Coolant Level Going Down!!! Help

[jamesdownthepub]

Hi guys just a quick one...

i have a 1998 a3...ive had it for about 6 months now and and in the last month or so ive had to keep topping up the coolant.
Theres no visible patches on the ground or any sort of seal drip!
My Temp Gauge isnt working either, which doesnt rlly help the situation as i cant tell wether or not the cars overheating!

im not rlly sure where to start...i also did a service a few weeks back and found spark plug number one was drenched in oil? could this be a head gasket seal? or am i completly wrong?

Are the two linked in anyway?

Cheers Guys! (or girls)

JT

 

[Matt82]

doubt its linked

get the guage working. its a really dummy mistake to not have that and then to cook your engine completely.

do you have pink g12 anti freeze in there? when it leaks it dries bright pink so a leak should be easy to spot

as for the oil on spark plug, you want a new cam cover gasket

 

[jamesdownthepub]

yeah ive got the pink anti freeze coolant and as far as i can seei dont think theres any sign of a leak, the parts on order so hopefully shud be here within the next few days! do you think the gaskets on its way or cud this be a water pump?

Cheers

JT

 

[Matt82]

the cam cover one is deafinately dead if its already leaking.

you just need to keep an eye on where that waters going and get that guage fixed.

a friend of mines v6 4mo volvanoed on my driveway, when i checked the dash i had no idea on the temp "cause it hadnt worked for months" etc

 

[michaelspirou]

On the head of the engine there is a plastic manifold where the top hose of the rad connects passing water to the engine and heater etc.
Mine had a small crack on it lossing water only when the engine reached normal temp the water leak was not easy to see, check this it may be the same problem.

 

[jamesdownthepub]

well ive finally fixed my temp sensor and now is working fine...i am going to have a look tonight and monitor it for the next week to see if i lose any!

any one know where i can get a new cam cover gasket from??

cheers all

 

[Welly]

well ive finally fixed my temp sensor and now is working fine...i am going to have a look tonight and monitor it for the next week to see if i lose any!

any one know where i can get a new cam cover gasket from??

cheers all

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/A...5b7fe43063f5505d5b39dd1f9f7c68e09225db23&ROKG

 

[jamesdownthepub]

thanks for the link, have bought and it should be here within the next few days!

like ive said ive had the temp sensor fixed now, when i took the old sensor out i forgot to open the coolent bottle to relieve the pressure and had some hot water blow alllll over me (silly mistake i no!)

i lost the O-ring and coolant ****** out whilst driving, ive filled it up again and its dropped below minimun again, u think i could pressume this is just trapped air as i didnt drain down before i put the new coolant in!

Appriciate the help

jamesdownthepub

 

[Welly]

thanks for the link, have bought and it should be here within the next few days!

like ive said ive had the temp sensor fixed now, when i took the old sensor out i forgot to open the coolent bottle to relieve the pressure and had some hot water blow alllll over me (silly mistake i no!)

i lost the O-ring and coolant ****** out whilst driving, ive filled it up again and its dropped below minimun again, u think i could pressume this is just trapped air as i didnt drain down before i put the new coolant in!

Appriciate the help

jamesdownthepub

Yeah, that should settle on it's own - after losing wtaer, it's not uncommon for the water level to drop down after being filled and then driven.

Keep an eye on the level though obviously.