Help with a cooling problem...

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Dec 13, 2010 | 09:21 AM

computrtutr

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Help with a cooling problem...

Car is a 2000 B5 A4, TQM, ATW. Today was suddenly cold in our area, and I now have a fairly serious coolant leak- I'd appreciate any suggestions in narrowing it down. Symptoms are no heat, though the temp gauge reads operating temperature, medium amounts of steam from under the hood. Source of steam is pretty far down, definitely on the back of the engine, probably slightly on the passenger side but hard to tell exactly where. Coolant is definitely circulating, probably just not reaching the heater core. After 5-7 minutes of driving, the coolant light comes on. Since this has just one head, I'm thinking it might be some big cooling hose that's off-center somewhere in the back of the engine. Are there any common/likely points of failure I should look at first? I've done mostly stuff in the front- never ventured to the dark unknown behind.
Let me know how best to find and fix this.
Thanks!

Dec 13, 2010 | 11:20 AM

turbo510

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Joined: Jun 2008

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From: Fallbrook, CA

I'd start with a bright flashlight and an inspection mirror. Maybe a heater hose has split open, but you have to find which one before you can replace it.

Dec 13, 2010 | 01:17 PM

weaselciuy

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i say its the flange sealing behind the engine, probably where the temp sensor is located. They tend to dry in time and start leaking. I replaced mine 3 months ago, old one was used badly and was leaking softly, leaving a pink crush where it leaked.

Check for pink crust to locate it. I bet its a bad sealing.

Dec 13, 2010 | 05:40 PM

Audi Tek

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its your coolant flange. Its kinda a pain to change. But connects directly to th heater core coming off the back of the head

Dec 15, 2010 | 10:57 AM

xsrfsno225x

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Audi Tek

its your coolant flange. Its kinda a pain to change. But connects directly to th heater core coming off the back of the head

i was going to suggest something in the heater core area.

start by inspecting the area. There will be coolant lines (1 in, 1 out) going through the firewall. it ends up under the dash to where the heatercore is buried. hope you don't have to replace that.

Dec 29, 2010 | 03:26 AM

computrtutr

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Thanks so much....

I appreciate all the responses- It's been a while since I posted, and email notifications work a little differently, so I didn't see this until just now. Looks like I have my work cut out for me.
Thanks again!