Hi , ive a bad coolant leak. I checked the coolant a couple of days previous and it was fine like it always is no problems but then yesterday I was driving and had the temperature warning light appear. I pulled over and found all of the coolant in the in the tank had gone. The engine was barely warm as I'd just set off. I filled the tank and it all drained away in 5 minutes. I managed to get home using 10 litres of water and stopping every 5 minutes to fill the tank. 

 

I got the car on to ramps to check for leaks. It's leaking from the front of the engine central on the engine behind the oil filter from a gasket. I was wondering what is this thing that is situated behind the oil filter ? Secondly how do I remove the radiator fan , to gain access ? Any further advice on removing items to gain access to this part ?

Edited 18 January, 20251 yr by peter94857
Adding tags

Hi, welcome.

Sorry, I don't know the engine or details but others will, I could guess but that it's a good way of doing things.  It might help if you can give the engine code (usually three or four letters) in case there are any common leaks and if you are able to take a photo and post it up (landscape is usually best as more info in frame) with an arrow to area of leak.  Do be certain of the origin of the leak.

 

I don't think there's too much to removing the fan but I could be wrong and you want to check what is required to sort your issues first.

 

One thing I can say is no doubt you'll want to flush, clean and refill the system, at each fill it should be done under some sort of pressure, you can get away without but car more careful bleeding will be required each time.

 

Also VW in their great(?) wisdom are now on to coolant 12evo (from 13, of course) but either will do.

 

HTH a little.  Good luck.

 

It could be an oil cooler, fitted to the oil filter.

I managed to get the radiator fan out etc , got to the part it's held in by 4 nuts I tried undoing them and no chance they very tight, star drive, I tried T40 on all 4 nuts and it's loose fitting in all 4 nuts, T45 is to big, it looks like it's a T41 ! Looked everywhere can't get one except in one place https://search.app/sBY8cVFJWpSniLcD7

 

But can't order from there it's only for Dubai etc, I've had the car from new this part has never been touched from factory so it's not because someone else has made them slack. Seems like most things on this car are star drive which I thick is bad designing, or if they must insist on using star drive use bigger ones , using a T40 for this part being so tight is just useless if it ever needs to come off. Very disappointed in Skoda for this kind of designing. Any ideas ?

Are you sure you are using the correct tool and correct size of tool.  I've only found what I call normal Torx (6 points) headed screws and bolts on my wife's 2015 Fabia.

 

IIRC this fitting different types heads on bolts and screws goes back decades and start with the French cars as I remember it now of course with fixings it gone ridiculous to stop people being able to have a chance at repairs items, electronics is mad for different fixings and tamper-proof ones.

 

I think if it's a Torx type it will be more likely to be the 6-point but just in case it's not are you sure you sure it's not a T40 security (tamper-proof) that has a centre raised circular nipple or entirely different fitting, there are also 5 point Torx but I don't know that VW use them (they might I've no idea and I'd guess they'd be 5 point security Torx too.  I very much doubt the fixings are reverse thread but do check you are turning them in the correct direction to loosen, not set or left a tool to tighten by mistake - sometimes trying to tighten a very little before loosening can help in some cases but don't risk overtightening.  

 

The toll must fit the fixing correctly or you risk damage of some sort.  With fittings in the engine bay being tight if it's not a case of damaged fixing or rust and/or muck, crud oil mix then leverage is often the answer, extending the leverage you have, longer bar for sockets or for spanners a spanner extender of some sort, sometimes another spanner to extend the first but this must be done right or there's more chances of damage to car or you.  Of course you have to be careful of not damaging or breaking the fixing by using extra leverage.

 

You need someone with a parts list to see what these fixing actually are or if possible take a photo and post it up here.

 

Good luck.

 

It will likely be a tri-square fastener and not Torx.

 

Take a close photograph of the head recess, zoom in and compare it to the images on Google showing the differences.

