I've got an Octavia 1.9 PD 4X4 06 plate. It's done a lot of miles (208K) but should be able to do more. I had the cam belt renewed a couple of months ago and since then it has been losing water. It was losing water slowly (topping up the expansion bottle) every few days. But I have now replaced the stat as it was running cold and the temperature was bouncing. My mechanic has said it is a head gasket seal gone but I am hoping it isn't. Since I have changed the stat the temperature remains stable at 90 but is now losing water more quickly and I have no heat inside the car. Having said that I do get heat randomly which suggests an air lock. I have put a new heating matrix in. Also if I run the engine with the expansion tank cap off and top up with coolant this is a way of flushing out the air lock and getting heat inside the car. There is no milk in the oil and the exhaust fumes are clean. 

Does this all sound like a head gasket or could it be losing water elsewhere? The only water I can see leaking is from the expansion tank under pressure.

Thanks.

Just a thought, did the water pump get replaced with the cambelt? If it didn't, did it get disturbed enough to create a leak??

 

47 minutes ago, theowlman said:

But I have now replaced the stat as it was running cold and the temperature was bouncing.

 

I had the bouncing needle in my Mk1 Octi. Tempertature sensor was the cause. Easy and cheap fix.

 

HTH

The water pump did get replaced with the cambelt. Might it be possible that this hasn't gone on properly. I'm really trying to find any other reason for the water leak than a head gasket.

 

Worth checking hose joints. Pink residue is sign of a leak. If you can, put a sheet of cardboard under the car overnight, it might point you in the right direction of the leak.

Edited 16 January, 20215 yr by Westbury63

id wager the waterpump is leaking.

or you have had a massive airlock after the replacement stat. but if its constant.. check the pump first. (esp if the same garage that did the belt is saying its the headgasket)

 

get a genuine bosch temp sensor for the needle flutter. vag engines dont like pattern sensors and it start fluttering again soon. 

Thanks. I can't find a leak. I'm getting the head gasket pressure tested....we'll see.