Coolant, overheat, boil...

masshoff · 02-10-2008, 03:06 PM

hello all.

2005 A4 1.8T. 45000 miles.

driving last night, temp gauge moves all the way to H, "coolant' warning light comes on. I pull off, check - fluids seem fine, no odor under the hood, no excess heat. I finish the short drive home and notice that I can hear what sounds like coolant boiling(?) when i get out of the car. And, I can smell hot coolant.

today - i check fluids - its a little low on coolant. I top it off, and take around for a spin to replicate. Nothing for 7-8 minutes, warms up normally. Then I get it up to highway speed and within 3-4 minutes - needle to H, coolant warning lights on. I pull onto backroads, glide down a hill, car cools off. I do some more driving on back roads to see if I can duplicate - nothing - no problems. Back to the highway - bam - needle in H, coolant warning. I go home, notice the "boiling" sound and odor again, and looks a little low on coolant.

So - I am assuming a coolant leak. Car was in for service last week, dealer replaced a plug and mentioned there was a leak.

SO - my question - any thoughts if the car can make it 15-20 miles on backroads to get it to the dealer in the am? seems kind of ok at low rpms and lower speeds.

bammercole · 02-10-2008, 06:58 PM

I think you're fine to drive it to the dealer. I'm wondering if there is a clog somehow in the coolant lines. Could have happened and then when it got really hot it made the clog worse. The clog would be keeping the coolant from circulating and could cause some coolant burning, and in turn level loss. A good place to start looking would be wherever the tech noticed the leak. Let us know the results of having it in the shop again.

chrisaapatrol · 06-25-2008, 05:18 PM

the fault will be the water pump. It has a plastic impellor which breaks up

torch94 · 06-27-2008, 12:23 PM

Sounds like your coolant return or pressure hose is collapsing under pressure and restricting normal flow into the radiator.

dannyb165 · 06-29-2008, 04:59 PM

sounds to me like the water pump, plastic impeller shatters, when you replace it make sure you get a new one with a meter impeller

02-10-2008, 03:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
masshoff Newbie Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 1 Gallery: (0)	Coolant, overheat, boil... hello all. 2005 A4 1.8T. 45000 miles. driving last night, temp gauge moves all the way to H, "coolant' warning light comes on. I pull off, check - fluids seem fine, no odor under the hood, no excess heat. I finish the short drive home and notice that I can hear what sounds like coolant boiling(?) when i get out of the car. And, I can smell hot coolant. today - i check fluids - its a little low on coolant. I top it off, and take around for a spin to replicate. Nothing for 7-8 minutes, warms up normally. Then I get it up to highway speed and within 3-4 minutes - needle to H, coolant warning lights on. I pull onto backroads, glide down a hill, car cools off. I do some more driving on back roads to see if I can duplicate - nothing - no problems. Back to the highway - bam - needle in H, coolant warning. I go home, notice the "boiling" sound and odor again, and looks a little low on coolant. So - I am assuming a coolant leak. Car was in for service last week, dealer replaced a plug and mentioned there was a leak. SO - my question - any thoughts if the car can make it 15-20 miles on backroads to get it to the dealer in the am? seems kind of ok at low rpms and lower speeds.

06-25-2008, 05:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
chrisaapatrol Newbie Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 9 Gallery: (0)	the fault will be the water pump. It has a plastic impellor which breaks up __________________ chrisaapatrol

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02-10-2008, 06:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
bammercole Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 64 Gallery: (0)	I think you're fine to drive it to the dealer. I'm wondering if there is a clog somehow in the coolant lines. Could have happened and then when it got really hot it made the clog worse. The clog would be keeping the coolant from circulating and could cause some coolant burning, and in turn level loss. A good place to start looking would be wherever the tech noticed the leak. Let us know the results of having it in the shop again.

06-27-2008, 12:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
torch94 Newbie Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 3 Gallery: (0)	Sounds like your coolant return or pressure hose is collapsing under pressure and restricting normal flow into the radiator.

06-29-2008, 04:59 PM	#5 (permalink)
dannyb165 Newbie Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3 Gallery: (0)	sounds to me like the water pump, plastic impeller shatters, when you replace it make sure you get a new one with a meter impeller

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