Coolant Problem!!

DaMonk

Hi, I had the car checked out because the coolant is flowing pretty freely out of it and was told it could very well be the head on the engine is gone because the pressure lines seem ok. Any idea what the cost of a new head is on a diesel passat 2001, its PD

Imperator

em, seriously? you could be looking at a serious amount.

DaMonk

Imperator wrote: »

em, seriously? you could be looking at a serious amount.

ya, looking like that.gonna have it looked at again to see. Any ball park figures? It isnt too bad at the moment

Imperator

well to be honest im not entirely sure on the price of a vw. are you sure its not a radiator leak by any chance. Like a new radiator would only cost about 250-500 euros. Head Gasket going could be the price of your engine.

Darragh29

DaMonk wrote: »

Hi, I had the car checked out because the coolant is flowing pretty freely out of it and was told it could very well be the head on the engine is gone because the pressure lines seem ok. Any idea what the cost of a new head is on a diesel passat 2001, its PD

Was the timing belt and more importantly in this instance the water pump replaced on schedule??? What's the mileage???

Frankie Lee

I've never heard of a head gasket going in a passat diesel.

DaMonk

Darragh29 wrote: »

Was the timing belt and more importantly in this instance the water pump replaced on schedule??? What's the mileage???

There's 104,000 miles up on it. According to the last owner the timing belt was done at 93,000, not sure about the water pump, the service history is a little sketchy on it, and by sketchy I mean it doesn't have any. I'll ring the guy in question and find out. Is there any other causes of leaking coolant? have to get it checked properly for leaks but the guy that looked was fairly sure it wasnt that. Any ball park figures guys? Thanks for the help by the way.

Darragh29

DaMonk wrote: »

There's 104,000 miles up on it. According to the last owner the timing belt was done at 93,000, not sure about the water pump, the service history is a little sketchy on it, and by sketchy I mean it doesn't have any. I'll ring the guy in question and find out. Is there any other causes of leaking coolant? have to get it checked properly for leaks but the guy that looked was fairly sure it wasnt that. Any ball park figures guys? Thanks for the help by the way.

Nobody can give you a ball park figure here because nobody has a clue where your car is leaking coolant from! Open the bonnet see if you can identify where the coolant is leaking from. Is it leaking from the front of the engine or the rear??? Is it leaking at the left or the right as you are looking at the car. Have you done a basic check to see if it is leaking from the radiator or any coolant hoses??? These things are 90% common sense, so open the bonnet and identify where the leak is coming from, for a start, you should be able to idenfity whether it is coming from the engine or not. If it isn't coming from the engine, then it is coming from the radiator, expansion bottle or engine top or botton coolant hoses...

Darragh29

Also, go out to the car, remove the oil filler cap and look at the back of it which has contact with the engine oil. Is there a scumy like substance on the back of the cap, kind of like a messy pepper sauce??? Is the engine losing power when acclerating or is there a sound of gas escaping when the engine is running??? Or are there any abnormal engine noises???

ianobrien

DaMonk wrote: »

Hi, I had the car checked out because the coolant is flowing pretty freely out of it and was told it could very well be the head on the engine is gone because the pressure lines seem ok. Any idea what the cost of a new head is on a diesel passat 2001, its PD

Where, exactly is the water leaking from?

Are you sure that the pipes are OK?

First thing is to find where the water is leaking from. Follow the water back from where it drops. Use kitchen paper, as then you'll be able to dry the different parts, and if they get wet again you're on the right track. Oh, you'll need three elbows, arms four feet long, and the ability of a contortionist!

As for the pipes, squeeze the pipes and check for "springiness" along the WHOLE PIPE!. Unfortunately, I can't describe it very well, but the pipe should not be rock hard, or so soft that it does not immediately spring back into shape. There should be some resistance when squeezed. As an aside, there could be a leak on a pipe close to the engine. I had a pin-hole leak once on a coolant pipe that was a bugger. When the engine was running, the coolant didn't leak as the pressure wasn't enough to force the coolant out. When I stopped, the pressure built up (due to no air going through the engine bay so no cooling) and the coolant leaked out. It let about two litres of coolant out, and it looked fairly bad. The weakness in the pipe was about 1cm from where the coolant pipe came out from the engine. The rest of the hose was fine. The cure, change a lower coolant pipe in a supermarket car park!

If the water is coming out of the metal of the engine, then the head (as you say it is) is then scrap. However, I'd check the pipework and rad VERY carefully before scrapping the head.

Did you drive through a large puddle/flood recently? If so, you could have been unlucky and flood water get up through the engine bay and cool the engine, resulting in a cooling contraction crack. However, I think that the Passat has a tray under the engine to stop that sort of thing.

Esel

ianobrien wrote: »

If the water is coming out of the metal of the engine, then the head (as you say it is) is then scrap.

Couldn't the head be skimmed?

crosstownk

DaMonk wrote: »

Hi, I had the car checked out because the coolant is flowing pretty freely out of it and was told it could very well be the head on the engine is gone because the pressure lines seem ok. Any idea what the cost of a new head is on a diesel passat 2001, its PD

Get a proper and definitive diagnosis. If it's "flowing freely" then it should be easy for even a half a head mechanic to spot.

ianobrien

esel wrote: »

Couldn't the head be skimmed?

Skimming a head is to remove the distortion in the mating surfaces (between the head and block) on the head either post blown head gasket or to raise compression. Typically, fractions of millimetres are involved. The water passages are typcially 1cm approx in from the exterior of the head at the mating surfaces, and are 90 degrees to the mating surfaces.

If there's a water passage leaking in or from the head, it's scrap (assuming is not a rare engine, in which case more metal can be added to the head, but a crack is fairly terminal. The cost of this work is VERY specialised, and VERY expensive, ie more than a head).

I reckon it's a water leak from a pipe, rad, expansion bottle or water pump. I be surprised if the head was cracked, and even more surprised if that much water could leak out.

Big_Mac

OP, if there is as much water coolant leaking out as you say, its most likely a faulty hose, connection radiator or pump that's causing the problem, not the head. If the head was letting that much water out of it, the compression in the cylinders would be shot. As diesel engines (its a diesel right) run on higher compression than petrol, the engine would most likely be running like a bitch if at all because of it. Seems like a less serious problem to me

DaMonk

Thanks for all the replies guys, appreciate it.
Having it looked at either tomorrow or tuesday.

Latest update is I was driving it friday evening and when I arrived I heard a hissing and when I opened the coolant cap slightly(I know u shouldn't after driving) steam under pretty high pressure literally pissed out of it for about 5 mins. Saturday I examined it and when I revved the engine while stationary, bubbles would appear in the coolant...not good. Havent driven it since.

Also, the temperature sendor for the engine has never shown what temp the engine was at since I got it. I thought it was just the dial but could this have had an effect? if the actual sensor wasnt working could the engine have been running hot and as a result the water pump not kicking in and knock on effects etc. etc.? I have to drive the car really hard before the fans will come on when I stop but they do come on eventually.

I think it'll be costly..any idea how much a new engine would be? 1.9 tdi

DaMonk

got a quote of 800 excluding parts from the main dealer, this good or bad for a head gasket replacement ye think?

Dirty_Diesel

For a 01 passat I wouldnt be going to the main dealer. For example there is a company in Cork that are doing the head for a friends k-series rover engine. It's costing €150 to skim and test the head. Local mechanic to whip off the head and replace it and timing belt, around €250.

As for your timing belt, the water pump should be replaced on any VW TDI on every second belt replacement.

DaMonk

any more information on that company? I'm in the Limerick area if anybody knows anybody also that can help or is good to go to?