FSI coolant leak, death pipe?

tagscuderia

Member
Hey everyone, I've just got my A2 back from the garage, they've traced a coolant leak to an inaccessible pipe at the back of the engine. At first they reckoned that you'd need to take the manifold off, now lift the engine 😞
Is this likely the infamous death pipe? Obviously it's a notorious failure point, so was wondering if people had a ballpark figure for a repair... ? I haven't the space/time to do it myself unfortunately, definitely a garage job. Hoping that this isn't terminal, first and only car I've owned, 12 years.
Thanks.
P.S. engine out?
They're not VAG specialists, but they do keep my dad's MGB GT on the road!

Background: I drove 50 miles on Saturday, went for a walk and returned to a low coolant alarm; took >1L to fill. Drove 10 miles and when I went back to the car on Sunday... low coolant alarm and took a further >1L to fill. Had no choice but to drive home so filled and drove 😰 − alarm went off after 30 minutes of driving, then was intermittent, the temp gauge locked at 90.
On Monday with the engine cold (and off), I filled the tank but watched the level drop and a puddle form underneath the car, a steady flow. Nothing visible from topside.
The garage however ran her all of yesterday morning and there was apparently no leak... ? But when I went to check, she was leaking, still with the engine running. So it's definitely serious but I haven't the foggiest if this is the end of my A2. Still drives really well!!
 
Hi there tagscuderia,
The 'death pipe' at the back of the engine is a push fit between the water pump housing and the thermostat housing but you have to undo the thermostat housing from the engine block to release it ... not sure which manifold the garage is talking about removing (maybe their reference to the thermostat housing?) or why you would need to lift the engine.
 
Well any garage should be capable of performing a pressure test on the cooling system. As this leak is so obvious I think another garage is required.

Does sound like the death pipe, which I thought had to be replaced every 10 years unless I am thinking about something else.
 
Thank you both, that's good to know!
I did wonder how they could miss the leak, given that I'd observed a steady drain. Certainly left me with no confidence in them to actually do the work! My "go to" garage couldn't even look at the car for another week, and it's my daily commute for work, so I was just hoping for the best.
Seems that there's more than a glimmer of hope for a repair being financially justifiable 🤞
 
Please be very careful if you are still driving the car as is. If you run out of coolant expensive head work could easily be required. equally do not be tempted to use one of those leak stopper products as that will cause other issues in the coolant system.

There must be several very capable garages in your vicinity although maybe not VAG or A2 specialists. I think the sooner this is repaired the better ( and cheaper ) it will be.

The big O ring in the end of the death pipe usually sticks and that makes removing the pipe more awkward.
 
Thank you both, that's good to know!
I did wonder how they could miss the leak, given that I'd observed a steady drain. Certainly left me with no confidence in them to actually do the work! My "go to" garage couldn't even look at the car for another week, and it's my daily commute for work, so I was just hoping for the best.
Seems that there's more than a glimmer of hope for a repair being financially justifiable 🤞
I should've added that access to the 'death pipe' is from underneath the car ... certainly not an engine out job.
 
I think that a call to WOM Automotive is in order, being able to look after an MGB GT is not a recommendation. I know a bit about them having sold them when they were new, and worked on them. They are down in Stoke which isn't far from you. I don't think you should drive it and it would need to be transported. WOM would probably have a decent collection service up their sleeve.

I do like MG's by the way, but the technology is a bit "Fred Flinstone" compared to our A2's, which are very specialised.
 
Just to add, please be very careful in this weather that when you are topping up the cooling system as you mention you have that you are not just using water and are adding the correct mix of coolant/antifreeze as otherwise the system will end up being so diluted that it could freeze solid and then the car could well end up being beyond economical repair which would be a terrible shame purely as the result of a worn out hose 👍
 
Hi,

You can replace it by taking out the intake pipework and the egr along with the high pressure fuel pump and some coolant hoses.

Undo the three bolts that hold the thermostat housing to the cylinder head and then the entire assembly can be lifted out in one piece.

You can reassemble the thermostat housing/death pipe combo and reinsert it. You don't have to move the engine or get underneath the car either. I have done it this way at least 3 times.

Evros
 
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