Coolant leak....Any ideas?

RichCA

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2003
Location
Ontario
TDI
Golf GL, 2002, Red
Hi all. I've been leaking coolant and now its really bad, almost a litre a day if its a long trip. It's leaking from the expansion tank area, running down to the intercooler and dripping by the front passenger side wheel. I replaced the expansion tank and the cap and it still leaking. Am I looking at a head gasket problem making the pressure too high? It definitely is worse the more aggressive and faster I drive.

Any ideas?


Thanks,

Rich
 

chromeBuddha

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Location
Arlington, TX - DFW metroplex
TDI
2002 Golf TDI manual
There is a coolant loop to cool the EGR that frequently leaks. Would think it would be visible over the intake manifold.

When you have the engine at operating temperature you can't locate any leak/mist in that area? There is a hardline that goes along the firewall to a rubber line back to your expansion tank.

If you are thinking head gasket, this often leads to oil contamination or coolant getting into your combustion chamber. If it is getting into your oil you can see the oil level rise rather than fall over time, entry into the combustion chamber can lead to sweet smelling exhaust and foggy exhaust. Either one if these is something you want to have addressed immediately as the stuff can leave an abrasive residue when it evaporates.

The more aggressive you drive, the faster the pump turns and the more pressure the system is likely under.
 
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josh8loop

Veteran Member
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Sep 15, 2009
Location
Vero Beach, Fl.
TDI
2002 VW Jetta TDI Manual(performed 01M to 5-speed swap) - 183,000 miles and climbing!
..



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo3uxqwTxk0




:D



But seriously, there is a rubber coolant line that runs from the bottom of the coolant tank to the hard coolant pipe in front of the engine as you well know. Some times this coolant line rubs on something or get too close to rotating objects and gets punctured. Inspect it, and replace as necessary. That will most likely "Fix" your issue. :)




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RichCA

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2003
Location
Ontario
TDI
Golf GL, 2002, Red
Yeah I inspected the lines and nothing. No leaks at operating temps only when driving and much worse when really aggressive driving. I see coolant even on the little ledge around the expansion tank so the only way it seems to be able to get there is through the cap. Also seems to come out of that little drain thing on the side of the expansion tank. I'm really thinking head gasket now. I'll watch the oil. Nothing out the exhaust except black smoke like usually ;)
 

josh8loop

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Location
Vero Beach, Fl.
TDI
2002 VW Jetta TDI Manual(performed 01M to 5-speed swap) - 183,000 miles and climbing!
Yeah I inspected the lines and nothing. No leaks at operating temps only when driving and much worse when really aggressive driving. I see coolant even on the little ledge around the expansion tank so the only way it seems to be able to get there is through the cap. Also seems to come out of that little drain thing on the side of the expansion tank. I'm really thinking head gasket now. I'll watch the oil. Nothing out the exhaust except black smoke like usually ;)




Try a new coolant reservoir cap. They are cheap, and would let you know a bit more whats really going on.




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dieselfuel

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Location
ohio
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
Any leaking when you turn the engine off? Can you see steam anywhere under the hood?

What about reving your engine when it is up to operating temp? Any liquid exiting the exhaust pipe?

If you cannot find any leak, it may be a leaking head gasket. In that case, you may want to try the head stud method.

Some here have stopped leaking head gaskets by using ARP head studs. You remove one head bolt at a time and replace it with a stud and nut. (I did this, though I didn't have a leak. I did it for the purpose that I was going to start modding my ALH).

Just some thoughts,

df
 

dogdots

Vendor
Joined
Sep 4, 2002
Location
Kansas City
TDI
None
If you are pressurizing the coolant expansion tank to the point that you are losing coolant out the overflow, you got a head gasket problem.

The hard part of diagnosing a TDI with a failed head gasket is that the cylinder pressures are so high you will rarely see milky oil or oily coolant. When there is a breech between the water jacket and the combustion chamber, you get cylinder pressure bled off into the coolant system, which pressurizes the system and blows coolant out of the overflow.

The last head gasket failure I repaired showed less than 50ppm hydrocarbons in the coolant.

You likely have a head gasket broken between 2 cylinders.

The worse it gets, the more chance you have of liquid slugging a piston and bending a rod.
 

RichCA

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2003
Location
Ontario
TDI
Golf GL, 2002, Red
Yeah the trail is definitely out he expansion tank. I have had apr head studs installed for about 225000kms now. Maybe I could just tighten them a bit?

