tockeyhockey@gmail.com

On Jul 23, 7:27 am, "iws" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote:
> <tockeyhoc...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1185196873.786553.103540@q75g2000hsh.googlegr oups.com...
>
>
>
> > Hello everyone. It's me again, with yet another problem with my least
> > favorite car of all time!
>
> > My coolant level light went on the dash this morning. I had driven
> > the engine hot, so I brought it home and checked the level. When hot,
> > the level was two or three inches below the "min" line.
>
> > So I got out some engine coolant (the red stuff) mixed it 1:1 with
> > water, and added it in. However, when I opened up the engine coolant
> > compartment, the liquid must have still been pretty warm, so it kind
> > of boiled and bubbled a bit. As the air seeped in and the screw top
> > came off, the level rose back up to the exact right level.
>
> > Not sure what to do at this point, so I waited for the car to cool
> > completely. Once I did, the level dropped back down again, but not
> > all the way to where it was when I first checked it. Maybe just an
> > inch or two below the "min" line.
>
> > At this point, I added in my coolant mix up to the proper fill line
> > and re-capped the tank. I haven't driven it since.
>
> > There are no leaks coming through to the ground, although it does seem
> > like there is a bit of liquid collecting underneath the passenger side
> > of the radiator compartment -- not in front of the radiator, but on
> > the engine side of the radiator.
>
> > So what's the prognosis? I know I should take it in, but I have to
> > get to the airport tomorrow morning. I'm hoping the top off holds for
> > a bit and will be fine in long-term parking for 6 days.
>
> If there's a slow leak, it will be less pronounced when the car is not
> running. Just check when you return to make sure there's not a large pink
> puddle under your car. There are severalpossibilities for the source:
> cracked coolant recovery tank ( the thing you opened up to add coolant),
> leaking radiator (I had to replace mine at 65K miles for about $700),
> leaking hose, leaking heater core (but then you'd likely smell coolant in
> the passenger cabin), leaking temperature sender, cracked engine block (but
> then you'd be seeing some whitish smoke out the tailpipe.)
>
> > By the way, this is a 2002 A4 1.8T with about 44,000 miles on it. It
> > has been in the shop (in just the last six months) for the following:
>
> > New thermostat, two vacuum hoses, air-conditioner that wouldn't blow
> > cold air, and all the regular maintenance. And, of course, the car
> > has also developed the clunking noise under the driver side wheel that
> > I am talking about in another thread. This should not be happening to
> > a car that is under 50,000 miles.
>
> > Anyone in the market for a used car?
>
> I know some of the responses to your woes have been a tad defensive but I am
> one who agrees with you on the reliability of that vintage of A4 (I have a
> 98.) Somone earlier lauded the sophisticated Audi engineering but as an
> engineer myself who has worked in the automotive industry, I can assure you
> that "sophisticated engineering" requires attention to longevity of
> components and the overall system and that's something that VW/Audi has
> taken a long time to learn if it yet has. Hyundais OTOH were pretty crappy
> when they first arrived on our shores but the improvement in those cars has
> been nothing short of amazing.

i appreciate your thoughts. i'm just embarrassed more than anything
for owning this car. i'd trade it in today, but it has dropped in
resale so quickly that i'd lose about $5,000. but $5,000 is about
what my repair bill has been over the last year of ownership, and who
knows if it will be $5,000 again for the next year, or maybe more...

my mechanics know me by name. that shouldn't happen on a car with 44k
on it. ti know they're laughing behind my back every time i bring the
car in. 'what a dupe. who buys a clunker like this...'

anyway, thanks for the moral support. i know the car has gotten under
my skin, so i vent here. and maybe i fixate too much, but the other
night i did have a nightmare in which my dashboard lit up like a
christmas tree with dozens of bleeps, dings, lights, and flashing
warnings. you know your car is screwed up when you wake up in a cold
sweat worried about your "check engine light".

Paul Johnson

I had the same experience as you and Frank.

I have a 2002 1.8 A4 with about 95K and noticed a coolant leak problem
a few months ago. As it turns out, the leak was just a gasket but
after a little research I found out that it's a good idea to have the
timing belt and water pump replaced around 90K so ended up paying
around $1200 to get everything fixed.

If you think your mechanic is laughing behind your back, you might
need a new mechanic!

Paul Johnson

I had the same experience as you and Frank.

I have a 2002 1.8 A4 with about 95K and noticed a coolant leak problem
a few months ago. As it turns out, the leak was just a gasket but
after a little research I found out that it's a good idea to have the
timing belt and water pump replaced around 90K so ended up paying
around $1200 to get everything fixed.

If you think your mechanic is laughing behind your back, you might
need a new mechanic!

Paul Johnson

I had the same experience as you and Frank.

I have a 2002 1.8 A4 with about 95K and noticed a coolant leak problem
a few months ago. As it turns out, the leak was just a gasket but
after a little research I found out that it's a good idea to have the
timing belt and water pump replaced around 90K so ended up paying
around $1200 to get everything fixed.

If you think your mechanic is laughing behind your back, you might
need a new mechanic!

Paul Johnson

I had the same experience as you and Frank.

I have a 2002 1.8 A4 with about 95K and noticed a coolant leak problem
a few months ago. As it turns out, the leak was just a gasket but
after a little research I found out that it's a good idea to have the
timing belt and water pump replaced around 90K so ended up paying
around $1200 to get everything fixed.

If you think your mechanic is laughing behind your back, you might
need a new mechanic!

Frank

Paul Johnson knastet inn: :

> If you think your mechanic is laughing behind your back, you might
> need a new mechanic!


Audi & BMW mechanics are often seen laughing, all day long

Frank

Paul Johnson knastet inn: :

> If you think your mechanic is laughing behind your back, you might
> need a new mechanic!


Audi & BMW mechanics are often seen laughing, all day long

Frank

Paul Johnson knastet inn: :

> If you think your mechanic is laughing behind your back, you might
> need a new mechanic!


Audi & BMW mechanics are often seen laughing, all day long

Frank

Paul Johnson knastet inn: :

> If you think your mechanic is laughing behind your back, you might
> need a new mechanic!


Audi & BMW mechanics are often seen laughing, all day long