Yeah another type to put off DIYing.  There's a M12 XYZ, as I'm told they're called, on the steering wheel, but I've no idea if VW describe them as this.  If it's a XYZ thing then you probably want the M8 size of it if the T40 is too small an T45 to big.

 

If it is a XYZ thing then I'm annoyed for you and I didn't think VW could annoy me much more but this would.

 

Good luck.

 

Thanks for your replies. But yes I'm absolutely sure I'm using the correct tool. I've tried applying good torque but it just ended up slipping round so now I've a damaged head on the bolts they are all "mega tight" and to use something like a T40 on something that tight gives a very small surface area to try and turn them bolts, I literally used the star drives for each part to get to the part I'm actually trying to fix, I really don't understand why any designer would opt to use these bolt instead of standard type bolts which give a much great surface area for the pressure applied. I've now had to back out of the repair refit everything and now I'm going to try the steel seal type product very reluctantly. If that doesn't work its down the garage and it'll cost me a fortune. Very annoyed with Skoda.

I agree with you I don't see why all these different types are used but I'm sure VW and perhaps the German engineers have their reasons, helping the car owners not one of them.

 

Drive bits are often poor quality, as far as I can tell like drill bits now used once (if you're lucky) then throw away, though I've never been a fan of drive bits.  A reasonable quality tool of the correct type and size should (note should) be able to remove a fixing and even though I don't hold modern German engineer in their cars in very high regard I doubt they would undersize fixings (well not too much or too often at least).

 

If you have the room in the work area and inclination there might be other methods of extraction of these troublesome fixings that others can offer you ideas on, I've no idea of the engine or what part you're getting at, diesel engines bays are always a lot more dirty and messy to work on than even petrol engines in my very limited experience and I don't like the crap in petrol engine bays as it is.

 

Up to you of course what you do next but after a chance to cool down you could still take that photo and post it up to give more details, don't worry about rounded heads we've all had that at sometime despite our best efforts.

 

Edited 21 January, 20251 yr by nta16
spelling

Ended up using this, was very skeptical but it actually does what it says it's fixed. Used half a bottle and put the other half in back of car in case I ever get a coolant leak again, literally instant fix,  before I was loosing 2lts every 5 minutes 

Don't know that one, only earlier posted the one the AA used/uses, K-Seal, I'd guess they are similar but don't know.  You might see some glittery floats if the make it to the clear tank.  As long as you followed the instructions on the bottle hopefully that might be an end to it.  Good luck.

 

@nta16Don't you mean XZN ie 12 point or multi spine?

 

I wonder if that part has anti tamper or security screw on it, VW Group tends to use them on parts that are not meant to be taken apart - if that is the case here, maybe the bolts that secure it to the car are elsewhere.

 

Something prompted me to buy RIB a few years ago - fills a space in my tools storage system!

Thanks 👍 

1 hour ago, nta16 said:

Don't know that one, only earlier posted the one the AA used/uses, K-Seal, I'd guess they are similar but don't know.  You might see some glittery floats if the make it to the clear tank.  As long as you followed the instructions on the bottle hopefully that might be an end to it.  Good luck.

 

 

54 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

@nta16Don't you mean XZN ie 12 point or multi spine?

 

I wonder if that part has anti tamper or security screw on it, VW Group tends to use them on parts that are not meant to be taken apart - if that is the case here, maybe the bolts that secure it to the car are elsewhere.

 

Something prompted me to buy RIB a few years ago - fills a space in my tools storage system!

It's definitely a 6 pointed nut type nut the 12 points or 6 point with a hole or any security bolt. They're just mega tight and probably been over tightened at the factory or tightened correctly just made from poor material like low quality mild steel.

2 hours ago, rum4mo said:

@nta16Don't you mean XZN ie 12 point or multi spine?

Isn't that what I put - 😆- yes I certainly did mean to put XZN too late to edit previous post(s) (I almost put XYZ this time too).

