996 - Disappearing Oil Leak?
Discussion
Recently bought a cheap 996, a 1999 3.4. Car was MOT'd before I bought and they noted an 'oil leak' - when I got home I also noticed a couple of drops on the driveway and could see a drip underneath the car. Not a problem, I'd factored an RMS into the price.
I've done about 200 miles since then and the car's in tomorrow to get the leak sorted. Thing is, it's been sat on the drive since Saturday lunchtime and there's no oil underneath it - not a drop on the floor!
Going to take it to the garage tomorrow anyway as there are some other things that I'd like them to look at/do but can a RMS leak from not being used? It's only done 1,500 miles in the last year and since the last oil change, only thing I can think of? Just feel a bit of an idiot, booking a car in for an oil leak that I can't find now!
I've done about 200 miles since then and the car's in tomorrow to get the leak sorted. Thing is, it's been sat on the drive since Saturday lunchtime and there's no oil underneath it - not a drop on the floor!
Going to take it to the garage tomorrow anyway as there are some other things that I'd like them to look at/do but can a RMS leak from not being used? It's only done 1,500 miles in the last year and since the last oil change, only thing I can think of? Just feel a bit of an idiot, booking a car in for an oil leak that I can't find now!
You may not see the car leak oil on your driveway at the moment but it will leak again and i am sure that once it's put up on the ramp it will clearlly show where the oil was/is coming from, so i don't think you will feel like an idiot,i would be more concerned about the garage finding and sorting the oil leak asap !
With my Boxster the RMS only leaked when the car sat unused and even then it took an good amount of time.
I first noticed signs of an RMS leak when I left the car parked for a week or more when I took my other car out on a long road trip. When I got back there was a nice 6" spot of oil under the car, under the engine. Not very much oil the spot had just spread out over the passing days.
The week or so of being used was the longest the car had gone unused since I bought it. A few more prolonged periods with no use through some particularly bad winter weather had a spot or two show up again and some time in the summer after a long road trip in the Boxster I had it in for an RMS repair.
BTW, in your car's case the leak doesn't have to be RMS. There are other leaks that can still look like an RMS leak. Before you pay someone to fix the RMS leak he should carefully inspect the car, the engine, for any leak sign from any other place that could have oil showing up at the bottom of the engine.
If the diagnosis is RMS keep in mind it is SOP to replace the IMS end flange and its 3 bolts with new upgraded hardware. Mainly the end flange seal is the "upgrade" along with new bolts which are micro-encapsulated. The problem is one can't always tell the IMS flange/bolts are *not* leaking and if the IMS end flange and bolts are leaking the "RMS" leak will reappear very shortly after the car is put back into service after the RMS repair. Bummer.
I first noticed signs of an RMS leak when I left the car parked for a week or more when I took my other car out on a long road trip. When I got back there was a nice 6" spot of oil under the car, under the engine. Not very much oil the spot had just spread out over the passing days.
The week or so of being used was the longest the car had gone unused since I bought it. A few more prolonged periods with no use through some particularly bad winter weather had a spot or two show up again and some time in the summer after a long road trip in the Boxster I had it in for an RMS repair.
BTW, in your car's case the leak doesn't have to be RMS. There are other leaks that can still look like an RMS leak. Before you pay someone to fix the RMS leak he should carefully inspect the car, the engine, for any leak sign from any other place that could have oil showing up at the bottom of the engine.
If the diagnosis is RMS keep in mind it is SOP to replace the IMS end flange and its 3 bolts with new upgraded hardware. Mainly the end flange seal is the "upgrade" along with new bolts which are micro-encapsulated. The problem is one can't always tell the IMS flange/bolts are *not* leaking and if the IMS end flange and bolts are leaking the "RMS" leak will reappear very shortly after the car is put back into service after the RMS repair. Bummer.
Just to close, specialist took a good old look at the car today and determined it was the RMS and would benefit from being replaced... All done and dusted, they also came across a few issues along the way which they rectified/advised me on for the future (and also put my mind at ease about things which really weren't serious issues)
At under £11k this is the more 'cost conscious' end of the 911 market so will be an interesting ownership experience!
At under £11k this is the more 'cost conscious' end of the 911 market so will be an interesting ownership experience!
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