1.6 Fsi - water leak from rear of engine

Z

zaphodbb

A2OC Donor
Hello and a belated Happy New Year to you all.

My new year has take a bit of a dive as my car has experienced sudden coolant loss - started in a cloud of steam followed by the red coolant warning light accompanied by several beeps. After a lot of torch shining and resorting to taking off the plastic shield from under the car, I can see looking up past the driveshaft at the rear of the engine, the area is wet with coolant around a rectangular plastic part with an electronic sensor or valve under it - three or four pipes are in the area attached to the box / sensor/valve thing / intake manifold.

I've looked in VAG CAT but cannot identify the bits I mention above (these are to the left and slightly above the large oil separator assy and in-line with the gear change cables as they entre the bulkhead) - anyone have any ideas if these may be the source of the leak i.e. if they carry water, or if it means the head gasket may have failed in that area?
I'm about to go under the car again and try and take a couple of pictures

Looks like a pig of a job either way :(

Kevin
 
Hi Kevin it sounds like its either the thermostat housing or the plastic tube/pipe that feeds it from the water pump. Be careful if it is this pipe as it can loose all coolant in seconds. cheers mike
 
Thanks Mike

Have just been under the car again and this time found where the leak is - it's the plastic pipe you mentioned, I can see water bubbling out from a spot near a casting spigot close to where it meets the thermostat housing.
Now, the $60,0000 question - how do I go about changing it... It looks so tucked away and there is so little access!

I really hope the weather will be kind to me this weekend.....

Kevin
 
Bret

Many thanks for this - although at first glance it looks beyond my capabilities (well maybe not, but I don't have either a sheltered area or a pit to work in). Needing two people is another problem.

However, I will have a read through tonight and digest the information.

I'm feeling slightly better that it's 'only' a plastic pipe and not something more serious :)

I'll be using G13, so that should be OK?

Onwards and upwards.....

Kevin
 
Last edited:
G12 was superseded by G12+, which was superseded by G12++, which was superseded by G13.

So yes, it's fine. Note please that 100% G12++ is not recommended, there's *always* some form of dilution, even for people like me who need -40C protection.

- Bret (weather forecast doesn't go above two-digit minus for the next ten days! Yay!)
 
OK, I've read and digested the excellent article that Bret kindly linked - have decided that I'll get a local indi specialist to do the work as it looks too difficult for me to do on my driveway. Not to mention the weather is not good for outside work..
Local main dealer quoted £336 inc parts which I didn't think was too bad, but the indi recons he can do it for ~£236 inc parts, so have booked it in for mid next week.

I had a very good look at the other plastic parts and all looks OK, but will keep an eye on things!

I'll post again once it's sorted out.

Kevin
 
Kevin

You're best off leaving this in the hands of someone with a ramp. I did this job on our FSI 6 weeks ago, and I wouldn't have done it without getting right under the car. £236 sounds like they are just going to change the pipe only. The thermostat housing is prone to failure too so it might be worth getting the garage to replace this too while it's off.

Regards
 
I've only just seen your post mrtutz so, yes they've only done the pipe.

Still, it seems to be fine so far - I plan to take a good look tomorrow as it's dark and raining (just for a change) at the moment.
 
I only ended up doing the pipe. That's because I checked on here after doing the repair! If I'd have known I would have done both together

To be fair, although the 'stat housing replacement involves removing a good few bits from the engine bay, it's not as bad as doing the pipe. Especially as I had a snapped bit of pipe stuck in the water pump that took an hour or 2 to get out!
 
Well - a few weeks have gone past and it seems to be holding up OK (fingers crossed).

The Indi said it was a pig of a job and he wouldn't quote so low for another one! :rolleyes:

I now a have an annoying rattle from the RH side of the dash/light-switch area to add to the 'other' bits that I need to look at when I have time and it's not raining (very rare at the moment).

All the best

Kevin
 
Hi glad its fixed ---now that the bonnet has been on and off a few times i recon the rattle could be the corner of the bonnet rattling in its mount--add some foam or such like. fingers crossed cheers mikee
 
Mikee - you were correct, bonnet is now loose on that side (can press to corner down with my finger). It's funny how the sound travels making it come from the RH side dash area.

Yet another job to look at (to fix properly) when I get time......
 
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