Coolant Loss Explained

[Diggers]

Hi,

I've not posted on here much but thought the following may be useful.

Over the past week I have been losing coolant. Not a massive amount, but enought to trigger the coolant warning every 4 or 5 days and need a top up, and certainly enough to cause me concern as it is the only car we run. The car is a '55 Octavia II Estate 2.0TDi PD (BKD Engine code).

I tried revving the engine while looking into the coolant expansion tank and was getting the dreaded bubbles, so feared it may be a blown head gasket.

On removing the engine cover I could (actually it was my wife who spotted it) see that coolant was being sprayed out from one of three steel pipes that are clipped into the head.

The three pipes are for fuel, fuel filter and fuel coolant. The pipe in question runs from the flexible hose that comes from the expansion tank and runs across the head. It is one of a cluster of three pipes and is the nearest to the back of the engine bay. At the opposite end of the pipe it turns through 90 degrees and runs into another flexible hose. Just prior to this the pipe runs past the bracket that the engine cover clips on to - herein lies the problem.

The pipe was in contact with the bracket and due to the vibration/heat etc it has worn through the metal, thus coolant is now leaking :( .

I have just been into Wayside Skoda Milton Keynes and unfortunately (but not surprisingly) you can only buy the pipes as a set. I don't need to replace the fuel pipes just the coolant pipe but have had to order all three at a cost of £87 :S . Still, it's cheaper than not bothering and the grief that would cause.

Sorry would have posted pics, but couldn't work ut how.

Part Number 1KO 130 308 J

Cheers all!

Diggers

Edited 25 July, 2011 by Diggers

[nick74]

That's interesting, I'd noticed those pipes before but had assumed they were all fuel but as you correctly say one is actually coolant. Will keep an eye out for this happening on mine.

[Diggers]

That's interesting, I'd noticed those pipes before but had assumed they were all fuel but as you correctly say one is actually coolant. Will keep an eye out for this happening on mine.

Absolutely. Checking on Google etc, it doesn't appear to be a common fault, but it has just returned from a service where I think it may have been knocked over onto the bracket. Just one of those things. Great car so I'll take it on the chin.

Incidentally, prior to the service, I told the garage that it seemed to be smoking quite a lot so they had a look into it for me. The throttle body had quite a carbon build up (a product of short journeys)so they cleaned it up. The difference is substantial and it now runs pretty much smoke free.

Cheers,

Diggers

[Wardy]

Good information that. Especially, as you say, could stop someone else from fearing the worst as well :(

A fair price for the pipes, but at least you know it could have been worse.....

[queeg]

Hi,

I've not posted on here much but thought the following may be useful.

Over the past week I have been losing coolant. Not a massive amount, but enought to trigger the coolant warning every 4 or 5 days and need a top up, and certainly enough to cause me concern as it is the only car we run. The car is a '55 Octavia II Estate 2.0TDi PD (BKD Engine code).

I tried revving the engine while looking into the coolant expansion tank and was getting the dreaded bubbles, so feared it may be a blown head gasket.

On removing the engine cover I could (actually it was my wife who spotted it) see that coolant was being sprayed out from one of three steel pipes that are clipped into the head.

The three pipes are for fuel, fuel filter and fuel coolant. The pipe in question runs from the flexible hose that comes from the expansion tank and runs across the head. It is one of a cluster of three pipes and is the nearest to the back of the engine bay. At the opposite end of the pipe it turns through 90 degrees and runs into another flexible hose. Just prior to this the pipe runs past the bracket that the engine cover clips on to - herein lies the problem.

The pipe was in contact with the bracket and due to the vibration/heat etc it has worn through the metal, thus coolant is now leaking :( .

I have just been into Wayside Skoda Milton Keynes and unfortunately (but not surprisingly) you can only buy the pipes as a set. I don't need to replace the fuel pipes just the coolant pipe but have had to order all three at a cost of £87 :S . Still, it's cheaper than not bothering and the grief that would cause.

Sorry would have posted pics, but couldn't work ut how.

Part Number 1KO 130 308 J

Cheers all!

Diggers

I would be inclined to try a repair first rather than pay that much for a pipe. I would suggest a 2 part putty callet "Milliput". It is available from Model shops and ebay and is only 2 or 3 quid. It is wonderful stuff, temperature, oil resistant and will even cure under water. It sets rock hard and can be used to make small parts and can even be turned in a lathe. I have used it for years in my hobby of RC model boat building and have also used it to repair pipes.

Small tip - use rubber gloves when kneeding the 2 parts together !

Hope it helps

[silver1011]

Sorry would have posted pics, but couldn't work ut how.

Pictures would be great, you need to use a third party hosting site such as Photobucket or Flickr.

Once you upload the photos on to the hosting site you will be provided with a 'direct link' which can be copied and pasted into this thread using the 'insert image' button above.

[ednmra]

I would be inclined to try a repair first rather than pay that much for a pipe. I would suggest a 2 part putty callet "Milliput". It is available from Model shops and ebay and is only 2 or 3 quid. It is wonderful stuff, temperature, oil resistant and will even cure under water. It sets rock hard and can be used to make small parts and can even be turned in a lathe. I have used it for years in my hobby of RC model boat building and have also used it to repair pipes.

Small tip - use rubber gloves when kneeding the 2 parts together !

Hope it helps

I'm also a modeller (railroads). Milliput is an epoxy putty - almost like a thick form of Araldite. By the way, the original Araldite (the one that sets overnight) will fix just about anything, so long as the surfaces it goes on are reasonably clean. When set I reckon it is as strong as ordinary (soft) solder.

Apparently they used to use it for fixing wings on certain aircraft - real ones!!

Edited 25 July, 2011 by ednmra

[queeg]

I'm also a modeller (railroads). Milliput is an epoxy putty - almost like a thick form of Araldite. By the way, the original Araldite (the one that sets overnight) will fix just about anything, so long as the surfaces it goes on are reasonably clean. When set I reckon it is as strong as ordinary (soft) solder.

Apparently they used to use it for fixing wings on certain aircraft - real ones!!

Yes, it's great stuff and almost unheard of outside modelling circles. I use Stabilit Express (another unknown in the UK) which is a methyleacrilic adhesive (more expensive though) rather than Araldite as Araldite can be funny with some plastics, although I have had good results using the original Araldite with wood and using a heatgun to warm it so it goes runny and soaks in - also sets a bit quicker too !

With regards to the OP. It may also be possible to fabricate a new water pipe using Brass Tubing and a small pipe bender for a fraction of the cost. Another fix could also be done by simply cutting out the bad section of the pipe and replacing with suitable sized hose and jubilee clips. Many, many years ago my series 2 RS Turbo sprung a leak due to rubbing on the water feed pipe to the turbo. I repaired that using a short length of hose and all was good.

A few more cost saving ideas for you there.

[Diggers]

Cheers all for the suggestions. Unfortunately, I'm needing a bit of a quick fix as I'm not around for a couple of days to keep an eye. Unfortunately, the expensive fix it is :(

Hopefully, someone else can benefit though