Water coming out of bottom of expansion tank

[Steve Sears]

Jeffrey,
Running straight water is a recipe for disaster - for the cost of _proper_ 
coolant (cheap - even the stuff that you get from the dealer) you're running 
the risk of destroying your engine.  The coolant runs through both the 
engine and the turbocharger - and I dare say that even though the needle in 
the dash, which gets a signal through the "multi-malfunction" sensor on the 
top engine water jacket manifold, you're running above boiling temps in at 
least the turbocharger.  You could have an external leak (you have seen the 
coolant reservoir leaking, find out if it's truly leaking or the cap is 
blowing off pressure), or an internal one - the water jacket is very close 
to the cylinder at the back (firewall end) of the engine and when the head 
gasket lets go then the cylinder is pressurizing the water jacket.  For an 
internal leak, look for steam in the cylinder (remove plug after short 
drive, hold inspection mirror over plug hole: fog = leak), or oil in the 
coolant.  If you had tested out the thermostat in a pot on the stove you 
would see that it's very difficult to get tap water to open the t-stat 
(depending on your elevation above sea level) - the last time I checked one 
I used oil as the water would boil before the stat would open.  If the stat 
isn't opening and you're boiling water in the engine you won't see too much 
flow past the temperature sender that signals the dash.  If there's no water 
escaping when the car's cool, then you probably have water hitting the 
boiling point (that's just one of the many reasons you use "coolant") in the 
block when the car's hot and the steam is forcing the water out of the 
reservoir through the cap.
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
1980 Audi 5000
1987 Audi 5000 Turbo Quattro
----- Original Message ----- 
> From: JeffreyZentner at aol.com
> Subject: Water coming out of bottom of expansion tank
> To: quattro at audifans.com
> Message-ID: <c19.33dec913.35230758 at aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
>
> I am having a problem with the water coming out of the expansion tank. I 
> have
> replaced the Radiator and Thermostat. The system does not seam to leak 
> when I
> am driving. Today I went to work and back about 35 miles each way and the
> nettle was at about 1/4 but when I got home the water started coming out 
> of the
> bottom of the expansion tank. After it cooled off I removed the expansion 
> tank.
> The tank had about 1/4 of an inch of water in it. The Radiator was full to
> the top of the hose that goes to the bottom of the expansion tank. I am 
> running
> straight water and I know that is not helping. What is causing the water 
> to
> come out?
>
>
> Jeff Zentner
> Alta CA
>
> 88 5KTQ
>
> "Life is easier if you learn to plow
> around the stumps"