2005 Passat TDI - Headgasket?

sbrandt

Active member
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Location
Cleburne, TX
TDI
2005 Passat TDI
Hey all, looking for some guidance / insight here. Just finished a lot of work to a 2005 Passat 2.0 TDI that I bought CHEAP from a neighbor. Car had been sitting for about 8 months with a P0741 torque converter code. 191,555 miles. Here's I've done in the past coupla weeks:

* torque converter rebuild by Performance Torque Converters, Mansfield, TX (I recommend them)
* timing belt / water pump change - Diesel Geek kit
* p/s pump change
* brakes, shocks, struts in all four corners
* tranny output shaft seals on both sides

Drove car locally for about 50 miles with no issues and no leaks, very solid.

Started car this morning, noticed it ran a little rough and then a LOT of "smoke" from the tail pipe. Went back to check it out and noted sweet smell from the smoke. Three minutes later the low coolant light came on. I parked it and shut it down. Car didn't even have time to warm up. Had to go to work.

Is this indicative of a head gasket? Are there any other likely suspects considering the work I've done or mileage on the car?

Any thoughts or suggestions, most appreciated.
 

Windex

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Location
Cambridge
TDI
05 B5V 01E FRF
As above, egr cooler is much more common. Route the egr cooler coolant hoses into each other bypassing the cooler and retest.
 

Mozambiquer

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Mar 21, 2015
Location
Versailles Missouri
TDI
2004 VW Touareg V10 TDI, 2012 Audi Q7 V6 TDI, 1998 VW Jetta TDI. 1982 VW Rabbit pickup, 2001 VW Jetta TDI, 2005 VW Passat wagon TDI X3, 2001 VW golf TDI, 1980 VW rabbit pickup,
Very likely the egr cooler is failed. Very common issue. A blown head gasket rarely has the white smoke on these, it just pressurizes the coolant.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
It is easy to check, you don't need to mess with getting to the hoses. Just take the upper pipe off (easily accessed Allen bolts, two at each end), and start the engine up... see if coolant blows straight up like a geyser out of the EGR cooler, LOL. You may find it is full when you take that pipe off and can see down in there.
 

sbrandt

Active member
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Location
Cleburne, TX
TDI
2005 Passat TDI
So, I did remove the upper pipe and can see coolant pooled down there. Is it not supposed to be? I did not start it up to release the geyser. Do I need to or is this my "smoking gun"? Get a new cooler coming?
 

Mozambiquer

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Mar 21, 2015
Location
Versailles Missouri
TDI
2004 VW Touareg V10 TDI, 2012 Audi Q7 V6 TDI, 1998 VW Jetta TDI. 1982 VW Rabbit pickup, 2001 VW Jetta TDI, 2005 VW Passat wagon TDI X3, 2001 VW golf TDI, 1980 VW rabbit pickup,
So, I did remove the upper pipe and can see coolant pooled down there. Is it not supposed to be? I did not start it up to release the geyser. Do I need to or is this my "smoking gun"? Get a new cooler coming?
Thats the smoking gun. There's not supposed to be any coolant in there.
I've got a good cooler from a car I'm parting out right now if you need one.
 

sbrandt

Active member
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Location
Cleburne, TX
TDI
2005 Passat TDI
Thats the smoking gun. There's not supposed to be any coolant in there.
I've got a good cooler from a car I'm parting out right now if you need one.
Yeah, I might be interested. How many miles on it and how much do you want for it?
 

Mozambiquer

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Mar 21, 2015
Location
Versailles Missouri
TDI
2004 VW Touareg V10 TDI, 2012 Audi Q7 V6 TDI, 1998 VW Jetta TDI. 1982 VW Rabbit pickup, 2001 VW Jetta TDI, 2005 VW Passat wagon TDI X3, 2001 VW golf TDI, 1980 VW rabbit pickup,
Yeah, I might be interested. How many miles on it and how much do you want for it?
195k miles on it. $75 plus shipping
 

sbrandt

Active member
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Location
Cleburne, TX
TDI
2005 Passat TDI
So I sprung for a new EGR cooler (sorry Mozambiquer...thanks for the offer. I am trying to get this car solid for my family and wanted to hedge my bets away from another failure).

Installed. Smoke cleared all good...and it took a while to clear, like 20 minutes of idle and driving...but it did clear.

Except now I'm having problems with the car running too cool and no cabin heat except at first start. When running down the road I see temp get up to 190 and it appears the t-stat opens and drops the temp 50 degrees and it never recovers. Even at idle it never gets back to 190.

Outside temp here in Texas last evening was 45 deg F.

I used an infra-red thermometer on the inlet and outlet hoses to the heater core. Inlet got up to 135F and outlet 115F.

I have flushed the heater core. Residual coolant and the water I used came out clean. I have checked that the temp control knob is moving the flapper valve under the dash and I can hear the change in airflow when moved from cool to hot.

