A3 8P 53 plate 2.0 tdi 140 - Using coolant?

[RobMorris]

Chaps

I seem to be losing/using coolant?
From max to min is only a small amount but it drops from max to min over about 3 weeks and then i have to top up again..

Assume this is not normal?

I cant see any leaks/splits?

What say you?

 

[Khufu]

sadly it is all to normal for the early tdi engine. Try a search on the forum for all the issues. Hopefully its not a porous cylinder head.

 

[RobMorris]

cheers - i did do a search but didnt find anything
il try different keywords to grab some info
and indeed i hope its not a porous head (not that i know what the means - but it sounds bad!)

 

[MTRL]

Have you checked your oil cap for a milky substance or residue?

 

[FranA3]

sounds like the dreaded cylinder head

 

[mike foster]

Rob, I'm sorry to say it is almost certainly the 'porous head' problem which was a common problem on the pre 2005 140 BKD engines.

A fault in the head manufacture caused the metal to become porous between the coolant channels and the cylinders and the coolant was evaporated away. This problem was never acknowledged by Audi even though the subsequent heads were improved which cured the problem.

The only real cure is to get a later model cylinder head fitted but you could try a temporary fix which has helped others. Buy a bottle of K-Seal from Halfords or similar and bung it straight into the top up bottle and run the car until hot. It cost less than a tenner and might help. Got to be worth a try anyway !

Good luck mate and I hope I'm wrong with the diagnosis !

 

[flying oyster]

check rad at bottom corners

 

[NHN]

Also check coolant hoses as age can deteriorate, egr cooler is common, as oyster states rad, various things to check before condemning head, but thats also a big possibility.

 

[Pipsqueak]

I've noticed a smell of coolant when I get out of the car after a drive particularly on a warm day. Theres no sign of a leak and the coolant level doesn't seem to be going down. Could this have something todo with the head?? It's been bugging me since i got the car. It's a BKD. Any insight would be appreciated

 

[WALTO TDI]

ive had this same problem. had the head pressure tested and no leaks were found. after driving about 60 miles coolant warning light illuminates on the dash. i decided to do one last thing before taking it to the garage for full strip down and inspection. i used a well known leak stopper in the header tank. i have now driven around for over 400 miles and not had to top the coolant up once. im assuming that there must of been a small leak from either the radiator or waterpump. i could not see any leaks or water on the ground, i had no signs of water in the oil and there was no condensation out of the exhaust. have a look for any of these tell tale signs mate.

 

[Pipsqueak]

Maybe a daft question but is there a time by which a BKD engine will show up a porous head i.e. if the engine is 7 years old and hasn't gone then it will be OK or is it after a certain amount of miles.Was it 2003 - early 2004 engines or was it later than that too? Pretty curious now.

 

[Pipsqueak]

Forgot to add how do you find out if it's a BKD 'A' or a BKD 'B'. Apparantly Bs are OK

 

[mike foster]

Forgot to add how do you find out if it's a BKD 'A' or a BKD 'B'. Apparantly Bs are OK

Take the engine cover off and look behind the fuel injector pipes. You should see a number with the suffix 'A' or 'B'

I have an August 2005 reg, Model Year 2006 sportback which has suffix 'B' and is fine.

 

[Pipsqueak]

Take the engine cover off and look behind the fuel injector pipes. You should see a number with the suffix 'A' or 'B'

I have an August 2005 reg, Model Year 2006 sportback which has suffix 'B' and is fine.

Cheers i'll have a look.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Also check the link below:

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/new-a3-s3-sportback-8p-chassis/76277-%5B2-0-tdi%5D-how-know-if-your-cylinder-head-will-crack-if-hasnt-yet-2.html

 

[RobMorris]

I couldnt see any problems so I bought a bottle of K-Seal so will report back after a couple of weeks and let you know if it has worked for me!

BTW what is the cooling system capicity? if over 23 litres I need a second bottle of K-Seal..

 

[flying oyster]

only one will do hope it works for you had same problem last year but since having the waterpump changed when i had cambelt done all seems fine
kseal was a good temp fix at the time for me

 

[RobMorris]

kseal claim it to be a permanant fix? only requiring another bottle if you do a full drain and re-fill? (which ive never done in my life!)

 

[flying oyster]

i can only speak for myself mine worked for a while then i got loss of coolant again but since water pump done and car serviced its been fine without kseal in it
there are plenty of guys on here that have used it on here and have been more than happy with it

 

[Graham89]

I had the dreaded porous head issue. K seal and over 20k miles later it's not dropped at all.

 

[RobMorris]

I had the dreaded porous head issue. K seal and over 20k miles later it's not dropped at all.

I pray for the same!

 

[RobMorris]

Little late with my up date, but perhaps better as ive done about 3k and I can say the K-Seal has worked a treat.
Not dropped a single drop since adding it to the coolantk. It was instant magic.

