Cooling System: Testing and Inspection
WM 190101 Checking cooling system
Tools
Tools and materials
Tools
Antifreeze tester => Antifreeze and battery acid tester FT 2030 WE 1037 or Antifreeze and battery acid tester SUN-Duo-Check WE 1036
Checking cooling system
Coolant: Checking the level and antifreeze content
WARNING
Toxic substances
- Danger of poisoning or suffocation
-> Ventilate the work area well.
-> Never ingest or inhale.
-> Read specific information on the Hazard Sheet.
-> Wear personal protective gear.
WARNING
Hot fluid
- Danger of scalding
-> Let the fluid cool down.
-> Wear personal protective gear.
WARNING
Rotating components
- Danger of limbs being trapped or severed
-> Disconnect power supply to the drive motor of components or to the battery.
NOTICE
Cooling circuit not filled correctly
- Risk of damage to vehicle components
-> Do not switch on the engine after relieving the system pressure.
-> Fill the cooling system correctly and bleed it before starting the engine.
Information
- The coolant filled in at the factory is intended to suffice for the entire service life. As long as the coolant is not contaminated by foreign bodies or other fluids it need not be changed.
- Different coolant additives must not be mixed and doing so may damage the cooling system. Only use original Porsche coolant additives.
- The coolant must be set to antifreeze protection of -37 °C. This corresponds to a mixing ratio of 50 : 50 (coolant additive : water). This mixing ratio provides optimum corrosion and antifreeze protection.
- Coolant additives, coolants and cleaning agents must be disposed of according to the respective, applicable national laws.
- Seals in the cooling system must be replaced by new ones following disassembly.
Information
Test conditions for checking engine coolant level =>
- Engine cold
- Vehicle parked horizontally on level ground
1. Open the maintenance cover -1-.
Maintenance cover
2. Carefully open the cap on the coolant reservoir. Unscrew the cap in an anti-clockwise direction.
Cap on coolant reservoir
3. Check antifreeze content with a commercially available antifreeze tester. If it is lower than -37 °C, it must be adjusted accordingly. The coolant level must not drop below the minimum mark.
Checking antifreeze content
Information
- The following table specifies how much coolant must be replaced by pure antifreeze in order to adjust the freezing point to -37 °C.
Checking engine coolant level
4. Open the maintenance cover -1-.
Maintenance cover
5. Check the engine coolant level. If necessary, fill the coolant reservoir with coolant to the maximum marking. If there is considerable coolant loss, the cause must be investigated.
Coolant reservoir
6. Carefully open the cap on the coolant reservoir if necessary. Unscrew the cap in an anti-clockwise direction.
Cap on coolant reservoir
7. Screw cap back on the coolant reservoir.
Cap on coolant reservoir
8. Close the maintenance flap.
Checking the antifreeze content of the coolant using a refractometer
Information
- The following diagram shows the scale used by Leitenberger. Antifreeze and battery acid tester FT 2030 WE 1037
- The scale can vary slightly, depending on the manufacturer.
- The ETHYLENE scale must be used for Porsche antifreeze.
- Other commercially available testers can also be used provided correct results are guaranteed.
Refractometer
1. Using a pipette, take a sample from the coolant reservoir.
Pipette
2. Deposit a few drops on the test surface.
Depositing drops on the test surface
3. Close the light-diffusing lens. A closed film must form.
Closing the light-diffusing lens
4. Using the refractometer, view against a very bright light source. A very clear light/dark limit emerges. The point of intersection between this line and the display scale marks the freezing point of the coolant.
5. A freezing point that is too low must be adjusted accordingly.
Information
- The following table specifies how much coolant must be replaced by pure antifreeze in order to adjust the freezing point to -37 °C.
Checking cooling system for leaks/checking fill quality (particularly on systems with thermal management)
Information
- If the coolant level drops significantly during the test and there is a danger that the reservoir will be emptied, the cooling system is not filled correctly (air bubbles in the system or vacuum filling not carried out sufficiently, for example).
- If the coolant level drops only slightly during the test, the system is filled correctly.
Information
Possible symptoms of an incorrectly filled cooling system include (air bubbles in siphons) =>
- Little or no heat output.
- Noises from the dashboard/switch panel close to the heat exchanger ("gurgling, glugging").
- Sporadic low coolant level indicator.
- Implausible engine temperatures (jumps, fast fluctuations in the instrument cluster).
1. Check the cooling system for leaks. To do this, apply a test pressure of approx. 1.5 bar using the cooling system test device and check hose connections for leakage. The pressure must not drop.
Cooling system test device
2. Check the engine coolant level. If necessary, fill the coolant reservoir with coolant to the maximum marking. If there is considerable coolant loss, the cause must be investigated.
Coolant reservoir
3. Screw on the cap of the coolant reservoir again until it locks with an audible click.
Cap on coolant reservoir
4. Close the maintenance flap.
5. Check radiator for external dirt. The radiators should not be excessively dirty. If necessary, they can be cleaned using a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment.