Replacement cylinder head on TDI's

[IanMcA3]

Just thought I'd pass this one on.

I've got one of the early 53 plate 2.0 Tdi's. Approx 25k ago it started using coolent - the dealer replaced the EGR valve & all was well.

Then about 8k ago, it started using coolent again, told by the dealer that its an "A or B solution". A is an EGR valve (which they replaced again) and then after much pestering as the fault remained, B turns out to be a replacement cylinder head - apparantly some are pourous!

After investigation it seems the head was leaking through pot 1.

The issue here is that Audi tech's need to witness the fault for themselves before they can act. The reason I have had the problem for so long is that they have to witness the car producing white smoke (steam) on start up & mine refused to, unless it had been thrashed for a long journey & then left to stand for 2 + days.

Looking forward to getting it back on Fri - got a 1.6 sportback as a loaner - can't believe how under powered it is on the motorway!

 

[Karcsi]

Ouch. That's concerning. I'll keep an eye on the coolant level. Was the water temperature above normal (90C)?

Out of interest, I do not understand what the EGR valve has to do with water coolant escaping. I thought EGR stood for "exhaust gas recirculation".

 

[IanMcA3]

No problems with temp, car ran fine. Only indicator was the use of coolant (1 inch in the header tank every week) and the occaasional white smoke on startup, which I attributed to bad diesel!

I think the EGR has a cooler element which (again I assume) is like a sort of mini radiator and must be plumbed in to the normal coolant system. Seems this is also a common fault on the TDi's!?

 

[tinka]

a friend at work has a mate who's a tech at audi,and he told me the other day that they are replacing the valves,and are aware of the problem,but it does'nt warrant a recall,how reasuring.

 

[cathaloneill]

I have a 2003 2.0FSI and have noticed that it requires a top up of coolant every other month. do you know if the same problem applies to the peetrol model as well as the diesel?

 

[IanMcA3]

I sincerley don't know what heads are affected, in all honesty if you are continually topping up then you have a problem, there should only be a very occasional top up required (say, maybe once a year or less) as these are totally sealed units.

It seems as if the head on mine had gone pourous & had also started to leak coolent down the back of the block, as it was antifreeze, this had also crystallised. Possibly explains why my car had also suffered from clutch slip - possible friction plate contamination.

Basically, with all the other sh*t that has gone wrong with it, it's just a good old Friday afternoon car!