 

[- Jrd -]

Worth the £12 then, Good stuff

 

[Bramley]

I have exactly the same problem but mine has some condensation - white smoke coming out of the exhaust, is this a cause for cocnern?

 

[mike foster]

I have exactly the same problem but mine has some condensation - white smoke coming out of the exhaust, is this a cause for cocnern?

You can try K-seal, it can't do any harm.

White smoke indicates it is likely to be the porous head situation I'm afraid.

 

[adamroutley]

check rad at bottom corners

Also check coolant hoses as age can deteriorate, egr cooler is common, as oyster states rad, various things to check before condemning head, but thats also a big possibility.

i can only speak for myself mine worked for a while then i got loss of coolant again but since water pump done and car serviced its been fine without kseal in it
there are plenty of guys on here that have used it on here and have been more than happy with it

So many people are quick to say "cylinder head"...mine was leaking coolant slightly..turned out it was the Radiator. Needless to say, after researching on here before hand I was SH*TTING myself!

 

[mike foster]

Adam - leaking rad does not produce condensation and white smoke !!!!!!

 

[adamroutley]

Adam - leaking rad does not produce condensation and white smoke !!!!!!

Original post has no mention of this

 

[mike foster]

Original post has no mention of this

I was answering post #24 !

 

[adamroutley]

I was answering post #24 !

well just for clarification, I was answering the original question asked as it was HIS thread. I made no mention to, or referred to in any way post #24 so whats your problem?

Back to the original question..

Go get it jacked up pal and searched

 

[mike foster]

well just for clarification, I was answering the original question asked as it was HIS thread. I made no mention to, or referred to in any way post #24 so whats your problem?

Back to the original question..

Go get it jacked up pal and searched

I don't have a problem Adam. The op (Rob Morris) reported back to the forum in post #22 that it was all sorted. Therefore no need for any further reply from you or anybody else to the original question !

Then Bramley came in with a supplementary question in post #24 to which I replied.

End of !

 

[NHN]

well just for clarification, I was answering the original question asked as it was HIS thread. I made no mention to, or referred to in any way post #24 so whats your problem?

Then, as a suggestion, maybe next time you should follow Mike's quite correct suit & quote the post you're replying to, rather than random input after another party has also posted with same issues, therefore avoiding confusion.

Mike doesnt have a problem, he is purely helping other members without a hint of animosity, so please also do so yourself, there is no problem, therefore dont create one thanks

 

[adamroutley]

Thats the thing NHN my first post quoted all the people I was replying to, i was simply trying to make the OP feel a little better in the sense that it MIGHT NOT be the head. (a point yourself highlighted)

At that point Mike foster got on his high horse assuming that my reply was directed at him personally which led to this quote below.

i was merely defending myself.

ive heard on many forums that this one is specifically clique'y and pedantic, and your going to "stick up" for people with more posts but i was simply providing the OP with a DIFFERENT result to what everybody seems to quickly state.

Adam - leaking rad does not produce condensation and white smoke !!!!!!

Then, as a suggestion, maybe next time you should follow Mike's quite correct suit & quote the post you're replying to, rather than random input after another party has also posted with same issues, therefore avoiding confusion.

Mike doesnt have a problem, he is purely helping other members without a hint of animosity, so please also do so yourself, there is no problem, therefore dont create one thanks

 

[NHN]

Thats the thing NHN my first post quoted all the people I was replying to, i was simply trying to make the OP feel a little better in the sense that it MIGHT NOT be the head. (a point yourself highlighted)

At that point Mike foster got on his high horse assuming that my reply was directed at him personally which led to this quote below.

i was merely defending myself.

ive heard on many forums that this one is specifically clique'y and pedantic, and your going to "stick up" for people with more posts but i was simply providing the OP with a DIFFERENT result to what everybody seems to quickly state.

Whereas I appreciate the point you're making about it may not be the worst case scenario, you were actually adding info relative to the OP's post, hence why a simple quoted remark would help to clarify the comments you were directing your reply to, Mike added info that was relative, he had no malice in his intent.

Butttt, you instigated a responce by posting "so whats your problem" which 99.999% of people on any forum would take as directed towards the other party in discussion, not the whole forum, you had no need to defend yourself as there was no friction directed towards yourself that I can see, ATM.

I would also point out, if you had made that comment on any forum, I suspect you would have got the same responce, which unless I read it wrong Mike also gave a fair, factual & non friction like responce, so from my POV you've opened the door for a problem to arise, unneccessarily may I add.

As for the comment of ASN being very clique, pedantic along with more support for long standing members, totally unnecessarily, just adds attention to you for all the wrong reasons from all the wrong people, if you want to enjoy the forum & get along with everyone, which most are a great bunch of people, then forget whats happened thus far & change your attitude.

 

[Bramley]

Audi have said my egr cooler is leaking