My car is pissing coolant

**JA4** · 09-25-2012 09:53 AM

This started last week. Washed my car, pumped gas and then on the drive home the coolant warning came on. Made it home, checked the coolant, only to find that the reservoir was nearly empty. I thought it may have just been my stupid mistake of being careless and not regularly checking my fluids. Filled up the coolant, went for test a drive and I started noticing steam coming from the front. Got back home and my coolant was, again, halfway empty.

Checked for leaks. Found the leak was coming from the front, checked all the hose and they looked fine. The car retains its normal temperature, judging from the gauge. I'm almost certain that it could be the water pump.

Any thoughts?

**SleeperAvant** · 09-25-2012 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by JA4

Found the leak was coming from the front…

Where from the front? Get under the car and inspect.

**msharifi** · 09-25-2012 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by JA4

This started last week. Washed my car, pumped gas and then on the drive home the coolant warning came on. Made it home, checked the coolant, only to find that the reservoir was nearly empty. I thought it may have just been my stupid mistake of being careless and not regularly checking my fluids. Filled up the coolant, went for test a drive and I started noticing steam coming from the front. Got back home and my coolant was, again, halfway empty.

Checked for leaks. Found the leak was coming from the front, checked all the hose and they looked fine. The car retains its normal temperature, judging from the gauge. I'm almost certain that it could be the water pump.

Any thoughts?

check the coolant hose that goes to Turbo from the radiator mine was leaking from the turbo side because of heat and worn hose. It could be inside the heatsheild the coolant hose is wrapped.

**JA4** · 09-25-2012 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by SleeperAvant

Where from the front? Get under the car and inspect.

I did, but I can't remember exactly where the leak was coming from. I will double check when I get home. All I did was go over the lines for leaks, but no leak seems to be coming from the hose. I thought it was my rad, but that too seemed ok.

Originally Posted by msharifi

check the coolant hose that goes to Turbo from the radiator mine was leaking from the turbo side because of head and worn hose. It could be inside the heatsheild the coolant hose is wrapped.

I'll do a thorough check again when I get home.

**SleeperAvant** · 09-25-2012 10:11 AM

Hrm, try checking T-stat, sometimes it can trickle down and drip from the oil pan or somewhere more forward as it travels downwards.

**JA4** · 09-25-2012 10:37 AM

Will do. Thanks for the input guys (Sleeper Avant, msharif)

**daghstdrummer** · 09-25-2012 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by SleeperAvant

Hrm, try checking T-stat, sometimes it can trickle down and drip from the oil pan or somewhere more forward as it travels downwards.

^X2 Happened to me!

**donwsabo** · 09-25-2012 11:05 AM

Under intake manifold. Thermostat housing, just did mine

**waldo1324** · 09-25-2012 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by donwsabo

Under intake manifold. Thermostat housing, just did mine

i vote J plug..

Bad B6, BAD! No pissing on the driveway!

**oaybar007** · 09-25-2012 01:41 PM

You're going to have to really get under there and inspect. I had my water pump go and that dripped down the front. I also had a J Plug go and coolant ended up on the front of the oil pan as well. As said above it could very well be the t-stat housing too. Out of the three I would say it's your t-stat housing simply because the coolant is spewing out so quickly.

**SleeperAvant** · 09-26-2012 07:17 AM

OP, let us know what you find.

**JA4** · 09-26-2012 01:04 PM

Ok. So the leak appears to be coming from the water pump itself.

Couldn't get pics on my phone because it just would come out right, but I'll get some shots on my camera.

Could there be another reason why it would be leaking from the pump or is that my culprit?

**lasher45** · 09-26-2012 02:42 PM

Mines had a slow leak for a while, but it comes out of the reservoir itself. Looks like I know what what I'm ordering when I get my next paycheck. Hopefully it's just the cracked res.

**SleeperAvant** · 09-26-2012 03:56 PM

Jay, it could be that the o-ring is degraded on the waterpump and that is what is causing the leak. If it's any consolation, I just found out today that my rear coolant flange is leaking.

**JA4** · 09-27-2012 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by SleeperAvant

Jay, it could be that the o-ring is degraded on the waterpump and that is what is causing the leak. If it's any consolation, I just found out today that my rear coolant flange is leaking.

