[ginagarus]

Hi all,

basically whilst on the dual carriageway the dash warning system springs an alarm and screams at me there is 'insufficient coolant', enough to make you swerve for the nearest ditch and run for cover but a quick look at the temp shows infact the car is just a drama queen!! Still a visit to the dealer resulted in the loss of the car and works to commence on an EGR valve (exhaust gas recirc) and the water pump. The bit I am a little concerned with is that there is no water leaking externally? so where is it going? and why two things? how could they be connected. The reception were unnable to shed any light and I couldn't spare time speak to a tech? Wondered if anybody on here had similair 'internal water leaks' or EGR probs?

Champion

 

[pilgrim]

My guess would be faulty sensor.. depending whether not the coolant level was below top up level. That or it was evaporating at an alarming rate of knots.....

 

[Kaine]

unless its another Oil Cooler failure - thats the same warning I had on mine

Did you manage to take a look at the liquid in the water coolant reservoir - i.e. was it Brown?

Kaine

 

[ginagarus]

The coolant had gone completely, from the header tank and I refilled it and three miles later the warning was back on and the water had gone again? I hardly think that it would evaporate from a sealed coolant system at that rate mebbe the fairies took it? The bit I don't understand is why there is no sign of a leak and no puddles under the car or water chasing through the engine bay?? Also the dealer exclaimed on the chitty from the techs that there are no external coolant leaks and that the suspect the EGR or water pump? v strange?

unless its another Oil Cooler failure - thats the same warning I had on mine

Did you manage to take a look at the liquid in the water coolant reservoir - i.e. was it Brown?

Kaine

Unfortunately the water was gone completely when I looked in but there was no scum or indication of oil conamination? I willl hopefully get some light shed on the subject when they get the parts and start the works, just weird that the water is leaking internally? The dealer has already ordered these parts so must be confident thats whats wrong? My concern was that it has leaked into the oil system.

 

[Kaine]

ok - just a thought as I am aware of a few oil cooler failures now

 

[ginagarus]

Thanks, well hope its not an oil cooler failure, the only saving grace is that I only did a couple of miles and if that quantity of water had gone into the oil it would have effectively been a baileys mixture and the car prob would have overheated. I wonder if the coolant is near the EGR valve and can head into the exhaust? Guess I'll just have to wait and find out in the wash when I pick the beast up, prob should have said earlier its a 2.5 tdi lump.

 

[Foghorn]

Ah........the dreaded EGR valve! Symptons are a mooing noise when setting off. As an ex A2 owner this valve was a pain in the ar*e......shouldn't be with the Treg. Fortunately I never had the mooing sensation...........don't know about Kaine with his?

Is it a new Treg? At 18 months old my Treg had the same symptons - coolant light kept flashing up and the result was a full engine removal and strip down - in fact the examination read like the index for a City & Guilds advanced mechanics course. The diagnosis was water egress into the engine via the water pump.

 

[Kaine]

the old mooing sound - thats what made the A2 special

 

[ginagarus]

Is it a new Treg? At 18 months old my Treg had the same symptons - coolant light kept flashing up and the result was a full engine removal and strip down - in fact the examination read like the index for a City & Guilds advanced mechanics course. The diagnosis was water egress into the engine via the water pump.
[/quote]

My Toe rag is indeed 18 months old almost now and basically they have concluded exactly what you have written I think, including the full engine removal as they require the vehicle for three days to do the works. Was the coolant mixing with the oil? have you had any other probs as a result?

Oh yeah, and can't say I've heard any farm noises whilst pulling away... arf arf!!

 

[Kaine]

yep, mine would now be 18 months old if I still had it

 

[Foghorn]

ginagarus.........water was indeed found in the engine oil. Usual signs are a milky gunge on the underside of the oil cap or froth on the dipstick. Don't think mine was a bad as this as water only found around pump/pulleys.

I can't give the full diagnosis as I wasn't the owner at the time - I have the info from the dealers full explanation of works in the history file and done under warranty.

35k+ miles have been travelled since and I suppose the one advantage is that the engine gets pressure tested and all gaskets replaced. I think a gasket around the water pump and pulleys was the suspect area and may be a good place to start with yours as opposed to the cylinder head down where my investigation appears to have begun.

 

[ginagarus]

Ah not good, ah well we'll mebbe find out more from the dealers tomorrow as to what they have found, hope this is not the shape of things to come as this could be a very short lived ownership experience!!!

Cheers

 

[Foghorn]

Persevere and wait for the diagnosis - at least it will be warranty.

SWMBO's friend has a 55 2.5TDI and that has just had a new power steering system fitted - engine out and 3 weeks off road. At least they got a courtesy Treg.

What disturbs me is that for most jobs the engine has to be removed.

Never had this problem with my MKlll 1.6 Capri where you could fit Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks in the engine bay either side of the engine. Although the best place would have been in the boot for those wet corners!

 

[pilgrim]

I must admit this coolant loss does now seem to becoming an issue on a number of vehicles. I guess it is something to keep an eye on. When this occurs what mileage, how old and the VIN number. <_<

 

[Kaine]

not sure what my VIN no. was, however it was a 2.5tdi, registered DEC '04 (54 Plate)

 

[ginagarus]

Mine's a jan 05 registered 54 plate 2.5 tdi. quite coincidental eh? mebbe there is something in that, I don't know but will be interesting to see if many more.

 

[Big Blue Tractor]

Had similar problem on my 05 2.5tdi.
Coolant warning light came on, filled up coolant and was ok for a day.
Same warning came on next day, called dealer and he said was ok as was due in for service week after.
Checked levels in the meantime and kept eye on temp gauge, but no problems.
Left in for service, and was told sensor needed replacement and they expressed concern if water had gotten into the engine/system, not sure which.
They took 3 days to repair and since no problems.
Work carried out under warranty.

Cheers.

BBT.

 

[Numb boy]

As far as I know there seems to be 3 faults to do with the coolant sircuit.

1) Yes the oil cooler . Oil pressure operates at a higher pressure and temp. then the coolant sircuit. Any weak pionts in the oil cooler and the oil will leak through into the coolant. At this point simple sience kicks in. Oil is heavyer then water hense oil on top in expantion tank and triggering the low coolant level, cause there is no water to act as electric conducter between the sensor pins. Oil dont conduct electricity!! Ping on comes the low cooland warning

2) The coolant pump at the back of the engine with a pressure releave valve stickes open or [email protected]~# up and you loose the coolant through a drain away pipe outside the engine ( pipe not realy visible unless car up in the air ) into the sump cover and onto the road eventualy. Thats why there is no clear trace for the naked eye unless you find the pipe and look for coolant dripping from the end. If so - water pump fucked.

3) EGR cooler. Coolant dissapear with no trace and no coolant dripping from drain away pipe. More likely to be EGR cooler

Hope this help

 

[ginagarus]

Ok they have returned the toe rag and it has been fitted with a new EGR cooler and a new water pump, seems odd they would replace both items, my feeling is that they are modified items or a bad batch fitted at the time of manufacture, still we'll see how she goes. Also had a new set of wheel centres fitted under corrosion warranty as the old logos had signs of pitting around the edges, I must say the service was very good from the local dealer in Norwich.

 

[pilgrim]

I am thinking you may be right, a faulty batch of parts. The last six digits of the VIN number, if there a number of vehicles with this problem, should point in the right direction. Alternatively dates of manufacture.