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pedrovr6

VR6 USING LOADS OF WATER!

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Hi,

 

My 94 VR6 is using about half litre of water a day - I fill up the expansion tank every morning & the next morning when I start up, the water light's flashing & the tank's empty. I drive approx 50 miles a day, mostly down the motorway, so could it be pissing out somewhere when its hot, as can't see any leaks on drive etc?

 

It used to use about half a litre a week, then when I took it for MOT they said there was water leaking out of the pump, so replaced pump & water loss reduced a lot, but now it's more than before!

 

Can't see any water in oil etc, & seems to be running too well for headgasket etc although there is a 'miss' every now & then, but this seems more of an electrical thing.

 

I know it's a bit of a long shot, but any one got any ideas?

 

Cheers!

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Start easy and get a new expansion tank cap from VW. Then have a really good look around the engine bay for coolant residue (should be pink). Check the thermostat housing where it's attached to the head (right-hand side as you look at the engine, below the coilpack or dizzy). These can warp or leak where the stat has been replaced previously.

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First spot the VRs tend to blow is the hose on the rear of the cylinder head, beneath the HT lead guides. It's quite hard to spot when the engine is very hot, because it tends to come out as steam (and it's right on top of the exhaust manifold too).

The break there is usually caused by a combination of old hoses and a sloppy front engine mount.

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Just as another option - how's your heater matrix??

 

Do you get a 'foggy window' with the blowers on the front screen??

 

Mine was losing about the same as that in the weeks running up to my matrix failure and once it was bypassed the water loss stopped.

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The leak has shown its face! Steam & water p*ssing out of the join between the hose & the top right hand side of the radiator.

 

Think there is a rubber seal there, which may have split?

 

Anyone else had this - gather you can buy these seals, although not sure what it would be called!?

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Think that's where mine went, the fitting which fits to the end of the hose, the other side of which has an o-ring that then bolts to the radiator by 2 allen key bolts. Mine was so brittle it cracked when I tried to touch it. When I took the hose off this part I could just break bits off by hand, had just perished. Crap material which just warps and falls to bits, same thing happened to my thermostat housing as mentioned.

 

Had to buy a new radiator from VW to get this part because others I tried to source didn't come with the top fitting. VW wouldn't sell it separate either. Someone may know where to get one from though if you do need one. Hope for your sake its just the o-ring.

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Looks like it was just the O ring ( touch wood! ), so hopefully the water problem will be no longer.

 

Cheers for all the help

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