Loosing coolant - somewhere... mystery, help!

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frlrubett
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Re: Loosing coolant - somewhere... mystery, help!

Post by frlrubett »

scirocco_ne wrote: Fri Feb 08, 2019 2:08 pm I would say start with the cheapest possibility and work through based on peoples advice. The o ring sounds a good shout.

My old 205 gti used to use water but run fine. I was convinced it had issues but my Dad strongly. disagreed as it ran ok.

On frosty/real cold days i always noticed more of a steam cloud out the rear (maybe twice the size but not obvious) on idle than other cars but that was the only thing to notice and i assumed it was the full stainless system causing more condensation.

One day it finally starting powering through water and i limped it home with 10l i was carrying incase.

Carry emergency water, make sure your low coolant warning is working and just plod through all the possible avenues bud. Good luck and i hope it isnt the head like mine was. Sometimes your lucky and its not the big issue :)

Mick
Thanks for this.

Had the coolant system pressure tested today and there was no leaks, mechanic was quite quick to suggest the filler cap was crap and needed an upgrade which I just picked up and fitted. Going to run it over the weekend and have another look at it next week.

If the cap was to fault then the air should work its way out and leave the coolant in?


scirocco_ne
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Re: Loosing coolant - somewhere... mystery, help!

Post by scirocco_ne »

frlrubett wrote: Fri Feb 08, 2019 3:45 pm
scirocco_ne wrote: Fri Feb 08, 2019 2:08 pm I would say start with the cheapest possibility and work through based on peoples advice. The o ring sounds a good shout.

My old 205 gti used to use water but run fine. I was convinced it had issues but my Dad strongly. disagreed as it ran ok.

On frosty/real cold days i always noticed more of a steam cloud out the rear (maybe twice the size but not obvious) on idle than other cars but that was the only thing to notice and i assumed it was the full stainless system causing more condensation.

One day it finally starting powering through water and i limped it home with 10l i was carrying incase.

Carry emergency water, make sure your low coolant warning is working and just plod through all the possible avenues bud. Good luck and i hope it isnt the head like mine was. Sometimes your lucky and its not the big issue :)

Mick
Thanks for this.

Had the coolant system pressure tested today and there was no leaks, mechanic was quite quick to suggest the filler cap was crap and needed an upgrade which I just picked up and fitted. Going to run it over the weekend and have another look at it next week.

If the cap was to fault then the air should work its way out and leave the coolant in?

Im not an expert on the 8v vw systems like some of the lads on here are so i may be corrected, but your cap is just a pressure relief valve.

So if its still passing a new cap then the pressure is greater in the system than it should be in theory.

See how it goes all cleaned up with the new cap And check the tank itself for leaks just incase.


frlrubett
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Re: Loosing coolant - somewhere... mystery, help!

Post by frlrubett »

Car was off the road for a few months since my last post due to changing garages and work stuff. Back on the road, very pleased with it starting first time but in the 350 miles I did recently the water level dropped low in my filler tank. I also again found after extended run coolant on the edge of the filler tank - so as per the advice on this thread I am going to replace the tank.

From what I understand - it is pretty simple. Remove the two water pipes, drain the fluid. Pop out the old tank and in the new one, reconnect pipes refill with coolant. Leave cap off and leave engine running till water returns without air from the radiator. Is this correct?

Secondly the pipe which returns water to the tank is old and starting to corrode a slight - I am trying to find a replacement but do not know what it is technically called? Is it general water pipe or is there some sort of VW spec it needs to keep to?

Thanks!


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essextom
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Re: Loosing coolant - somewhere... mystery, help!

Post by essextom »

yep thats how to fit it. do you mean the long thinner pipe? if so just measure the internal diameter, (prob 8mm) and measure length and get down your local motor factors, usually have it in a roll u can cut to length


frlrubett
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Re: Loosing coolant - somewhere... mystery, help!

Post by frlrubett »

essextom wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2019 11:05 am yep thats how to fit it. do you mean the long thinner pipe? if so just measure the internal diameter, (prob 8mm) and measure length and get down your local motor factors, usually have it in a roll u can cut to length
Thanks, yeah I mean the pipe which goes from top of tank to top of radiator. While I am doing the tank might as-well replace this as starting to degrade.


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