I have air-bled the system by pulling the outlet hose back (the left one with the tiny hole that ultimately runs to the t-stat base) and raised the coolant tank until a solid stream flows.

When I changed the water pump and timing belt, I did not change the t-stat. I'm thinking it is stuck open and I should go after it next.

Suggestions?
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Yep, thermostat. Those are super easy BUT I would get an OEM neck (the old one may break the tabs when it comes off, and it may leak if you try to reuse them). Calorstat, Behr, or OEM on the thermostat, too.
 

sbrandt

Active member
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Location
Cleburne, TX
TDI
2005 Passat TDI
Thermostat replaced. No leaks. Engine temps restored to normal. 190 solid even during 20 minute drive with outside air at 37F. BUT still don't have good cabin heat except for a few minutes after start up. From reading some threads sound like I need to do the CLR flush. When I last "flushed" it, I just ran water through and it came out clear but I didn't use a garden hose or any pressure, just let it run from an elevated funnel in a 5 foot heater hose.
 

Zak99b5

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Location
Albany NY
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
Could be an air pocket in the heater core. Did you pull back the heater hose with the hole in it to bleed the system? PassatWorld has a whole "no heat blues" thread for the B5.
 

sbrandt

Active member
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Location
Cleburne, TX
TDI
2005 Passat TDI
So, I did the CLR flush of the heater core. Took 4 flushes with CLR, reversing directions to get the sediment out. Then flushed 15+ gallons of garden hose water to clear out the CLR. Then primed the core with coolant, air bled it and started up. What a difference! Almost immediate heat and by the time the temp gage got to 190, I had 157 degree air blowing through the center vents. Today it is 16deg F and I took it for a ride. I had heat within a few minutes. Working great. Thanks for all the help, guys!
 

sbrandt

Active member
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Location
Cleburne, TX
TDI
2005 Passat TDI
Hey, there guys! After another 10k miles on this 2005 Passat wagon TDI, I’ve noticed coolant leaking from between the head and block at the back of the engine. It is running down and dripping off the side of the tranny by the R/H output flange. Coolant level decreases slowly but is notable. Is there a good thread here for guidance on a head gasket change?
 

Mozambiquer

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Mar 21, 2015
Location
Versailles Missouri
TDI
2004 VW Touareg V10 TDI, 2012 Audi Q7 V6 TDI, 1998 VW Jetta TDI. 1982 VW Rabbit pickup, 2001 VW Jetta TDI, 2005 VW Passat wagon TDI X3, 2001 VW golf TDI, 1980 VW rabbit pickup,
Hey, there guys! After another 10k miles on this 2005 Passat wagon TDI, I’ve noticed coolant leaking from between the head and block at the back of the engine. It is running down and dripping off the side of the tranny by the R/H output flange. Coolant level decreases slowly but is notable. Is there a good thread here for guidance on a head gasket change?
Are you sure its coming from the head gasket itself? Its very common for that cooling flange and vent hose to leak causing it to leak from the back of the head.
 

sbrandt

Active member
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Location
Cleburne, TX
TDI
2005 Passat TDI
No, I’m not 100% sure. I spent a good 20 minutes with a good light and mirror but access is terrible. I did see coolant at the head to block parting line but can’t be certain it is the source. I guess I need to start disassembly to confirm. Suggestions to get access?
 

1854sailor

Resident Curmudgeon
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Location
Westerly, RI
TDI
2015 Golf SE SportWagen, 2015 Golf SE Hatch Back.
No, I’m not 100% sure. I spent a good 20 minutes with a good light and mirror but access is terrible. I did see coolant at the head to block parting line but can’t be certain it is the source. I guess I need to start disassembly to confirm. Suggestions to get access?
Small fingers. Welcome to B5.5 Passat World...
 

Windex

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Location
Cambridge
TDI
05 B5V 01E FRF
The coolant flange is so common. Start there. Not a bad idea to change the tandem pump gasket at the same time, the leaks from the tandem pump degrade the coolant flange / gasket and cause the leaks. Take a look at the vent hose for swelling as well.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
If it has been seeping oil long enough, the heater hose coming off the flange could also be suspect.

If you take the extra time to remove the intake flap motor assembly, and the fuel filter and its bracket, you can free up a lot more space back there to get at things.
 

sbrandt

Active member
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Location
Cleburne, TX
TDI
2005 Passat TDI
Yup. I have the back of the engine disassembled now. Confirmed coolant flange leak. New flange and gasket arriving today. Also new tandem pump gasket. Can you guys confirm you reinstall these without RTV? Install dry? I don't want to work back there again any time soon. :)
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
No sealant, but make certain everything is clean and dry. And check any coolant hoses you come across. Also don't forget about the turbo oil feed pipe support bracket back there.
 

markdave

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2023
Location
amesterdam
TDI
tdi 1.6
As above, egr cooler is much more common. Route the egr cooler coolant hoses into each other bypassing the cooler and retest.




 
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