasionally does it when started for a short period of time from cold and then restarted.

That said, if it continues to be an issue the AOS is probably your first port of call.

[Jumpingjackflash]

The car has been parked 24 hours. Started it today and nothing.

[c4sman]

There’s a good chance there is nothing of concern. Owned various 997s over the last 14 years and at some point they have done the white smoke thing once. Usually when parked on a hill or large camber.

[Digga]

Willwors said:

The oil level sensor is particularly sensitive to inclines / camber.

This is definitely true and, one thing to be very wary of, is inadvertently over-filling a 911 with oil. That can cause huge problems.

[L1OFF]

I had the similar concerns when I first bought mine (caused by reading too much intranet horror stories ). Blue smoke from passenger side exhaust, my driveway slopes and oil level was a bit high. Doesn't do it now oil level has dropped slightly.

[Jumpingjackflash]

I manage to get under the car today. I noticed a small oil leak. I have a phoned a local Porsche specialist to get the car inspected properly. Any ideas what it could be or where it is coming from?

[Digga]

If it’s been stood, unused for a while, hopefully could just be RMS may stop with use. The seals on all these require some residual vacuum pressure to seal full.

[Jumpingjackflash]

AN update on the smoke. I have not seen anymore smoke on start up. I have seen videos of the smoke on start up but was not a severe. However I was driving the car yesterday and gave the car the beans and seen a large puff of smoke in my rear view mirror. It was dark smoke but could not tell if it was blue or black. It was not a lot of trailing smoke. It was a short large puff of smoke. It was alarming but oil level an pressure have been fine. I have seen no smoke. Any ideas?