1994 S6 coolant dripping

Started by zeitgeist, January 13, 2015, 10:58:44 PM

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zeitgeist

My 5 cylinder S6 has developed a coolant drip which is rather rapid for a drip, and I do not want to drive her in motorway traffic at the moment.

Info:

-Service book states timing belt changed 50,000km ago. You'd be crazy not to replace the pump too, which is timing belt driven, right?
-Didn't used to drop water (maybe a minute bit over 6 months?)
-Changed coolant 10 days ago up north, and have driven back here and done a bit of driving since, not a lot though.
-Coolant light came on today, I looked and it was gone from the reservoir, and dripping from the solid under-car turbo to intercooler pipe.
-Ostensibly the coolant is coming from the sump flange at front of engine
-No signs of coolant on engine anywhere, tstat housing, pipes, radiator, anywhere.

What do we think?

Cheers

P.S give me good news, I've been shelling out big on the E30 lately and about to shell out for audi paint too..... Unless someone just wants to take the audi from me!
UrS6 6 speed

89 Coupe

Yes the water pump is driven by the timing belt, are you sure it isn't coming from any pipes there are around 8 main ones under there.. hose clamps too

After run pump?
Water manifold and associated pipes for that?
1991 BMW E34 535i | 1989 Nissan Skyline R32 | 1993 Nissan Skyline R33 Coupe | 1989 Audi Coupe Quattro | 1996 Audi UrS6 | 1994 BMW E34 540i Touring | 1995 Audi 80 Quattro Avant | 1993 Audi UrS4 Avant | 1999 Audi S4 | 2009 Audi S8 | 1995 Toyota Cresta JZX90

zeitgeist

Thanks for your fast reply .

I'm usually pretty good at problem solving being an engineer, and hence have looked in and out of every nook and cranny for moisture/ colour including all you have listed and more. Naturally, observation is limited by the hugely limited space to poke/view at the front of engine.

Upon changing the coolant the other day, I did give the (1 year old) thermostat a clean up as it had been letting the car cool down on downhills. I wonder if I improved it's function and thus more heat->pressure is pushing water from an existing leak, or if by some strange chance, the tstat plastic housing and seal (which I fully inspected) have managed to creep-leak where I can't see. Largely unlikely given how much water is exiting.

I love this car, but for a low value car, it will be hard to justify a high cost cam belt and pump.
UrS6 6 speed

89 Coupe

Ive just had my cambelt, tensioners, seals, thermostat and water pump done bought from and installed by Archibalds discounted parts cost was $400 and labour was $600. Although 034 motorsport have this kit shipped to your door for $250 NZD which I only discovered after  ::)

I Bought the 034 water hose kit and put them on myself... such limited space to work in as you said! So very hard to see whats actually going on under there.

Only other thing I can think of is heater hoses? but I'm sure you have already checked these.
1991 BMW E34 535i | 1989 Nissan Skyline R32 | 1993 Nissan Skyline R33 Coupe | 1989 Audi Coupe Quattro | 1996 Audi UrS6 | 1994 BMW E34 540i Touring | 1995 Audi 80 Quattro Avant | 1993 Audi UrS4 Avant | 1999 Audi S4 | 2009 Audi S8 | 1995 Toyota Cresta JZX90

zeitgeist

So to get me home on the first day I had put some bars stop leak in. Well silly me yesterday I thought being as it seemed to have stopped, I attempted to drive to work. Bad idea, the car spat out its water and I just got back home, with the temp needle still at normal, but steam coming out.

Last night I had a look under the bonnet and the stop leak had sprayed all up under the inlet manifold.... coming from that damned 150mm coolant hose right up under!! Got a replacement for free today and will fit tonight.

Fingers crossed I haven't cooked the engine????

Thanks everyone for your messages and offers!!

UrS6 6 speed

Stanceking

I have had that hose split on both of my s6's, 100t and 200tq. Dont know why they didn't just make the pipe fit into the block with an o ring on it
1983 500sec

RS ZWEI

Quote from: zeitgeist on January 20, 2015, 11:48:11 AM
So to get me home on the first day I had put some bars stop leak in. Well silly me yesterday I thought being as it seemed to have stopped, I attempted to drive to work. Bad idea, the car spat out its water and I just got back home, with the temp needle still at normal, but steam coming out.