Any ideas what a head gasket install would cost
 

josh8loop

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Location
Vero Beach, Fl.
TDI
2002 VW Jetta TDI Manual(performed 01M to 5-speed swap) - 183,000 miles and climbing!
So you installed a new coolant reservoir and a new cap to stop the leak, and it's still happening? If that's the cae, then I would be thinking head gasket too. Others can comment on the cast of that service.





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RichCA

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2003
Location
Ontario
TDI
Golf GL, 2002, Red
Yeah, after reading some other posts I definitely think it's the head gasket :(
 

dieselfuel

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Location
ohio
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
Did you torque the ARP bolts to 125 ft/lbs? And, I'm assuming you used the ones designed for the ALH engine?

df
 

riebs

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2008
Location
Richmond, VA
TDI
2000 Jetta 175k
RichCA, I went through this exact thing. Replaced coolant lines, thermostat, reservoir, you name it. Narrowed it down to head gasket after starting her up cold in the morning, and seeing smoke come out of the coolant reservoir a few seconds letter. Cost wise, if you already have the tools, it's a relatively "cheap" fix. While you're in there though, may as well do the timing belt too.

I had to buy tools, a torque wrench, the head gasket, the head milled, on top of the timing belt kit and an EGR delete kit for my broken head gasket.

It ended costing around $1000? all said and done (I didn't really keep track). If you already have the tools, and opt to not do a timing belt kit, it'll probably be closer to $4-500.

But I do know the stealership quoted me $1400 just for labor for just the head gasket.

Give Frank06 a call. He told me more than I ever needed to know about my head gasket and it's situation. I didn't have a budget to send mine to Frank, so I called around to my local VW tuner friends, and found their trusted guy for the job. I brought the printed off specs for milling the head from the Bentley manual with me to the shop and told them to follow them to the T. They did just that, and that was 10k+ miles ago *knocks on wood*

TL, DR: I'm a newbie that had the same exact problem, and fixed it myself thanks to the help of guru's on this forum.
 

zleem60

Veteran Member
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Apr 4, 2009
Location
Queen Creek, AZ
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI w/ 5th gear swap .658, 2002Jetta Tdi six speed swap!! :)
Riebs,

Why do you need to milled the head?? I might have the same head gasket issue but not sure why you would have to mill the heads. I thought changing out the head gasket and ARP head studs should take care of the problem. Is there anyway you can email me the specs? I have a good mechanic friend that works on all my cars and he's pretty good with following specs which I don't have.

Thanks,
Mike
 

SheeB

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2007
Location
Ottawa, ON
TDI
2001 Jetta GLS Manual
But seriously, there is a rubber coolant line that runs from the bottom of the coolant tank to the hard coolant pipe in front of the engine as you well know. Some times this coolant line rubs on something or get too close to rotating objects and gets punctured. Inspect it, and replace as necessary. That will most likely "Fix" your issue. :)
I know this doesn't sound like it applies to the OP, but I checked my lower hose yesterday and its half worn threw due to rubbing on the pulley.
 

EMD_Driver

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2011
Location
Ravenel, SC
TDI
2006 Jetta
Subscribing to this thread, as I'm having a very similar type of coolant leak. I'm finding a lot of coolant, coming from just inside the right-front tire..

I just bought the car Friday and didn't see any sign of a leak... Until yesterday..
 

PeterV

TDIClub Enthusiast, HO5G Doyen & Zen Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2000
Location
So, NH.
TDI
2000 Jetta 5 sp.
Not to all we will see more of this problem. We all are pumping the power out of these diesels alot. The age and miles are adding up. a weak point is the head gasket.

We have done both of our TDIs. Not a fun job but needed and will give you many more miles to TDI life.
 

EMD_Driver

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2011
Location
Ravenel, SC
TDI
2006 Jetta
The age and miles are adding up. a weak point is the head gasket.

We have done both of our TDIs. Not a fun job but needed and will give you many more miles to TDI life.
Are there any how-to articles on head gasket replacement? It may very well be in my near future and I don't even have a service manual yet!
 

raydeee

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Location
Toronto,Hamilton,St.Catharines,
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI,2009 Jetta TDI
I have the exact same problem and am doing mine on saturday but the new issue is what head gasket should i use the 2 hole it came with or the 3 hole,not the 1 hole as i have a stage 3 colt cam.hmmmm
 
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