Coolant pressure

[poor-boy]

Gents (and ladies)

A slight issue that is leaving me scratching my head - On my S2 ABY for weeks everything is fine but then all of a sudden the coolant system dumps majority of the coolant around the expansion bottle.

I have replaced the cap on the expansion bottle and all the system has been flushed out and new coolant added and all bled.

Again worked fine for weeks and then parked the car up and "psssssssssssttt" spat the coolant out whilst the car is switched off and the fan is running.

It's driving me mental

[Rusty]

Sounds like it's not bled properly I'm afraid. Have you lifted the header tank, done the rad and the matrix hose?

[poor-boy]

Yeah cheers Andy - Done all the above and it's been ok but after a couple of weeks it just throws a wobbly lol.

I will try the above again when I am off work next

[Rusty]

Sniffer test time.

[Error404]

[poor-boy]

Sniffer test time.

Pardon?? lol

[Christophski]

Checking the headgasket hasnt gone bud....(Sniffer test)

[bluequattro]

Sounds like head gasket going.
My landy td5 had same symptoms
AA diagnosed rad cap, I changed it and was ok 3 days, then spit coolant again
Sniff test proved cracked head
Are the hoses same temp when u feel them?

[Rusty]

Pardon?? lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCPMW84_zAc

[poor-boy]

Ah I see lol

The car did have a rebuilt head at some point in the last couple of years..

I will get it checked out as someone else also pointed it may be the head gasket on its way and as the car gets so little use it has not yet shown.

So far no oil and water mixture etc so might swap the engine with a spare

[Rusty]

May also be the thermostat or the water pump not circulating water properly. Has the pump been changed?

[poor-boy]

Andy, I was going to get the timing belt changed and also the water pump (the car came with a brand new Audi water pump) but I thought if the head gasket is iffy I may aswell get that done first.

The thermostat had a hole drilled in it but I changed that for a new one...

*Sat at work getting a list together now lol*

[Rusty]

Yeah, do the whole lot, do it properly and you're laughing.

Where does your temp gauge sit? It should sit between 89 and 92 degC under almost all conditions other than a cold winter's day.

[poor-boy]

Yeah, do the whole lot, do it properly and you're laughing.

Where does your temp gauge sit? It should sit between 89 and 92 degC under almost all conditions other than a cold winter's day.

My temp gauge sits smack bang centre but in heavy traffic has creeped up a little and the fan brings it back down.

[Monkeymagic]

Sounds like combustion gases pressuring the coolant causing it to stop circulating and boil up.
5 mins with a sniffer test Will show if hydro carbons coolant.
Used to do loads of t25 diesel vans doing exactly the same.