coolant leak - can anyone explain the part?

boddhi

boddhi

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Hi all

Yesterday got the check coolant light on. Temp was fine so drove the 2 miles home with no problems. engine fine.

Header tank was empty do topped up and restarted and checked for leaks.: This is where it gets confusing for me to explain so please bear with me.

The leak is coming from the rear of the engine over towards the drivers side, underneath what looks like the turbo. There is a dripping directly down onto a sensor type thing and onto the gearbox housing directly onto the bolts but I can't see exactly where it is coming from above because of the pipes/turbo etc in the way.

Does anyone know if there is a pipe back there prone to leaking?

Thanks in advance

marc
 
Not sure - get some pics up if you can, but the Coolant temp sensor is at the back near the drivers side & it's possible that the rubber grommet on that has failed & giving a slow leak
 
Hi Gavsman

I will try to get a picture up. There IS a sensor type thing with four very thin wires leading into it. However the leak is coming from directly above this and dripping down onto it. Is that sensor with the four wires the temp sensor. If it is then it's not that.
 
boddhi1969


Hope that worked. As I said the leak is coming from ABOVE the sensor thing and dripping down directly onto it and the bolts of the gearbox housing (one of which is loose I have discovered!)
 
Hi again. found a "how to change the temp sensor" on here and it is not that that is leaking. Whatever it is, is ABOVE it, almost directly but concealed by pipes etc.
 
I'm not familiar with the 1.8T, but from memory:

* There's a bleed screw which is prone to leaking, situated at the top of the block in a metal pipe I think.
* Coolant flange at the rear of the block, leaks more when the heater is on iirc.
* T-Piece connector somewhere prone to splitting.
 
audi upgrades
I Dont have a clue? It does seem strange to call it that! Maybe we don't call it a breather hose in this country? It's defo that pipe though. It slots into the metal pipe that runs alongside the engine and connects to header tank. trying to find out as the part number search doesn't come with anything. As you can see Vagcat itemise it as No 36 - 038121473 and call it a breather hose? Any ideas on where to find a cooling schematic for the pd 130?
 
Ok. My fingers are bleeding from typing and clicking. I cannot find anywhere that lists this part in the UK, the cost or even what it is called. I cannot believe it is called a breather pipe either! Anyone have any ideas?
 
I assume that you will check that Audi have this?Is it the supply from the header to the engine?If you are sure its leaking water then could you use any standard pipe or is it a special shape?
 
Hi Mike

It bends around the back of the engine bllock and has three or four round bumpers to keep it from chafing. To be honest I cant find it anywhere so I assume, as you say, that it's just a piece of pipe cut to length and then put in place.

Given up on it myself - taking it to My Audi specialist in Exeter tomorrow - He knows everything (thank goodness)
 
Looks like part of the breather that returns small amounts of coolant from the top of the system back to the inlet at the top of the expansion tank when the coolant expands after it heats up. You could easily make something up from some silicone hose as it shouldn't really be under much pressure if the system's working properly.
 
Last edited:
Looks like part of the breather that returns small amounts of coolant from the top of the system back to the inlet at the top of the expansion tank when the coolant expands after it heats up. You could easily make something up from some silicone hose as it shouldn't really be under much pressure if the system's working properly.
Click to expand...

I agree totally. If I can't the garage to do it tomorrow I might even do it myself. There's a good guide on here somewhere about draining ans changing the coolant. The system is fine and its only a small leak but peristent!
 
If you do it when the engine is cold then you wouldn't have to drain the coolant as the pipe sits above the system. The coolant that is already in the pipe on its way back to the expansion tank will drain back out but you shouldn't lose any more I don't think. You could check by releasing it one side at a time and see where things stand.
 
Ive had this coolant pipe go on my a6 tdi pd. im pretty sure its a coolant pipe, the one on mine had perished and gone soft due to a small diesel leak from the tandem pump just above the pipe, Replacing the pipe will work in the short term but it may happen again, worth a check.
 
Glad you found out exactly where it was coming from - you need to speak to your local Audi dealer for that part or ask Stoke audi on this forum: Parts Requests
 
Cheers guys. Hopefully will get it sorted tomorrow
 
All sorted. It was part no 36 and had to be got in. I hour labour. £71 in total. Chuffed.
 
boddhi said:
All sorted. It was part no 36 and had to be got in. I hour labour. £71 in total. Chuffed.
Click to expand...
Good news .Perhaps they can give you a reason why it failed to stop it doing it again
 
Mike B said:
Good news .Perhaps they can give you a reason why it failed to stop it doing it again
Click to expand...

If u read my post this is what i was trying to advise u on, replacing the pipe is a temp fix. that pipe does not normaly go from what ive experienced, it's only when the tandem pump leaks diesel onto the pipe which weakens the pipe.
 
If u read my post this is what i was trying to advise u on, replacing the pipe is a temp fix. that pipe does not normaly go from what ive experienced, it's only when the tandem pump leaks diesel onto the pipe which weakens the pipe.
Click to expand...

Yes, you're spot on. There is a tiny, tiny leak so will keep an eye on it.

Got to do the slow wiper fix now! Always something to do but that's what happens when the car is eight years old and done 100000 miles i suppose!
 
Np ,We just wanted to make sure as theres nothing worse than paying for a repair and then then the pipe going again on you, new pipe is prob cheaper than a new tandem pump!
 
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