Leonic

Hi,

I have an Audi A4 1996 quattro. I brought my car just for changing oil and they recommended me to flush the coolant system. Some hours after flushing, I could hear a gurgling sound (possibly air pocket?) under the dash, and the temp light came on several times and I filled the coolant tank with regular tap water. (I thought that they didn't top-off the coolant). And this happened couple of times.
After a month I brought the car to that shop and told them about the gurgling sound under dash and they flushed it again it was ok for some days and the sound came back after several days! And also the alarm light of the coolant system (temp.) again.

But last week, I had over heating which wasn't the case before. The third time that I brought the car they flushed it twice and they said the problem is still there and you have a blown head gasket!!!
They said that the blown head gasket it can not be related to flushing the coolant at all.

I need your opinion about how flushing the coolant system. Do you think it could be related to flushing the coolant? To me YES, because I have never had any problem with over heating, low coolant before flush.

Can I use k&W block sealer for a while for short distance driving?

P.S.:
-There is no external leak in the coolant system.
- The car works prefect before the coolant flush (no gurgling sound under dash, temp gauge was always stayed on 50%)
-Chemical test shows that there is combustion gas in the coolant.
- mileage is about 114,000 miles. The previous owner change the water pump, thermostat, timing belt in about 55,000 miles and I changed all these three about 5 months ago on about 109,000 miles.
- The temp gauge now goes near high (80%) and I sometimes it goes down to about 50%.
-I don't have warm heater sometimes

Any help would be really appreciated,
Leon

alms_lefko

Do you have any oil in the engine bay? Or on the ground?

Smell burning oil when your heat is on?

The shop does know how to bleed the coolant and get all the air out correct? It is possible you have a bad thermostat and its sticking...

My 2 cents

Ertman

have them pressure test the coolant system.

Leonic

It looks like steam not smoke from the tail pipe. Do you think not to bleeding the air pocket can lead to this problem?
Car has combustion gases in the coolant now.

Ertman

Bzzzt, wrong answer on R&R of head gasket every 40-60k

Ertman

sounds like bullshot to me.

Leonic

I am not sure but a hemical test?! They said, it should be less than 1000 but now it's around 60,000. Sorry I do not know it's unit

alms_lefko

and that somewhere around there it needed be replaced

Leonic

Ertman,

Car is in another shop for repair estimate. I didn't check the oil. But tomorrow I'll take the car and I can let you know.
Do you think that I can use block sealer?
Just to let you know, a month after their first flush I could smell coolant inside the car, probably from the heater.

Ertman

are you aware of the labor involved in a head gasket R&R? Think what it takes to pull the head off to replace bent valves and you got it.