VR6 cooling issues.

[jamiehol 0]

Right got an issue with my VR, for some reason and I can't work out where it is going, it is using water but is not overheating according to the gauge. If sat in traffic or over about a 300 mile journey it will get through enough water to get from max to min.

 

The issue of using water really became apparant on a trip to Classic Le Mans this year, where sat in traffic trying to get into the camp site, I could smell coolant and it was close to 110 on the gauge, the ambient temprature was around 30. I stopped the engine and got out and noticed some steam coming out from under the bonnet which was from a slight split on the coolant house to the back of the head.

 

I got the car into the campsite and let it cool down and then cut the hose down and re attached it. I had notice on the way down when I stopped for fuel that there was a bit of water around the expansion tank, which was the original and at 15 years old perhaps a bit tired, on the way back from Le Mans it was largely ok although it used a bit of water but that appeared to be the expansion tank leak getting worse.

 

On getting back from Le Mans I replaced the expansion tank and cap with genuine VAG ones, but the car is still using water. I noticed a very small amount of coolant under the water pump the other week so am just replacing that at the minute, however I am bit concerned as the other day I topped the water up, but even though the car had been standing overnight and was cold, as soon as i took the expansion tank cap off the coolant system was still under some pressure which seems worng.

 

Here is how the coolant system stand at the minute:

-Heater Matrix replaced Winter 09 - due to pipe ends going brittle.

-Radiator Elbow replaced May 2010, Radiator and rad swithc also changed at the same time, due to one of the elbow bolts siezing up.

- Expansion tank & cap replaced July 2010

-just replacing Water pump

- No visibile leaks around crack pipe of thermostat housing.

 

So is the fact that the coolant systme is still under pressure when cold soemthing I should worry about and is the nagging feeling I've got that the headgasket is tired or worse still the head itself the reason I am loosing water ?

 

Appreciate this is long post but peoples thoughts and views are very much welcomed.