 

I thought I had a chart of the XZN head dimensions and sizes but it's not there in my current files, diesel and VW two things I try to avoid, I can't imagine them combined!  Though you might as well have a diesel with all the noises a petrol VW engine makes.

 

I found the following, I agree with this chap's first sentence but then if it's a VAG spec thing then it will be a secret from their car owners.

http://mahonkin.com/~milktree/motorcycle/triple-square/

 

Edited 21 January, 20251 yr by nta16
ETA: return overwritten letters

1 hour ago, peter94857 said:

It's definitely a 6 pointed nut type nut the 12 points or 6 point with a hole or any security bolt. They're just mega tight and probably been over tightened at the factory or tightened correctly just made from poor material like low quality mild steel.

Ah, "male" Torx that have E numbering, I've not started acquiring them - yet.

9 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

Ah, "male" Torx that have E numbering, I've not started acquiring them - yet.

 I can return your favour sir.

 

Given Pete put the link - https://www.fepy.com/sata-gl25105-1-2-drive-long-torx-bit-socket-t41 I think there might just have been a typo (that wasn't mine for a change) and the fittings had a female Torx.

 

You might know is there such a thing as T41 (female socket - male driver), I think I might have seen a T47 but not T41 but of course I'm never sure.

 

I've got some E marked Torx sockets I've never used them and am unlikely ever to but they were in the socket and spanner set I got for my 50th.  I bought some tools in the late- 70s as bottom-draw items and could only afford a few items at a time, sets were expensive then, included were No. 3 and 4 Philips and Pozi screwdrivers I've only ever used the No3 Pozi out of those.  I wish I hadn't have lost or given away some of those tools as getting them replaced for reasonable decent ones now is so difficult or expensive.  I went on eBay to see what I could get s/h and some of the ones I have and want are collectors pieces now, with prices to match.  My wife bought me some old screwdrivers for a surprise and they were used and abused by being cut and grinded, I gave away the better ones and kept others for opening tins, scraping and so on.

 

I bought an "extra Torx" size just because I was sure that VW Group used it - wrong!

 

There used to be a really good tool shop in Edinburgh, they even held/got buckets of old tools probably from company closures, lots of altered/bespoked stuff in these buckets getting sold for next to nothing, really handy if you felt it was "just what I was looking for", they also sold higher quality tools, a big loss when they shut up shop(s).

You might know is there such a thing as T41 (female socket - male driver), I think I might have seen a T47 but not T41 but of course I'm never sure?

Solved, it isn't a T40 torx nut it's a T40 Torx plus socket.

I think (not sure as these things get unnecessarily complicated names and numbers, perhaps VW invented them, or Merc or BMW) a T40 Torx plus is the one with the centre pin, sometimes known as tamperproof or security.

I can advise you not to use a small Torx plus / tamperproof / security / other(s) (male) drive bit on a standard Torx socket that is very tightly fitted as the lack of centre can cause the bit to twist its bits, guess how I know.

I've not acquainted myself with the Torx Plus versions - yet, I suppose that I should do though.

Torx Plus ETA: tamper-resistant / security version -

Not to be confused (like me, anyone remember Soap) with the 6 lobed tamper-resistant / security version. -

Edited 5 March, 20251 yr by nta16
ETA:

Oh, initially I (too) thought that was just security Torx!

Oh, sorry, but what you’ve shown is not ordinary “torx plus” - that seems to be “a version of torx plus security bits”.

So, I’m still left wondering if “torx plus” (6 point) bits can be used with original “torx” fasteners - and if it is beneficial to move onto using them.

Edit:- quote from tinterwebnet “automotive industry has been using Torx Plus since the ‘90s” - oh well, maybe my error in the 2000’s buying Torx bits for use with 2000’s onward cars!

It is said, if the Torx bits for use fits the fastener head loosely, then you’ve got a Torx Plus fastener!

Maybe time to spend more tool money!

Edited 5 March, 20251 yr by rum4mo