996-997 Turbo/GT3/GT2 coolant pipe pop out - Yikes
 

Like many of you, of course I have read about the coolant pipe pop out issue on the internet. But haven't seen it first hand nor thought of it as a serious hazard until seeing with my own eyes. It started out like this- taking a glance at the coolant tank and saw it was just a tad low so did an innocent little top off, checked the radiators and other visible connections for leak- none found, thinking okay its probably just occasionally weeping out around the coolant reservoir cap...Wrong! The coolant pipe epoxy had broken down complete, the only thing that kept the coolant from gushing out was the plastic bracket keeping pressure on the pipe against the housing. With the bracket unbolted, the pipe just fell out of the housing! Without dropping the engine to do further inspection there was no visible leak from underneath. Only hint was an occasional whiff of coolant smell. Fortunately this car was not on track.

Guys and Gals, if you have a 996/997 with Metzger engine please be advised that this can happen and the results can be ugly. There are different methods of preventing this failure(welding, pinning, better epoxy, or combinations of). If you want to be proactive about it there's DIY info on the internet or consult with your local shop.

Even though this failure didn't happen to my car, seeing it first hand has burst me out from the imaginary "wouldn't happen to me" burble. I will be securing the pipes on my car this Winter.

Right on the heel's of Roundel's failure at the last PCAP DE. Track or street don't seem to make a difference.

http://rennlist.com/forums/997-gt2-g...-registry.html

The link above is to a registry of GT1 motor cooling pipe failures. It is on page 34 as of this post (although there is plenty of conversation about alternative fixes etc.) According to some of the stories on this thread, it does not really matter how you use the car.

PLease. If you have a car involved stop what you are doing and make the fix. Too large a downside to a blow out failure and too often the fail is 100% and not noticed before a fitting blows out. Un modified cars should be failed at tech for track use.

Good data point, Tom; thank you for posting.

This is a well documented ticking time-bomb. Owners typically think that it is worth addressing the first time the engine is out, but rationalize putting off a proactive fix because of expense in the $3k - $3.5k range. I know, because I was also in this camp.

It is probable that the coolant lines will eventually let loose, typically catestrophically and without warning. Doesn't matter if it is gen1 or gen2, track or street - though the consequences are typically worse on track. The key point is that those who suffer most are those behind the car whose coolant line pops.

I have had my coolant fittings pinned. I hope everyone else addresses theirs, too. Please.

WOW am I looking at the photo correctly...The hose is made in Turkey??

Funny, pressed in pipes are nothing new, nor is the problem of them falling out. Same thing happens to air cooled VW's, the fuel inlet tube on the carburetor. Maybe someday these designers will learn from past mistakes.

I am starting to look at getting mine pinned or welded. What are some of the shops experienced in the Northern VA area? Based on Tom's post, obviously TPC is one of them, but curious if who else. I've gone through pinned vs welded posts on Reenlist and am inclined to pin them, FWIW.

Thanks.

More will chime in here shortly, I'm sure, but in NoVa, Intersport and ASG are 2 of the better known.

I had the pipes on my car welded recently. Wanted to share my experience. I did all the mechanical work but left the welding to an expert who welds radiators and intercoolers all day. After this experiences, I can say for sure that welding is the more expensive method because all the modular housings must be removed(basically involves undressing the top of the engine), thoroughly cleaned and prepped. A LOT of work. With pinning, one can get away with not removing all the modular housings from the engine block, and can also get away with little to no prepping if so inclined. I even saw a person on the internet pinned theirs without dropping the engine. Either pinning or welding will prevent a "major" failure so I can definitely understand choosing the less expensive method to achieve the same goal. In my particular case, the pipe fitting under the power steering pump(the most difficult one to get to, the long one) had almost no sealing ability from the factory glue; no torch required, this one fell out with just a wiggle by my fingers. So welding was the logical choice for me. I experimented with a set of machined fittings from ebay, thinking it would make the welding process easier. But the Welder said it made no difference to him besides having to adjust the heat range of the equipment for the material. The length of the fitting supplied were universal. Which looked okay on the bench but later found out(after having to remove the housing three times!) the lengths needed adjustment so that rubber hoses won't pinch. It was WAY A LOT of work but in the end I am happy with the results and glad to know that my car won't cause harm to others for this reason.

Here are some photos.