gbmarc

I noticed the coolant level going down and yesterday there was a pink puddle underneath my alternator.
I crawled underneath and removed the belly pan (in between shoveling the 30" of snow that's been falling here all day) and I see a drip, drip to the left of the alternator, sliding off the oil pan casing. Where it comes from is impossible to see.
I've looked up above it, but both top and bottom radiator hoses are dry.
Sure, they look old, but if it's dripping down below I should see it up above!
The water pump is on the other side so I don't think it could meander all the way over to the right side of the engine. I took the timing belt covers off and poked a mirror down around the pulleys but can't see anything.
Anyone got any bright ideas what to check next?

Mark

jfrahm

The oil cooler pipe leaks in that spot I'm afraid.

MikkiJayne

Oh dear. Write-up here: audipages A8 Oil Cooler Removal and Reinstall

Take great care getting the bolts undone - if you round them off (like the PO did on mine) its engine out time.

2001 S8

Based on this forums consensus, use the Gruven Parts replacement pipe. Do it once and forget. This is what Audi should have used from the factory.

4.2L Audi/VW Billet Oil Cooler Tube - Gruven Parts

If you're doing this job yourself, I've heard it's worse than doing the timing belt service.

Hope you're doing okay on the East Coast with all that snow.

Good luck.

JAA 4.2

I've done both. Similar amounts of time for each.

Gosser

X2 on both accounts.

gbmarc

After reading all the tips and the AudiPages oil cooler removal procedure, I got going on the job. I took the bumper off because it seemed fairly easy, (and it was). I also took out the wheel-well liner for a better view. I didn't have the integrated 8mm hex swivel and I searched online and couldn't find one listed any where.
So I used a separate swivel joint plugged in to the 8mm bit. This worked fine although the lower bolt which is blocked by the round filter housing was very tight. I have all the bolts out now, and there was no way that they were only tightened to 25 foot/pounds. I would estimate that it was closer to 60 or 70 ft/lbs.
It was getting too late last night and I'm waiting on the new parts, so I still have to manipulate the cooler out.

jfrahm

Cool. Bolts can stick a bit and removal torque can be higher, I see it all the time with lug nuts and bolts, steel threaded into aluminum, etc.

gbmarc

I cleaned everything up and removed the fragmented pieces of coolant pipe from the engine block and the cooler. One tip: once you get the broken bits out, Use a wire brush pipe cleaner that is normally used for prepping copper plumbing pipes for soldering. This worked marvelously for ending up with a super clean hole for the new plastic pipe and O-rings. Once you insert the cleaned cooler to reinstall it's a bit weird just pushing it back up into position because you really can't see if the new plastic pipe has engaged correctly. I checked that the lower bolt holes had lined up right and then just pushed on the top part of the cooler. Amazingly everything just seemed to line up right and slot right in. After bolting it in and putting the alternator back in I refilled the coolant and ran the engine. All was dry and the S8 was very happy.
Getting the bolts out is the worst part but I definitely thing the whole thing is easier than doing the timing belt service.

S8ilver

Why are you using a plastic pipe?????