Coolant issue after cambelt replacement.

Hi guys,

I have a bit of an issue! I've recently changed my cambelt + water pump for my car as it got to the 5-year mark. Got the car from the service Weds, drove it home for like 30 miles, all fine. The car sat on the drive until Friday morning when my wife had to go to work. She called me that the low coolant level light came on but disappeared after she turned off and started the engine again. I thought that maybe there was an airlock on the system after filling with the new coolant post w/p change. When she started the car to leave work on Friday evening, the light was on again and won't go this time. Guided her through video call (don't laugh!) to open the bonnet and show me the coolant level which was way under the minimum mark (in fact there was just a cup full on the bottom). Because of this I've told her to wait and went there with some distilled water to top up. I had to fill the tank with roughly 150 mls, so not much, but I had another surprise by opening it!!! On the bottom of the tank there were now some flakes of brown dirt and on the surface of the coolant were some droplets of a clear oily substance. Pls see pics.
I'm so disappointed now as I chose to do this service, despite being much more expensive, to the main Audi dealer rather than an independent garage thinking that I pay more for better workmanship. I'm sure the tank was clean before as I had a look in it a couple of months back after finding out about the silica bag issue so I would have noticed the gunk and the oil for sure. What I'm thinking is that the mechanic saved the old coolant in a dirty pan or something and reused it so that's what contaminated it. I'm sure (I hope) it's not engine oil as it's clear as water not brown or black.
Now I'm waiting to see if the level is holding or going down which might mean I have a coolant leak.
Do you think I have a leg to stand on to ask Audi to flush the coolant system for free? Is the oil in the coolant harmful for the engine? What about the gunk?
Thanks for reading.

Dan

NHN said:

Tbh I suspect it was just airlocked, so now the lock has cleared the level gas of course lowered & tbh that four isn't bad at all, did it have the bag in the reservoir beforehand as this could be the remnants left in the bottle that you're seeing.

But yes explain the situation to the dealer & go from there.

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The bag was there always, and I'm sure the crud wasn't + the oily droplets floating on top.
I'll see what the dealer says about it. I'm just worried that the dirt might damage something.
Thx

NHN said:

Do a search for the coolant bags issues on 8V, I honestly believe it's residue & tbh that colour is near perfect G13 etc so I wouldn't worry to much, however they should use vacuum unit to do coolant change to avoid locks, as with everything, these things happen, monitor for more levels lowering.

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What about the clear oily stuff on the surface of the coolant? Surely that's not normal?!

After waiting for 5 weeks for a reply after emailing them, I've decided to call again and this time got to speak with the manager. He offered to purge and replace the coolant straight away but boy he was a conversational bully (and patronising and arrogant). Didn't let me speak at all and told me how dare I accuse his colleagues of not doing their job properly, how proud he is of his job and colleagues blah blah blah... Told him that I do not accuse anybody but I wonder how the contaminate got there in the first place and his answer was that 'it probably been there before and was disturbed by the new fluid and why I continue arguing as he already agreed to replace it'. He never apologised for his colleagues not bothering answering a simple email for 5 weeks not to mention for the substandard job the mechanic did. In other words, it was only my fault and I should be grateful he's a nice guy and decided to flush the system for me.
When asked about the air con not being as effective as before he said they have definitely topped up the gas but it was too hot outside lately that's why I think it's not as before. Really? I think they take us for idiots.
Hell, I admit I'm fussy when it comes to my car but that's no way to speak to a customer who chose them and was happy to pay almost 50% more for a job as was expecting quality. I do work with customers every day but we treat them with respect even the ones which we know they are not right.
With this attitude, I don't even know if it's wise to take the car back at them. I've learned my lesson, I'll use the indy for now on.
Rant over, thx for reading.