Stuck Coolant Pipes

[scarletboarder]

I've had a small coolant leak that I traced to the driver's side coolant return pipe. Having removed one end I promptly ordered both as the metal end of the pipes were corroded. Pipes arrived quickly from Design911.
The problem is that after removing the retaining clip neither pipe will come away from the next sections. They came out of the radiator end fine.
Any tips? I am already starting to damage the upper pipe metal connector. The bottom one is plastic. I've actually cut away the upper pipe to aid removal but its stuck fast.

 

[JohnW997]

My pipes were exactly the same there's quite a few posts on here explaining what to do, I finished up having to replace the 2 metal cross over pipes as well because the couplings were too badly corroded. The plastic female end will let go if you cut the rubber pipe off and get inside but the metal to metal one was solid. Good luck hope this was some help..

 

[scarletboarder]

I did a quick search while under the car :bonk:
The cross over pipes look in perfect condition but the end that connect to the top hose is very thin. I had planned to do the other side too until this difficulty but if the cross over pipe isn't too difficult I might as well change them all.
Cheers.

 

[scarletboarder]

The usual 'easy' job :roll:

Video from 911 Virgin showing what happens and what to replace.
https://youtu.be/Se9uyLIXpc0

Videos from Garagetech and MaxRevs (and Porsche Brooklands) on how to change.
https://youtu.be/C6M4nfbT7sg
https://youtu.be/prhBQvIXFlM

You only realise there's lots of info out there once you discover everybody has the same issue.
All I need now is some stainless steel clips in stead of the original type.

 

[remarklima]

I had to have the same done at the first service of ownership... A bit of a shock given the labour time involved!

I do wonder why there isn't a plastic replacement for the alloy cross over pipes? As then they'd not corrode, and there's plenty of other plastic coolant pipes out there so it wouldn't alter anything right?

 

[scarletboarder]

Yes, poor design and mixing alloy with steel clips.

All parts ordered from Design911 so will be doing both sides and crossover pipes. I've dropped the subframe before to repair the leaking hydraulic centre connection so should be simple :floor:
Parts ordered listed below plus I already have the right side hoses 28: 99710662703 and 30: 99710662403

 

[Frankyboy]

I'm going to give this thread a bit of a bump up as it's a job we will probably all come across at some stage...especially on the early 997's...
I'm looking at doing mine some time in the near future...

Any of you guys tackled this job?..Any do's/dont's and tips etc....

 

[paul_mck]

Ive got the 2 pipes sitting to do when my covid clears.

if they are stuck in then the dremel would likely come out to cut the metal ring and let it pop loose. carefully mind.

In my head worst case is I need to buy the crossover pipes which is fine but if I can replace the rubber pipes on their own then happy days.

 

[chunkymonkey1982]

You need to do a wheel alignment after dropping the sub frame so in the end it became too bid of a job to diy so i got my local indie to do it at a cost of 1.1k. The coolant is pretty expensive too, £20 a litre.

 

[deMort]

Im rather late to this but a rule of thumb .. the rubber pipe that goes into the plastic side to side pipe .. with gentle levering with a screwdriver it can come out with no damage to the pipe ..

The ally one .. don't even bother .. you will never get it out .. any pressure on the ally pipe and it will bend out of shape and never seal .

My success rate with the plastic pipe .. 80% have come out and i've managed to replace the rubber pipe ..

Ally pipe .. 0 % and i have tried .

 

[Captain Lockheed]

liberal applications of Crack-it freeze spray 'can' increase the odds in your favour of getting them apart easier.

 

[Sean-B]

I'd imagine with enough time and patience the steel could be removed from the ally pipe. I've done this kind of thing at work (aerospace repairs) in the past and time and patience is the key.

If you remove all of the rubber element of the pipe, then using the careful application of heat and slitting / grinding away the steel element with a Dremel you'll be able to do it.

Hopefully there won't be too much pitting in the aluminium section.

I doubt any garage would spend this much time as it would be cost prohibitive. (Similar things at work have taken a full shift to complete)

 

[deMort]

I've tried .. i've tried hard and being very gentle .. plastic pipes and about an 80 % success rate of getting the rubber pipe out .. the ally pipe and zero .. it deforms too easily and as mentioned ..

I've tried honest guv ... mainly as i hate changing the whole lot !!

But that's just me .. it may be possible .. :dont know: i just don't want to get anyones hopes up with what i've experienced is all .

You tend to find that by the time the pipe has corroded to the point of leaking the ally pipe has already corroded .. not the best design for our climate im afraid .

 

[Sean-B]

I've tried .. i've tried hard and being very gentle .. plastic pipes and about an 80 % success rate of getting the rubber pipe out .. the ally pipe and zero .. it deforms too easily and as mentioned ..

I've tried honest guv ... mainly as i hate changing the whole lot !!

But that's just me .. it may be possible .. :dont know: i just don't want to get anyones hopes up with what i've experienced is all .

You tend to find that by the time the pipe has corroded to the point of leaking the ally pipe has already corroded .. not the best design for our climate im afraid .

Can't argue with that mate. I imagine the quality and wall thickness of what I was working with is probably better / thicker than what Porsche used originally

 

[scarletboarder]

As deMort says...there's no getting the hose out of the alloy pipe. It was nearly impossible to release the ones from the plastic inlets.
Quite straightforward to drop the subframe enough to swap the crossover pipes. Plenty of other bits to tidy up while doing this :thumb: