1997 986 Boxster Coolant Expansion Tank Replacement

A common issue with the early Boxster is a cracked expansion tank, leading to a trunk full of coolant. I had noticed evidence of a coolant leak under the car when I was servicing the IMS. A large puddle in the driveway one morning convinced me to investigate further and sure enough, the was the unmistakable odor of coolant in the trunk, and it was quite wet underneath the carpets.
Changing the coolant tank is not for the faint of heart and a set of hose clamp pliers is a must if you are planning on tackling this job. In this video I find a (relatively) painless approach to get the tank out. If you do it in the order I suggest, you should be able to get it out in under half an hour.
These are the hose clamp pliers I purchased for the job. A little cheap, but they work! www.amazon.com/dp/B09J4FRTVD?.... The cable operated remote is the one you need for accessing the clamps in the engine bay.
I sourced an inexpensive replacement tank on Amazon. My advice to you, go for the real thing!
0:00 Realizing it's time to fix a leak
2:12 uncovering a mess in the trunk
3:28 Finding the source of the leak
7:44 Starting the process
9:53 The five hoses that need removing
12:08 Pulling the reservoir back to get at the oil filler line
12:45 Reservoir out and review of the procedure
15:38 Cracks in the old reservoir
15:54 Disappointment with the new expansion tank
16:51 Frustration with the replacement new tank
20:39 Installing the new expansion tank
23:51 Running the engine and checking for leaks
26:05 Is it worth getting a cheap expansion tank?
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Track Rekord was born out of a need to provide consistent, high quality trackday driver instruction across the US and Canada with the ultimate goal of reduced risk, improved safety, increased enjoyment, faster lap times and reduced track insurance costs.

[@ThomasWilliams-ne7rb]

Great job on the Porsche !

[@trackrekord]

Thanks, it’s still running strong . . .

[@k.oldewurtel4261]

Hi, I love your systematical approach to this job as I do it for all my recent mechanical and electrical jobs on my PORSCHE cars. I have to do it in this afternoon on my 986 (5/1999 with 233.000 km).😁 The expansion tank is now about 170 € in the best OEM quality (Mahle/Behr). I was as well told, that this is a hard job even for experienced (PORSCHE) guys. With your video I'm looking forward to.... Greetz from Germany (in the vincinity of Zuffenhausen)

[@trackrekord]

Thanks, definitely go with quality for the replacement tank, taking the cheap route meant I had to do the work 3 time, but at least I can do it quickly now! The final tank I got still needed some modification to stop the leaking

[@k.oldewurtel4261]

@trackrekord Even with the best OEM quality part, I had to modify the had to dip stick hole and as well the oil filler inlet. For this, I made a 3D printed template to cut/ to grind down the wall to 9.4 mm height. Now the fixture ring fits tight and after some treatment with a heat gun, all parts can be mounted without mechanical tension/stress

[@gunnar9702]

Absolute amazing video. Helped me replace the reservoir on my 986 after overheating it, and the expansion tank developing a trickle leak. I was lucky (or maybe quite unlucky?) in that the tank was already replaced in mine once before, so all the lines were already the right size. A little curious as to why mine would need two coolant expansion tanks in less than 80k miles, but I guess I'll find that out as I put on more miles. Thanks a million for the video. Hope you're enjoying your 986! :)

[@trackrekord]

Thanks. The new hose didn't help solve the leak and I found that it was poor manufacturing of the tubes on the reservoir that meant that it would never seal. I actually bout yet another tank (my third) from another seller and saw it had the same issue - I filed down the flange on the tube where you could see that the moulding was bad and that cured the leaking issue - I had it out at the track yesterday teaching a student how to drive a stick and it survived 4 hours with a track temperature of 130 degrees so I think we can say it is fixed!

[@martingregory5955]

I've had my tank(Febi) sat here for a year as not really wanting to do the job haha.

[@trackrekord]

Once you've done it three times it's easy. The latest one I fitted is working fine (I had to do some modifications to it to get the hoses to fit properly) and is having no problem with the 100 degree + heat we are having here at the moment. Trying to do the job without the remote hose clamp tool is next to impossible.

[@janetpearson1455]

Looks more like a brit cap to me A Yankee cap would have to come save your ass more than once ;)

[@trackrekord]

Lol. Slip of the tongue. Not entirely sure what I was trying to say!

[@janetpearson1455]

@@trackrekord LOL not a fun job so I understand

[@scottb9880]

What year is your Boxster? The hose on my Oil Separator does not run to the other side of intake manifold like yours does. And my oil fill hose doesn't have the heat shield that yours has either.

[@trackrekord]

It’s a 97