conufessed

[hommer1]

I am in need of some advise I have a problem with coolant leaking out of my expansion tank (2001 tdi beetle) I have been reading and I think that most people would say head gasket but last night when i got home from work I removed my rad cap to relive the pressure and then put it back on, then this morning under my car the antfreeze had still leaked out if it was a head gasket and by removing the rad cap should that not have relived the pressure so that I would not have lost the antifreeze? I have 310000km on the car the head was off at 200000 when the last timming belt was changed, the water pump and thermostate are original. anyone have any idea's?

[chittychittybangbang]

Where is it leaking out, past the cap?

First, what are you filling it up with? Don't mix VW's coolant with the green stuff since they can foam or sludge.

If you start the cold engine for a little bit and remove the cap, is there any pressure in the expansion tank?

[hommer1]

I am running pink long life and I have not I have not check for pressure after start up when it is cold and I check the oil and add antifreeze there is pressure

[Seatman]

Lol I had a laugh at your thread title,anyway, try feeling around the coolant hoses when the car is cold or just warm, around the clips I'm thinking because they can bite in and cause a slight split. If you look as to where the coolant puddle is in relation to where the car sits too, is it to the right of the engine or the left? Is it towards the front or rear? It might also be seeping from somewhere then running along a coolant pipe, the other thing is around any flanges or housings that connect to the head or block, there might be signs around them although I expect it's a bit tricky in the beetle for space. You just have to persevere but you'll get there.

[chittychittybangbang]

Originally Posted by hommer1

I am running pink long life and I have not I have not check for pressure after start up when it is cold and I check the oil and add antifreeze there is pressure

So if you open the cap, close the cap, start the engine, and open the cap again there is pressure? If there is pressure in the coolant tank on a cold start that means that pressure is getting in somewhere. The only place that the coolant can leave other than the block is the EGR cooler, and the oil cooler, heater, and radiator/hoses.

The only place it can get pressure is the block, normally this is a bad head gasket. Again, this is on a cold engine. It hasn't got hot enough to pressurize the system. Once it's warm it should be under pressure.

[hommer1]

Originally Posted by chittychittybangbang

So if you open the cap, close the cap, start the engine, and open the cap again there is pressure? If there is pressure in the coolant tank on a cold start that means that pressure is getting in somewhere. The only place that the coolant can leave other than the block is the EGR cooler, and the oil cooler, heater, and radiator/hoses.

The only place it can get pressure is the block, normally this is a bad head gasket. Again, this is on a cold engine. It hasn't got hot enough to pressurize the system. Once it's warm it should be under pressure.

ok thanks I will give that a try before I go home tonight