Front engine coolant leaks... Check Oil cooler before Water Pump
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,421
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Guys,
I just updated my Audiworld Email address in case anyone needs to reach me.
The pipes were available right before the forum format change so some confusion ensued afterwards, and of course I still have some ready to ship out. Sorry to anyone who tried to contact me via PM and it bounced. (I switched from Roadrunner to Uverse).
Thanks
James
I just updated my Audiworld Email address in case anyone needs to reach me.
The pipes were available right before the forum format change so some confusion ensued afterwards, and of course I still have some ready to ship out. Sorry to anyone who tried to contact me via PM and it bounced. (I switched from Roadrunner to Uverse).
Thanks
James
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,002
Likes: 129
From: Fremont, CA
I think you're right, I put it in the oil cooler first and in the block later. Regardless, mine was lucky and didn't leak after the installation. The way to install this oil cooler with side way metal coolant pipe and forward plastic coolant pipe, mistake will be made, I rather knocked off a plastic part by mistake than a hard aluminum part which can scrape any aluminum surfaces of the oil cooler.
Yes, if we do everything properly then we have nothing to worry about. Sometimes we seem to get inferior parts conveniently to fix our car over waiting for better parts (like these aluminum pipes).
Cheers,
Louis
Yes, if we do everything properly then we have nothing to worry about. Sometimes we seem to get inferior parts conveniently to fix our car over waiting for better parts (like these aluminum pipes).
Cheers,
Louis
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,421
Likes: 0
Louis,
sounds good, and that Oil cooler is indeed a major Beeotch to get back into the car. I loosed those M10 bolts holding the metal coolant return pipe along the side of the engine above the halfshaft. That helped tremendously.
Nothing terribly wrong with the OEM part aside from the fact that it seems to only last about 80-90K miles. If you got 140K from the original, that thats really good. Definately a lucky one. Those of us who've also have the dreaded OEM thermostat failure around the 50K mark seem to have the coolant pipe fail shortly after that. Either way, the plastic seems to degrade in that extreme temperatures next to the engine block. Thats why I went with Aluminum and Viton. Two materials which can take well in excess of 400F sustained temperatures without failures. I think the Buna Rubber Oring starts to fail thus causing a Steam jet leak which of course releases much more Joules of energy from steam. The plastic pipes I've seen almost look like they've been watercut from a steam jet. You can see the erosion path where the leak slowly jetted a larger and larger hole as the leak gets progressively worse.
sounds good, and that Oil cooler is indeed a major Beeotch to get back into the car. I loosed those M10 bolts holding the metal coolant return pipe along the side of the engine above the halfshaft. That helped tremendously.
Nothing terribly wrong with the OEM part aside from the fact that it seems to only last about 80-90K miles. If you got 140K from the original, that thats really good. Definately a lucky one. Those of us who've also have the dreaded OEM thermostat failure around the 50K mark seem to have the coolant pipe fail shortly after that. Either way, the plastic seems to degrade in that extreme temperatures next to the engine block. Thats why I went with Aluminum and Viton. Two materials which can take well in excess of 400F sustained temperatures without failures. I think the Buna Rubber Oring starts to fail thus causing a Steam jet leak which of course releases much more Joules of energy from steam. The plastic pipes I've seen almost look like they've been watercut from a steam jet. You can see the erosion path where the leak slowly jetted a larger and larger hole as the leak gets progressively worse.
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,421
Likes: 0
Thanks Kneale,
I just updated my UserCP with regards to PMs from users in Audiworld.
I didn't check that option and I should have since I run Vbulletin on TAG! Doh.
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From: Bothell,WA
I plan on spending my Christmas weekend fixing my wifes A6's coolant leak. My problem is I don't know exactly where to start. Can anyone out there give me a quick run down on which parts need to be removed to get the cooler out. I'm hearing everthing from just the alternator all the way up to engine removal. Obviuosly that would be an extreme. I'm just looking for some pointers so I can be as efficient as possible.
And yes for the record I know I should have done the coolant pipe when I did the timing belt 25,000 miles ago; lesson learned...
And yes for the record I know I should have done the coolant pipe when I did the timing belt 25,000 miles ago; lesson learned...
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,002
Likes: 129
From: Fremont, CA
I plan on spending my Christmas weekend fixing my wifes A6's coolant leak. My problem is I don't know exactly where to start. Can anyone out there give me a quick run down on which parts need to be removed to get the cooler out. I'm hearing everthing from just the alternator all the way up to engine removal. Obviuosly that would be an extreme. I'm just looking for some pointers so I can be as efficient as possible.
And yes for the record I know I should have done the coolant pipe when I did the timing belt 25,000 miles ago; lesson learned...
And yes for the record I know I should have done the coolant pipe when I did the timing belt 25,000 miles ago; lesson learned...
Cheers and good luck,
Louis