Overheating and coolant issues
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AudiWorld Member
Joined: Jul 2009
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Overheating and coolant issues
Hello all
First of all thanks a lot to everyone who is sharing wonderful information on the forum.
I have an Audi A4 1998 model.It is v6 Quattro automatic. For the last 2 days the car is getting overheated. The temperature gauge is crossing the middle point and going to extreme right. I have checked the expansion tank and filled in the coolant to minimum level.
When the car is not running or on, there seems to be a leak and coolant is draining under the hood. However, after refilling the coolant, I drove for a little while and I checked under hood. There is no leak this time. But there is lot of smoke coming from the hood. As soon as I stop the car there is lot of smoke coming from the hood. The smoke is coming from one of the 2 pipes located inside the flex hose. (I am not sure what this part is. It is located right next to the circular part and the break fluid tank)
I looked into various forum posts and found that overheating issue may be because of bad thermostat. How can I tell if thermostat is faulty? A friend suggested the over heating may cause because of faulty fan clutch. Where is fan clutch located?
Please help me diagnose the overheating issue.
Thanks
KB
Thanks
KB
First of all thanks a lot to everyone who is sharing wonderful information on the forum.
I have an Audi A4 1998 model.It is v6 Quattro automatic. For the last 2 days the car is getting overheated. The temperature gauge is crossing the middle point and going to extreme right. I have checked the expansion tank and filled in the coolant to minimum level.
When the car is not running or on, there seems to be a leak and coolant is draining under the hood. However, after refilling the coolant, I drove for a little while and I checked under hood. There is no leak this time. But there is lot of smoke coming from the hood. As soon as I stop the car there is lot of smoke coming from the hood. The smoke is coming from one of the 2 pipes located inside the flex hose. (I am not sure what this part is. It is located right next to the circular part and the break fluid tank)
I looked into various forum posts and found that overheating issue may be because of bad thermostat. How can I tell if thermostat is faulty? A friend suggested the over heating may cause because of faulty fan clutch. Where is fan clutch located?
Please help me diagnose the overheating issue.
Thanks
KB
Thanks
KB
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,138
Likes: 4
From: Redmond WA
That hose or clamp is not on completely.
Should be all the way on . The other hose with the mark on it is the bleed hose for the system.
Fix that first and report back.
Audi thermosats fail open, aftermarket generally fail closed.
Was the timing belt replaced recently , how old is the water pump (common failure point of the V6)?
Should be all the way on . The other hose with the mark on it is the bleed hose for the system.
Fix that first and report back.
Audi thermosats fail open, aftermarket generally fail closed.
Was the timing belt replaced recently , how old is the water pump (common failure point of the V6)?
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Jul 2009
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AudiMick
Thanks a lot for your reply. I tried to unfasten the clamp in order to tighten the hose. But the clamp is very tight. I was not able to unfasten the clamp with my hands. Are there any tricks or pointers to unfasten the clamp? I will take my car to the mechanic and get the hose fixed tomorrow. Will post updates tomorrow.
Thanks once again.
KB
Thanks a lot for your reply. I tried to unfasten the clamp in order to tighten the hose. But the clamp is very tight. I was not able to unfasten the clamp with my hands. Are there any tricks or pointers to unfasten the clamp? I will take my car to the mechanic and get the hose fixed tomorrow. Will post updates tomorrow.
Thanks once again.
KB
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,138
Likes: 4
From: Redmond WA
Although it's only a small one.
Unless your name is Clark Kent ,you aren't going to do it by hand.
8 inch vice grips, or something like it .Open the jaws till the tabs fit and snap the tool tight thus loosening clamp .
Slide the clamp out of the way then push the pipe on first (use some soap) then re-position the clamp about in the middle of the pipe.
You may need to rebleed the system, hopefully you mechanic is familiar with the process on the V6 because it's tricky.
Unless your name is Clark Kent ,you aren't going to do it by hand.
8 inch vice grips, or something like it .Open the jaws till the tabs fit and snap the tool tight thus loosening clamp .
Slide the clamp out of the way then push the pipe on first (use some soap) then re-position the clamp about in the middle of the pipe.
