i noticed my coolant level decreasing over a couple of weeks so decided to use some k seal.it seemed to be ok but i have noticed that it is still decreasing but at a much slower rate.i had topped it up a few times with just plain water before i used the k seal so the coolant mix was probably quite weak.could this be the problem that i need to top up again with more coolant?any answers would be appreciated, thanks
used k seal but still a slight leak?
- Thread starter MR B A3
- Start date
Sorry to hear about your coolant loss. No, one should never put water in the cooling system. This alone should not affect the leaking, but it is very bad practice. What I suggest is first of all to get the car up on a ramp, and remove the plastic undertray. Run the engine until it reaches normal running temperature. Turn off the engine and with a very bright torch, look closely at all of the water-circuit rubber hoses and their connections at both ends. Look also at all four corners of the radiator. Look for slight seepage or stains around the connections/radiator, as this will be a dead give-away. If you find the leak, fix it first, and then replace all coolent with new stuff to get back to the proper concentration. You might mention the age/mileage of the car and the cylinder head revision level. Good luck.
ethylene glycol freezes at about -14c.... a 60/40 mix or glycol/water will freeze at -40c.
Anti freeze needs water to work because it changes actually the properties of the water, not just replaces it.
There is nothing wrong with topping up with water as long as the overall mix stays roughly the same .
Anti freeze needs water to work because it changes actually the properties of the water, not just replaces it.
There is nothing wrong with topping up with water as long as the overall mix stays roughly the same .
Paddy, the coolant you buy from Audi, or equivalent spec, is already mixed at exactly the correct ratio for best cold weather performance and cooling efficiency. The only water that is used in the proper mixing process is distilled water. Ordinary water contains various minerals which may interfere with the properties designed in by the designers of the engine. Adding tap water only serves to distort the intended performance of the mixture. Coolant not only contains ethylene glycol, but also rust inhibitors, water pump lubricants, and other additives to prevent bad chemical reactions with various rubber pipes and metals used in the engine and gaskets. Good practice is to always top up with the recommended Audi coolant, and you cannot go wrong.
