Coolant Leak TDI PD 1.9L / Head Gasket

Hello everyone.

Some time ago, I reported about the gurgling sound in my heat exchanger and that bleeding the system didn't fix the problem. Today, I had a personal experience that led to the following realization:

**************************************************************************
It's the head gasket, and I've been driving with the noise for 30,000 km until today: OIL STAINS IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR !!! Now I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and have the head gasket replaced.
**************************************************************************

The problem started at a mileage of 130,000 km with a slight hissing and bubbling sound in the heat exchanger. Initially, I thought it might be leaves or a foreign object in the ventilation system. Later, the theory about air in the cooling system seemed plausible. Then, I increasingly suspected that exhaust gases were being forced into the coolant. Now I'm sure: IT'S THE HEAD GASKET!!!

Unfortunately, it seems like this is going to be quite expensive, as VW is calculating over 1000 euros for this procedure. I wouldn't dare to do it myself, as I have respect for the PD injectors and the timing belt. Even my skilled mechanic from a local workshop is hesitant to work on my Passat: IT'S TOO DANGEROUS AND NOT FEASIBLE!!!

Best regards,

hb2000

Hello hb2000,

I recently reported about the gurgling sound in my car's heating system (Passat AJM) and had already made arrangements with a workshop to replace the head gasket. I wouldn't attempt to do it myself; it's a job that's too complex for me – it's easy to ruin the engine if you're not careful.

And now, miraculously, the bubbling has stopped.
Previously, it could be heard every morning at around 2000 RPM while the engine was cold.
Could this be related to the rising outdoor temperatures?
Other abnormalities, such as unstable water levels in the balancing tank, have also been resolved.
I will definitely keep an eye on the situation.

Best regards,

Hello hb2000,

habe hier vor einiger Zeit auch mal einen Kühlwasser-Gurgel-Thread eröffnet. Mein Gurgeln habe ich durch Nachziehen der -nur noch handfesten- ZKD-Schrauben beseitigen können. Hält seit nunmehr 3000km. ToiGood luck!

Regards,
Thomas.

I'm also going to tighten my screws - they're really the cheapest option!

Hi,

Tighten expansion bolts?
For a few extra euros, I would replace the screws. Okay, I'm a bit of a scaredy-cat, but is it really worth it for just a few euros?

Regards,
Sure, here is the translation of the text from German to English:

"Micha"

No, it wasn't about saving a few euros. The main concern was that if the old screws were removed, the pressure on the gasket would be completely released. I was worried that in that case, the connection between the head and the gasket, or between the block and the gasket, could be damaged even further.

Regards,
Thomas.

Hello Thomas,
If you replace the screws one by one, that shouldn't happen.
Best regards,
Günther.

hello

With what amount of force (Nm) should one attempt to tighten the screws, so as not to overtighten them? Apparently, new screws are tightened with a certain amount of force and then tightened further in several stages by a specific angle. I'm interested in knowing what amount of force (Nm) can be used to retighten them in order to determine if the screws still have sufficient strength. Should the screws be retightened with a cold or warm engine, or does it not matter? I will start this process next Wednesday and will report here in the forum whether the screws were actually loose and whether the process was able to eliminate the rattling.

Best regards.

hb2000

Hello,

I've described this before, but here's a short summary:

'With my wrenches, all the bolts seemed to have roughly the same amount of play and were easily turned with a standard 1/2-inch ratchet. I then gradually increased the torque in several steps, reaching approximately 110 to 120 Nm, which corresponds to about 120 degrees. During this process, I noticed that the bolts behaved very differently; some were tight, while others felt soft and loose. The 'loose' ones definitely caused some anxiety. But as I said, none of them sheared, and there hasn't been any rattling for over 3000 km. However, the head gasket damage was in the absolute early stages: no coolant loss, no oil in the water, or vice versa.'

Regards,
Thomas.

PS: I now have a summer car (a Golf I Cabrio) in the garage. If the TDI makes even the slightest rattling noise, it won't last until summer; it's going straight to the scrapyard. My need for high-tech... is more than satisfied, especially after I replaced the timing belt on the Golf I Cabrio: 30 euros for the tensioner and belt, a size 6 Allen key, five open-ended wrenches, and an hour of work. Any questions?