Coolant in the Oil

[Andrew Collier]

Newbie to Porsche, newbie to this site.

-- I have a 2002 Boxster with 65K miles that suddenly started giving me low coolant warnings, then shortly thereafter overheat (temp gauge pegged).

-- I pulled over ASAP, let it cool and put a gallon of coolant in it. That got me home. 

-- I put more coolant in it and drove it again. Same result. Low coolant light, followed by overheat, then parked it. 

-- Clearly I have a problem, so I drove it to a repair shop after putting a total of 4 gal 50/50 coolant and distilled water mix. It overheated again on the way to the shop, but this time with a low oil pressure warning, oil quantity showed full. 

-- Shop checked the oil, found coolant in the oil, changed the oil, and did a coolant pressure check. No visible leaks, but definitely coolant in the oil. No white smoke from the exhaust. 

-- Shop says it's a cracked head or cracked block and requires engine replacement. Either way, it's expensive and the old engine has to come out. 

 

Any ideas on what might have happened here? What caused the coolant loss if there wasn't an obvious leak in the driveway? I didn't drive it very far overheated - just enough to get to a safe parking spot.

 

I suppose the only way to know for sure what happened is to pull the engine apart and look at it. 

 

-- Shop quoting ~$17K for a replacement engine & installation. Does that sound ball park or is it ludicrous?

 

Any similar experiences appreciated.

 

Thanks, Andy

Edited Tuesday at 06:20 PM by Andrew Collier
Edited for clarity & grammar

[Andrew Collier]

PS - Inherited the car. Not sure of the previous maintenance history. Obviously driving around with no coolant is a bad thing. But where did the coolant go? Can it all evaporate over time? Why did it run fine for 65K miles then suddenly blow up?

 

PPS - I am a newbie here but not an idiot. Please be kind. I understand the basic operating principles of an internal combustion engine, but am not a motor head. 

[JFP in PA]

There are multiple possible reasons for coolant getting into the oil; a cracked head or cylinder liner are not uncommon, but often not the source of the issue.  These cars use oil to water oil coolers, one on the engine, the other for the trans if it is Tip equipped.  Long before I would be ordering in another engine, I would be pulling these coolers and either pressure of vacuum test them for leaks.  If the cooler(s) fail the test, that is your source of the problem; if they pass, you may have bigger issues.  Good luck.