AWX Head Gasket

[MarkWizard]

Hi All

I've been having coolant problems with my 1.9TDi 130 Sport since I bought it 3 months and 9000 miles ago.

Firstly the usual CTS and thermostat which sorted out the guage but its also needed topping up every couple of days. I can't see any leaks anywhere and am starting to worry its the head gasket.

It runs perfectly, goes well, does nearly 50mpg on my 120 mile daily commute and no water showing in the oil.

What are the other signs of a head gasket gone and what have people paid to have it replaced?

Thanks,

 

[Avanti]

Oil showing in the coolant, also you can check two ways with some equipment.. Pressure check the coolant tank to check if there is a leak.. also get a chemical tester where you suck up some coolant in a large pipet and mix with chemical.. if it stays yellow its fine if it turns green/blue there are traces of Co or HC in your coolant therfore its mixing somewhere.

i would prob double check for leaks and splits by the sounds of things just before you take the more expensive route.

 

[MarkWizard]

Update - I've had the system pressure tested and at first it showed no leaks. He did it a second time and said the expansion tank was leaking. Tank changed and says its fixed.

Still losing water so took it back and he tested the head gasket with some chemical tester and its showed no signed os CO or HC. He says it wouldn't definitely show a blown head gasket. Got to work this morning and there is signs of water on the bottom of the expansion tank again!

So either I'm really unlucky and have had two leaking bottles or the system is being pressurised by a blown head gasket and its forcing water out of the bottle, but this would surely show up with the chemical test.

I'm at my wits end and its really frustrating me. It uses a litre of water on a 50 mile journey.

Any ideas please guys before I throw the towel in and sell it????

 

[adamss24]

How do you drive the car ? It could be the impeller on the water pump is spinning on the shaft and thus lets the engine overheat when driving 3000rpm on motorway. As you slow down, the engine cools off as the flow of water does not overpower the impeller making it spin on the shaft. I would check the water pump before taking off the head. AWX isn't prone to head gasket failure.Hope this helps.

 

[AU01 A4]

They is a Bleed screw which leeks when it get old, it under the plastic cover on top of the engine, it about £3 to replace, but i can't see it leeking as much you are loseing but for £3 change it and see

 

[MarkWizard]

Adam - mostly motorway driving but the car isnt showing any signs of overheating. Guage sits at a fraction over 90C (now I changed thermostat and CTS). Its due a cambelt change in a month or so and the waterpump will be done at the same time.

AU01 - Not seen any leakage but I'm going to flush the system and make sure its bled. The garage did say he hadn't bled anything and didn't need to as he only changed the expansion tank. Where abouts is the bleed screw please?

Thanks

 

[AU01 A4]

under the cover, i was loseing coolent and could not find were when i changed the bleed valve it stopped,

 

[MarkWizard]

Cheers - not sure if the 1.9TDi has one in the same place?

The garage have now suggested it maybe a faulty expansion bottle cap

 

[AU01 A4]

could be they have been known to go,
hope you get it sorted

 

[adamss24]

Did they bleed the system after the thermostat change ? If not air is in the system pressurising the system, you need to bleed by exposing the bleed hole in the rubber hosegoing to the heater matrix, under the plastic cover (scuttle panel)...

 

[MarkWizard]

New cap fitted and system bled still pressurising the bottle.

Also looked on another forum and its possible the EGR may cause the same type of problem - any ideas welcome please before I sell it an buy a Peugeot!

 

[AU01 A4]

does the car steem up?
is the pass side footwell wet?
could it be heater matrix?

 

[GaryAD]

@MarkWizzard: any update what you can share with us? I am in the exact same shoe, I am loosing coolant via the exp tank. Already changed thermostate, waterpump, flushed coolant system, pressure test ok, even tried K-Seal (ended up in the exp tank), after K seal changet exp tank as it was so dirty could not see properly the coolant level - still having the same problem on long motorway runs loosing water. It stays ok in town, short runs but drives me crazy...
So can you share what happened at the end please?

 

[Syed Amjad ALI]

Did anyone manage to fix the issue I have got the same exact problem. I have the Audi A4 B6, thermostat changed timing belt kit done, radiator changed, fans changed, expansion tanks changed twice but no luck have had the system bled and also pressure tested and no signs of leak but my symptoms are exactly similar to the one on this thread. Any ideas did you managed to get it fixed.???

 

[Syed Amjad ALI]

@MarkWizzard: any update what you can share with us? I am in the exact same shoe, I am loosing coolant via the exp tank. Already changed thermostate, waterpump, flushed coolant system, pressure test ok, even tried K-Seal (ended up in the exp tank), after K seal changet exp tank as it was so dirty could not see properly the coolant level - still having the same problem on long motorway runs loosing water. It stays ok in town, short runs but drives me crazy...
So can you share what happened at the end please?

I’ve got the exactly same issue. Did you managed to get it sorted?