# Losing engine coolant



## Black225 mk1 (Aug 31, 2016)

Hi All

I know it's impossible to diagnose on here, but my TT is losing engine coolant. Have to top it up about one litre a week.

In the last 6 months it's had a new water pump and thermostat, so they should be fine. It loses coolant when it's parked up so wouldn't have thought head gasket or anything (no overheating, no white smoke). Radiator looks ok to me. Have had a poke around and can't see where it's losing it - my thinking is that it's likely to be something simple - some hose somewhere?
Thoughts?

Going to book it in to specialist sometime next week anyway.
Cheers


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## droopsnoot (Sep 5, 2002)

There's a common fault on the 1.8T engine involving a plastic "elbow" on the side of the engine around the head level, that links three or four water pipes to the engine. These go brittle and crack, and you lose coolant through them. The part is under a tenner, and once the air filter box is out of the way it's not a major problem to replace it.

This is a view of it standing in front of the engine to the battery side, looking towards the engine, it's the plastic part that has a coupe of pipes connected, and a couple already removed.










And this is it once removed.


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## Black225 mk1 (Aug 31, 2016)

Ok thanks that sounds like a good shout.

So remove air box and then that gives access? Easy enough for a numptie like me to replace that part do you think?

Anyone have a part number? Main dealer or from somewhere else?

Cheers


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## Beunhaas (May 14, 2014)

If you checked the above suggestion and it's not leaking from there then it is probably leaking from the water pump. Happens quite often that the o ring not seating well if it's not lubed when puting the water pump back in. Leaking inside the cambelt cover so you can't see it. Easiest place to check would be looking behind the auxillary pully where the coolant should exit the cambelt cover.


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## outdoor stevie (Nov 24, 2013)

To help find where it's coming from remove the undertray and put some bits of wallpaper down on the ground and leave to leak for several hours examine when you come back then follow the stains up from the paper it will give you an idea of the location and then go from there.

Stevie


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## Timdog (Jan 8, 2017)

If it is the coolant flange mentioned in a previous reply then its not a main dealer part, i changed my just 2 weeks ago.
I found a hairline crack along the edge of it.

You can get one from e bay but make sure it looks exactly the same as the one you have as there are different variants of it including if you have standard or aftermarket ESP on your TT.

Personally i found it a 'B' of a job to do without removing the airbox the worst bit getting the original pipe clips undone

Id advise to change these to jubilee clips if you do change it.

Hope this helps


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## droopsnoot (Sep 5, 2002)

Black225 mk1 said:


> Anyone have a part number? Main dealer or from somewhere else?


Mine came from Euro Car Parts. I can't find the receipt, and I don't know whether it's different on the APX engine (like mine) to whatever yours is, if it's not an APX.

I didn't have any trouble with it, remove the air box, unclip the coolant sensor from the top, undo all the pipes, remove the two bolts, stick the new one on and put it all back. You'll need some coolant as well, as it will inevitably lose some.

But check all around the place to make sure that's the problem before you start. Sticking something on the floor under the car might help, but dripping coolant has a habit of running along things and dripping off away from where it originated. You should be able to look around the top end of the engine and see where it starts being wet.


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## Moonwatcher (Apr 1, 2015)

My 225 was leaking about the same amount, there was a hairline crack in the coolant expansion bottle, £12.35 from the bay of thieves 
success


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## dave250TT (Jul 20, 2015)

Does the car start ok after its been left for a while? if not and it struggles to turn over then it could be head gasket, because it hydraulics! when the gasket has blown between a cylinder and water jacket that's finished on induction stroke you find that water is drawn into that cylinder, I hope not! but this happened to me, cheers Dave


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## Timdog (Jan 8, 2017)

Google this and it will give you and idea

*KMS Parts Number	MEY1001210068*


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## droopsnoot (Sep 5, 2002)

dave250TT said:


> Does the car start ok after its been left for a while? if not and it struggles to turn over then it could be head gasket, because it hydraulics! when the gasket has blown between a cylinder and water jacket that's finished on induction stroke you find that water is drawn into that cylinder, I hope not! but this happened to me, cheers Dave


Good point. We've all read the OP "losing coolant" and presumed that it's dropping onto the floor, but maybe "losing coolant" means that it's just throwing a low coolant level warning after a while and not showing any signs of dropping it. I hope not, that sounds more expensive to sort, but worth clarifying.


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## Beunhaas (May 14, 2014)

droopsnoot said:


> dave250TT said:
> 
> 
> > Does the car start ok after its been left for a while? if not and it struggles to turn over then it could be head gasket, because it hydraulics! when the gasket has blown between a cylinder and water jacket that's finished on induction stroke you find that water is drawn into that cylinder, I hope not! but this happened to me, cheers Dave
> ...


If hydrolock occurs you will bend rods, crank or crack the head. Also OP says it doesnt smoke. No white smoke means no coolant is sucked in the engine on overrun so headgasket is almost 99% not the case.


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## Black225 mk1 (Aug 31, 2016)

Car is running totally fine so 99.9% certain its not anything serious (head gasket or water pump).

I have had a poke around and it is wet (and pink) around the area underneath that coolant flange but I couldn't feel moisture on the actual plastic part itself.

I don't fancy changing it myself as those hose clips look a nightmare - will send it in to be sorted next week I think.

Thanks for input everyone


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## droopsnoot (Sep 5, 2002)

Actually the clips on the coolant hoses aren't really a problem, as I recall it there are no tools involved, they just unclip and move away as you can see on the large hose to the left of the flange. The clips on the pipe in the top right of the photo, of which there are several around the engine bay, aren't used on that area of the cooling system.

But the DIY route isn't for everyone, and not everyone has the time or space to be fiddling, and of course now isn't a nice time of year to be messing with wet stuff. If you're not confident in doing the job, better to take it somewhere.


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## Black225 mk1 (Aug 31, 2016)

Thought I would update this.

It was that coolant flange thing - small hole in it.

Specialist only charged me a total of £45 all in to sort it - bargain.


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