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Dear Sir,
I’ve had my 993 Carrera for around 11 years and it’s suffering from various engine oil leaks that have been progressing each year, and are always being picked up during each service. However, I don’t want to be stuck with a bill for a full engine rebuild to get them fixed. Am I best accepting the leaks or do I need to start saving up? Ted Lang Air-cooled era 911s do have a tendency to weep oil from certain areas as the years go by. This is the result of either seals or gaskets ageing and hardening. 993s typically leak from a handful of common areas, these being the lower cam covers, chain housing covers, the chain housings themselves or in the area of the crankcase halves. The most cost-effective repair is the cam cover gaskets, and these are usually the culprit if you can smell hot oil, because they can leak down on to the heat exchangers. I would advise having your engine cleaned down fully. You’ll then be able to assess the severity of the leaks and determine the locations following an extended road test. If the leak is bad then it should manifest itself immediately. If the cam covers or chain housing covers are the main source, I’d advise scheduling these in to be resolved with new rubber gaskets and fixings at its next service. The chain housing covers can be done in situ without the need to remove the engine. If the leak is from the crank case halves or chain housings, the decision needs to be made if it’s a minor weep and not causing any drips and whether the financial outlay of a rebuild is feasible and justified for a minor weep. If, however, the leak is to the point where it’s dripping and depositing oil on your driveway/ garage frequently then it could be time to save up for a more costly repair to sort it out. Your local independent garage or Official Porsche Centre should be able to advise and offer advice depending on the oil leaks’ locations and severity. It’s amazing how much a small oil leak can build up and spread oil residue over the years and often look worse than perhaps first thought. I hope this helps.