Coolant leak on AUA 1.4 (pink residue near temp sensor and top of gearbox)

IansMusical

Member
Hello All,

I've just replaced the headlights on my wife's 2001 LHD 1.4 A2 so that we can use it on UK roads but noticed the coolant expansion tank is empty! :eek:

Having read some previous postings that mostly relate to the 1.6, I believe that the Y shaped plastic pipe and the one that runs under the inlet manifold hasn't cracked because there are no coolant pools or any steam, in fact the car has been parked for several days.

I can though see pink residue on the top of the gearbox housing and more near and below the coolant sensor (which I believe also has the thermostat in the same housing and that is in turn next to the ignition coil/coil pack?)

I'm assuming this isn't simply the coolant sensor o-ring but perhaps a crack in the thermostat housing?

Thanks,

Ian
 

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Having now taken the car to my mechanic friend he has confirmed that the o-ring on the temperature sender needs replacing. It's possible that the thermostat housing has cracked also given that coolant fluid residue is on the gearbox casing! Although no residue can be seen around the thermostat housing.

Thanks.
 
As you say, could be the thermostat housing - the torque on the screws that hold it on is only 9Nm, not much, so overtightening is easy and often done - stripping the thread and causing a leak. Sadly, I have found this out the hard way after repairing mine that someone had previously bodged! If this is the case, I'd suggest a screw-in metal insert that will provide a new screw thread in the plastic. It's fidly and a PITA to get to with limited access, but the alternative of replacing the whole thermostat housing is far worse! So, I hope that for your sake it's something simple and not that…
 
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