Loosing coolant fast!

[jocarl11]

Hi, I seem to be loosing coolant pretty quickly on my 16v but cant seem to find where it's goin to? Under the car seems dry and the expansion tank seems dry to! I filled the tank upto max and after a 15 mile journey its at below half! Where should i be looking for obvious leaking places?
Also there is no water in the oil.

Cheers Carl.

[jocarl11]

Ok after further inspection I have noticed it dripping from somewhere behind the bottom pully? I'm guessing that's goin to be the water pump gasket? I have no jack here to inspect further!

[The Mighty Elvi]

Water pump gasket is a simple rubber O-ring.

[Ant1981]

Also there is no water in the oil.

Cheers Carl.

You wouldn't necessarily have to get water in the oil for it to be that dreaded head gasket issue.

[raferackstraw]

buy and exchange water pump mate and see how you go, iirc the water pump comes in two halfs with a gasket between the halfs, there is an o ring where the thermostat is mounted and it is possible its leaking there, if you look under pump you will see a flange that is bolted to engine, x2 bolts, undo them and pull flange and thermostat will be visible. always a good idea to get a gen vag stat and change it 
if it leaking from the pulley side tho then new pump mate

[dan_apps]

first thing i would do is get the car upto temperature with the bonnet open. it should become apparent where your leak is then. i had one on mine which i thought was more serious but turned out to be a simple split in a hose!

[The Mighty Elvi]

first thing i would do is get the car upto temperature with the bonnet open. it should become apparent where your leak is then. i had one on mine which i thought was more serious but turned out to be a simple split in a hose!

+1

As I said to someone else recently on here with a mystery leak.

Run the car up to temp.  Put newspaper on the floor underneath the engine. After the thermostat has opened, give ALL the rubber pipes a good squeeze, pull.


My mystery leak turned out to be a crack in a pipe that goes from the block to the matrix.  It was in a crease on a 90 degree bend.  It was only apparent once the water was up to temp and the crack/crease had expanded.  Not detectable on a cold engine.

Jonathan.

[jocarl11]

Thanks for the replys guys, I have had another look from the drivers side wheel arch as i still dont have a jack untill tomorrow! And it's not coming from the water pump its behind the main pully thats on the crank pully, And it's dripping down past the back engine mount and onto the back of the sump? It's looking more likely to be the head gasket surely?

[Ant1981]

Thanks for the replys guys, I have had another look from the drivers side wheel arch as i still dont have a jack untill tomorrow! And it's not coming from the water pump its behind the main pully thats on the crank pully, And it's dripping down past the back engine mount and onto the back of the sump? It's looking more likely to be the head gasket surely?

Maybe check heater matrix connections? If it was the head gasket, you'd be more likely to see overheating and airclocks.

[jmsheahan]

Also there is no water in the oil.

Cheers Carl.

You wouldn't necessarily have to get water in the oil for it to be that dreaded head gasket issue.

This is true. Mines gone twice now in the past year. Both times no mayo, no excessive overheating or loss in power, just a drop in coolant. Not trying to scare but it does happen. If you can't find the leak get the system pressure tested.