Tips to Detect Internal Oil Separator Leaks in Your Porsche

The oil separator is a component of your vehicle’s engine responsible for extracting oil from the air flowing through the engine. The oil is ultimately stored inside the crankcase to keep it separate from everything else, especially since the oil flowing through the engine is piping hot and can result in combustion if mixed with the air. You don’t want this happening at the wrong place and wrong time in your engine. It is important to remain attentive to the performance of the oil-and-air separator will ensure that your vehicle runs safely.

Leaking at the oil separator can cause severe issues with your engine’s performance, so it is imperative that you catch this issue as soon as possible before symptoms worsen. Signs that there are problems with the oil separator include the engine backfiring, dark-colored smoke coming from your exhaust, puddles of leaked oil underneath your Porsche, and the illumination of the check engine light.

Remaining attentive to your vehicle’s performance on an ongoing basis will help you to notice these symptoms right away. If you happen to notice any of the following signs, contact an experienced mechanic as soon as possible. If unattended, a leaking oil separator can cause your engine to be completely unable to turn on and/or clog the pipes through which the air flows throughout the engine over time.

Symptoms of a Leaking Oil Separator

Porsches are equipped with direct-injection engines, some of them capable of being turbo-charged, which leaves them especially vulnerable to the effects of a failing oil separator. This is because the components of these engine types work much higher and so demand a higher rate of air and oil flow throughout the engine. Signs to keep watch for concerning a leaking oil and air separator are:

• Backfiring of the engine
• Dark smoke being expelled from the exhaust
• Puddles forming underneath your car from the leaking oil
• Check Engine light

What Happens When the Oil Separator Fails

When the oil separator fails in your Porsche, this can raise a serious hazard for the safety of your vehicle. This is because two critical processes are either severely compromised or have ceased completely. Either the oil is no longer being separated from the vapors in the engine and/or the flow of oil throughout is happening at a much lower rate.

Since the oil is not separated from the vapors, it travels through the engine and escapes through the exhaust in combination with the air, coating the pipes with an oily residue and giving the exhaust fumes the dark color and gasoline odor. This is extremely hazardous because every material that is being distributed throughout the engine is extremely high in temperature. Such a hot environment lends itself to combustion.

There are even more effects of a leaking oil separator that occur internally. These effects are due to the faulty storage of the oil in the engine. Remember that, once separated from the vapors, the oil is supposed to be stored inside the crankcase. However, with a leak, not all of the oil will make it to the crankcase and with otherwise end up being drawn back up into the intake system. This can severely damage the engine’s spark plugs, oxygen sensors, catalytic converters, and even more.

Schedule an Appointment With Germany’s Best, Inc.

Your Porsche deserves the best service available. At Germany’s Best, Inc., we can provide that and more. We have served our community as Oakland’s most trusted German auto center for over 25 years. Germany’s Best, Inc. is your go-to shop for auto repair for brands including Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, Volkswagen, and more.

Internal oil leaks can be caused by a wide range of issues, so it is important that the problem is diagnosed accurately and as early as possible to avoid any further damage to your Porsche. Our Master Technicians are ASE certified, and we are qualified as a Bosch Certified Service Center. You can trust that you are getting excellent quality service for your luxury vehicle.

We guarantee your satisfaction and optimal performance of your vehicle after service at Germany’s Best, Inc. Call us today to schedule an appointment. Our service centers are located in Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont, and Oakland, CA.