Coolant lines and plastic conections

[Pisobiker]

Hi everyone.

This thread just to share my experience with the others.

A couple of months ago I had to fix my main radiator 'cause the upper plastic tank cracked in the bleeding plug area. While disassembling it (homebuilt aluminum tanks and then tig welded them on the core), almost all of the hose plugs broke off.
Last week the small coolant consumption I noticed in the previous couple of months become very consistent, so I decided to take a better look around:
the after run pump plastic case started to crack and when taking the hoses off, its upper plug just crumbled into my hands.

My car is a '93 ABY, so my conclusions are:

IF YOUR CAR IS MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD, ANY TIME YOU HAVE A MAJOR SERVICE ON IT, THINK OF CHANGING ALL THE PLASTIC PARTS RUNNING ENGINE COOLANT, BEFORE THEY SUDDENLY BRAKE.

Unfortunatly some of the parts are expensive (main radiator and after run pump). Don't forget the water plug in the rear left side of the block (looking from front of car), just under the head, and the small coolant hose going from the water manifold (under the IM) to the turbo.


Ciao

Marco

[Mark Halligan]

Something similar happened to me a couple of weeks ago when my after run pump fell to bits too, probably weakened by all the rummaging around in the engine bay this year.

Cant afford one at the moment so had to bypass it with a 90 degree metal tube for now

[horvathg]

Ciao Marco,

An important issue this is. What I have a is mild wetness of almost all tube to radiator and tube to tank connections but the water loss was due to the leaking tube dripping onto the block. Annoying, but as you said, the years.

[martinjs]

Ive been there too, the plastic pipe entering the after run pump snapped, luckily i had one of those 90 deg metal pipes which connect the isv to the intake pipe so bypassed it.
remember not to over tighten the connections on the after run pump or they will crack again.

martin

[Mark Halligan]

luckily i had one of those 90 deg metal pipes which connect the isv to the intake pipe so bypassed it.
martin

LOL, that is the same pipe I used too.

[audiman]

I just ordered one on the old mans Audi account. That way i dont have to pay for it!! Hehehe

[Graham]

Both my radiator and pump done the same thing, radiator top tank blew its nozzle off, and cracked around the bleed screw, and the nozzles cracked off the water pump. I got a new pump (£120) and i have my new radiator in the garage awaiting to be fitted (£160 + VAT)

[audiman]

Im gonna say it again, dont buy the cheap rads. Soo many ppl I know have 'saved' some money and bought cheap Nissens rads. They are poor quality, most of you with them will agree, Doug??? I had one in mine, that leaked all the time. Then I bought a genuine one. And it turned out to be about 40 quid dearer.

[Graham]

Ditto, my original Rad blew 2 years ago then replaced with nissens and for the last year i have had to fight along with a ***** nissens one in and all it does is leak profusely. Now i have Grahams (techno300) radiator enjoying trouble free driving with my new one ready to fit in the garage- it is an OEM one but the job is a balls ache so as a word of warning dont save the pennies- just get another OEM one, after all it has lasted 10 years whitch is 9 years more than the nissens.