Would it really leak that much from a bad O-ring? I guess there's only one way to find out. I haven't been driving the car, so I may remove the front end this weekend to take a look and fix whichever it is that's causing it.

Do you know if there's a local distributor for HEPU water pumps? I'd even opt in with replacing the pump itself even it isn't broken. Can't rely on this plastic OEM one. I can't believe Audi would even make such a thing. I've read several threads on this issue and how common it is for these plastic ones to break.

This is the one posted on ECS. http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B6_A4-...Pump/ES252347/

**SleeperAvant** · 09-27-2012 06:44 AM

Sorry, I wouldn't know about local distributors. I didn't even know that Audi made a plastic waterpump. I thought they were all metal.

**JA4** · 09-27-2012 06:58 AM

Well, not the entire assembly is plastic. Only the impellers. This is the OEM one.

**ECS Tuning-Audi** · 09-27-2012 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by JA4

Would it really leak that much from a bad O-ring? I guess there's only one way to find out. I haven't been driving the car, so I may remove the front end this weekend to take a look and fix whichever it is that's causing it.

Do you know if there's a local distributor for HEPU water pumps? I'd even opt in with replacing the pump itself even it isn't broken. Can't rely on this plastic OEM one. I can't believe Audi would even make such a thing. I've read several threads on this issue and how common it is for these plastic ones to break.

This is the one posted on ECS. http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B6_A4-...Pump/ES252347/

Originally Posted by JA4

Well, not the entire assembly is plastic. Only the impellers. This is the OEM one.

Thanks for posting the pics/links! Always appreciate the support!

Jason

**lencho1500** · 09-27-2012 10:34 AM

OP when was the last time your water pump was replaced? My water pump leaked for a while but very little till i did my timing belt, maybe its a good time to replace your pump along with a new timing belt =).
Get the metal impeller for sure.

**vintagespin** · 09-27-2012 11:04 AM

How many miles?

Might as well do the timing belt if you have to replace the water pump.

**JA4** · 09-27-2012 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by lencho1500

OP when was the last time your water pump was replaced? My water pump leaked for a while but very little till i did my timing belt, maybe its a good time to replace your pump along with a new timing belt =).
Get the metal impeller for sure.

Originally Posted by vintagespin

How many miles?

Might as well do the timing belt if you have to replace the water pump.

I did my TB last year at a bit over 100k.. Currently I'm at 139+k.

Which is why this all came as a big surprise. I'm running stock btw, except for my exhaust and Forge splitter..

**bmx672** · 10-30-2012 10:04 AM

Hey Jay, I have the same problem... just did my belt/pump etc last winter and I think I now have a leak at the water pump:( I cant believe it would be leaking already after just changing it. I still have to dig into it to confirm, but I suspect based on where the coolant is running that the source. I wonder if I have a warrantee for that replacement part... not like I have time to send it in with my car undriveable for a week while they send a new one.

Do you think it could be the seal or maybe a loose bolt? I cant imagine that the actual pump would beb bad... and if it is would it leak through the shaft???

I'm just trying to figure this out before I tear into it this weekend.

Thanks

**audiman18** · 10-30-2012 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by JA4

I did my TB last year at a bit over 100k.. Currently I'm at 139+k.

Which is why this all came as a big surprise. I'm running stock btw, except for my exhaust and Forge splitter..

Holy crap 40k in a year! damn I thought I drove a lot.

Yeah my vote is water pump too, the exact same thing happened to me 2 months ago. Surprisingly right after getting gas too

**JA4** · 10-30-2012 12:42 PM

Sorry for not updating this, but yeah it was the waterpump. The O-ring on mine was pinched and the pin that holds the impeller and the pulley together was already starting to come out.

If you notice on the pictures below the pin in the middle is pushed out on the end where the impeller is, that should be flush on both ends.

@BMX672 do a thorough check for where the leak source is coming from. The only sure way to really find out if it's the pump is to remove the front end and remove the timing belt cover. If you notice white dried spots around the waterpump then it's likely to be the waterpump. When I was looking for my leak, simply looking down or up from under the car seemed a little misleading because the drip was coming down through the front of the motor and it would drip down the oil pan. So I decided to remove the front end to really get a good look. I hope this helps.

I ended up getting a graf waterpump with the metal impellers.. No pictures of the newer pump because I completely forgot to snap pictures while I was working on the car.. Anyhow, pictures below are of the old waterpump..