temp warning light/empty coolant reservoir
08-21-2006, 11:52 AM
#11
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I found a puddle of coolant under the car
Took out the undercarriage, cleaned it up, filled the coolant and ran the car for 10 min. The temp guage started going to the h side quickly. It seems to be leaking on the passenger side under the hose that connects to the radiator, not from the hose connection, in that little corner of the radiator frame. I have no clue where exactly it is leaking at. No sign's of dripping from other hoses or from around the water-pump. I also found a 10" long really thin hose with a mesh material over a rubber hose loose not connected to anything just sitting there wedged between the silver ac lines. What the heck is that and where did it come from? to me it looks like some sort of vacuum hose.
08-21-2006, 12:25 PM
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Re: a picture would help
Camera broke a while back from fishing. It fell into the live-well. I Have a LG camera phone but pic from it are horrible. I am going to try to see if I can borrow a digital camera and get a pic. The hose is a hard rubber 10" long and about 3/32 in diameter with a braided cloth-like material over it that is colored black with white slanted lines. Don't know if that helps any.
08-21-2006, 01:51 PM
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Re: Where does the other end go to? Can you trace it back?
I have no clue, it was not connected to anything when i found it just wedged between the two silver ac lines. I looked for something that would connect to it but couldn't find anything. I was reading an article and it said these woven lines are vacuum hoses. This is depressing because after doing a ton of research, I think the leak is from the radiator, apparently they commonly leak in the spot that it seems to be coming from and it might also be clogged up is part of why it runs hotter than normal(what i use to think was normal is actually running slightly hotter than normal. dealer never told me this. read it in a audi newsletter), on top of finding out I should of done the water pump, timing, belts, and thermostat at 60k instead of waiting for the dealer's 90k and then find a loose vacuum hose. This sucks wasn't expecting this bill. I am preparing for 1400-1500 for timing,w.p.,belts,thermosthat + radiator cost + a vacuum line cost. Going to tow it to the dealer tomorrow. not to mention I have about 5k until needing new brakes and might need new rotors because they are originals at 84k miles. Looks like the dealer will be loving me.
08-21-2006, 02:50 PM
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side? front or back? Top or bottom?
<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/63206/vac.jpg"></center><p>this the one? It's one of the three that broke on my car. I ended up getting some hose and replacing most of my Vac lines.
08-21-2006, 03:38 PM
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Re: side? front or back? Top or bottom?
That's exactly what the hose looks like. On mine the black hard line goes into a red hose that is attached to a blue reservoir looking thing. I found it straight down from where it is at in that pic between those silver lines close to the underneath of the car. I wonder if the black hose got changed out to the red one before i had the car and the hose just fell or got thrown where i found it. I had the car for a few years i would think it would of fallen out while driving or the dealer who has done all of my maintenance would of found an unused object so close to the oil filter. That gives me some relief. should be 1 less problem to address tomorrow. Thanks. Now this Dealer's competence is now becoming questionable to me.
08-21-2006, 06:49 PM
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similar situation, with an EZ fix..
i had a similar sounding problem like last week. one day the coolant light just turned on, so i added some water to make up for what was missing, but like 2 days later the light came back on, and this time my coolant resivoir was completely empty.
it turned out that the little rubber O-ring/gasket on the coolant res. cap was broken, and when hot the coolant would jsut blow past and drip out the little "if u miss" drain.(outside the threads).. i got a new cap for $10 at the junkyard with a good O-ring, its been a week and i havent noticed any more loss in colant.
check it out, you might get lucky and be able to fix it for $10
it turned out that the little rubber O-ring/gasket on the coolant res. cap was broken, and when hot the coolant would jsut blow past and drip out the little "if u miss" drain.(outside the threads).. i got a new cap for $10 at the junkyard with a good O-ring, its been a week and i havent noticed any more loss in colant.
check it out, you might get lucky and be able to fix it for $10