You may need to rebleed the system, hopefully you mechanic is familiar with the process on the V6 because it's tricky.
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Jul 2009
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Hello Mick
This morning I was able to use a plier and fix the hose completely on by myself. I refilled the coolant to the Min level. While filling the coolant, I noticed that the coolant is dripping from the bottom of the car. It is dripping from
big metallic plate which is sitting right below the engine.
I am not sure where the coolant is leaking from.
After that I drove for about 3 mins and checked the coolant drip. Now I noticed that the frequency of leak and amount of leak is not as much as earlier.
Please advise me how I can stop the leak. Do I need to replace the radiator or any other part?
Thanks once again.
KB
This morning I was able to use a plier and fix the hose completely on by myself. I refilled the coolant to the Min level. While filling the coolant, I noticed that the coolant is dripping from the bottom of the car. It is dripping from
big metallic plate which is sitting right below the engine.
I am not sure where the coolant is leaking from.
After that I drove for about 3 mins and checked the coolant drip. Now I noticed that the frequency of leak and amount of leak is not as much as earlier.
Please advise me how I can stop the leak. Do I need to replace the radiator or any other part?
Thanks once again.
KB
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,138
Likes: 4
From: Redmond WA
Difficult to say where it is leaking from. Since the water will drip down onto the plate and come out anywhere.
Check the coolant expansion tank, that's where you refill the coolant. Run your hand underneath the tank to see if there is a small leak as the tanks tend to crack.
Other than that you need to remove the skid plate and see where it's coming from.
If you have a metal plate under the engine that might be a special one (diesel geek?) as the Audi one is black plastic ABS.
Get the car on some ramps undo the fasteners on the plate and remove it.Then take a flash-lite and find your leak.
If it's your waterpump (ie it's coming from the front of the engine) don't drive the car. Failure of the pump while driving will mean it's "game over".
Water pump is a big job, it's essentially a timing belt replacement procedure.
Check the coolant expansion tank, that's where you refill the coolant. Run your hand underneath the tank to see if there is a small leak as the tanks tend to crack.
Other than that you need to remove the skid plate and see where it's coming from.
If you have a metal plate under the engine that might be a special one (diesel geek?) as the Audi one is black plastic ABS.
Get the car on some ramps undo the fasteners on the plate and remove it.Then take a flash-lite and find your leak.
If it's your waterpump (ie it's coming from the front of the engine) don't drive the car. Failure of the pump while driving will mean it's "game over".
Water pump is a big job, it's essentially a timing belt replacement procedure.
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Jul 2009
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Mick
Thanks a lot for your reply.
If there is a leak or issue with the water pump, then should water be leaking instead of coolant?
I noticed that the leak on the ground is greenish liquid which is coolant and is definitely not water.
This evening I will run my hand under the coolant reservoir and see if there is a leak.
Thanks once again
Have a good day.
KB
Thanks a lot for your reply.
If there is a leak or issue with the water pump, then should water be leaking instead of coolant?
I noticed that the leak on the ground is greenish liquid which is coolant and is definitely not water.
This evening I will run my hand under the coolant reservoir and see if there is a leak.
Thanks once again
Have a good day.
KB
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AudiWorld Super User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,138
Likes: 4
From: Redmond WA
From your comments I think your experience with cars may be somewhat limited.
Coolant is anti-freeze and water mixed together 50/50 .
Although it is normally called a "Water pump" it actually pumps "coolant".
Coolant is not normally green on an Audi unless it has been replaced with something non standard.
If "off the shelf hardware store" green coolant has been mixed into the Audi coolant without flushing the old stuff out of the system it could be very bad as it will turn to sludge.
But if it's something like "universal coolant" like Peak Global that's OK.
Coolant is anti-freeze and water mixed together 50/50 .
Although it is normally called a "Water pump" it actually pumps "coolant".
Coolant is not normally green on an Audi unless it has been replaced with something non standard.
If "off the shelf hardware store" green coolant has been mixed into the Audi coolant without flushing the old stuff out of the system it could be very bad as it will turn to sludge.
But if it's something like "universal coolant" like Peak Global that's OK.
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