Last night I had a look under the bonnet and the stop leak had sprayed all up under the inlet manifold.... coming from that damned 150mm coolant hose right up under!! Got a replacement for free today and will fit tonight.

Fingers crossed I haven't cooked the engine????

Thanks everyone for your messages and offers!!

I had that hose in poor condition. Lucky I had the intake off to replace it.
1980 VW Golf GTI Track Car
1995 Audi RS2
2003 Mini Cooper S (Written off - rear ended)
2005 Mini Cooper S
2006 Skoda Octavia vRS Combi
2009 Renault Megane 230 R26 (Written off - rear ended)
2013 Renault Megane RS265 Redbull RB8

zeitgeist

Chances of my motor being damaged from heat?

The temp wasnt up, but hmmmm
UrS6 6 speed

Stanceking

Quote from: zeitgeist on January 20, 2015, 01:28:34 PM
Chances of my motor being damaged from heat?

The temp wasnt up, but hmmmm
Pretty much zero. They can handle a good bit of heat
1983 500sec

zeitgeist

UrS6 6 speed

Lomax

Coolant leaks are the most common problems i had with the S4 and the S6... I had the rear plastic outlet crack and later the top radiator hose blew after a track day on the S4, on the S6 so far, that epicly long heater hose poped also after trackday, the thermostat housing started leaking when i fixed the hose and the radiator drain is prone to leak if not tightened properly...

Quote from: 89 Coupe on January 14, 2015, 06:39:58 PM
I Bought the 034 water hose kit and put them on myself... such limited space to work in as you said! So very hard to see whats actually going on under there.
how are those hoses from 034? thought about buying them when i had the heater hose problem but then foundout that those are different between lhd and rhd...
1994 Audi UrS6 6-speed manual
2002 Audi Allroad 2.7T
1990 Mk2 Golf, 1994 UrS4, 1990 Audi 80 2.0E Manual, 1990 Audi 80 2.0E donor, 1991 Audi 90 2.3E, 1985 Toyota Corona

zeitgeist

Fingers crossed I haven't had any yet, the rad plug is in excellent condition, unsure of the rad neck fitting brittleness until it cracks! but other parts which are inspectable seem good so far....
UrS6 6 speed

89 Coupe

Quote from: Lomax on February 16, 2015, 12:51:01 AM
Coolant leaks are the most common problems i had with the S4 and the S6... I had the rear plastic outlet crack and later the top radiator hose blew after a track day on the S4, on the S6 so far, that epicly long heater hose poped also after trackday, the thermostat housing started leaking when i fixed the hose and the radiator drain is prone to leak if not tightened properly...
how are those hoses from 034? thought about buying them when i had the heater hose problem but then foundout that those are different between lhd and rhd...

I didn't know they were specific to Left or Right hand drive but I haven't noticed any difference. They come with the 2 hoses for automatic but mine is manual so that's okay. Only thing I don't like about them is some or most of the hose clamps are a size to small, which isn't a big deal really just re-use the old ones if they are in okay condition but annoying none the less. The Top radiator hose could be a more robust design like the factory original where the junction is the the filler.
1991 BMW E34 535i | 1989 Nissan Skyline R32 | 1993 Nissan Skyline R33 Coupe | 1989 Audi Coupe Quattro | 1996 Audi UrS6 | 1994 BMW E34 540i Touring | 1995 Audi 80 Quattro Avant | 1993 Audi UrS4 Avant | 1999 Audi S4 | 2009 Audi S8 | 1995 Toyota Cresta JZX90

tjsmada

you've probably sorted it already, but i found it was just the heater hoses that were different. All the others were the same. One thing I did find out is that silicone hoses seem to relax with a few heat cycles, so a few weeks after i fitted them I had A LOT of slow leaks...you just need to go round and tighten the clamps again. Of course you would have remembered to have the hose clamps lined up so you can re-tighten them without having to disassemble too many other bits and pieces  ;)