[Vwdiesel] Vwdiesel Digest, Vol 84, Issue 5

[brian gochnauer]

> I could smell the coolant being released from the cap.

Are you sure it was the ' from the cap' ?? ... while driving...

Like me, my son just when to Colorado Rocky Mtns and sprung a leak in the
EGR coolant lines they are very cheap 'formed' hoses (at least on my '04) so
I replaced with goodyear heater hose; a much heavier duty hose.
For coolant to leave the reservoir; air does need to get in; I wouldn't
assume a cylinder head leak. imho

BrianG
Iowa

Date: Sun, 3 Oct 2010 18:05:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: Dave Cook <davevw at yahoo.com>
Subject: [Vwdiesel] '01 Jetta TDI, Head Gasket
To: Audi-VW-Diesels Group <Audi-VW-Diesels at yahoogroups.com>,    VW Diesel
       Group <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
Message-ID: <940049.17779.qm at web110103.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
My friend's TDI Jetta seems to need a head gasket.  For some time, it has
been losing coolant mysteriously.  No leak has ever been observed.
 Recently, I saw bubbles going into the reservoir tank.  And on a mountain
trip, I could smell the coolant being released from the cap as the Jetta
worked to drive up a steep road.
So I think I will be replacing the head gasket in the car.
It has 184,000 miles.  We kinda figured that the timing belt would be
replaced, but not the hardware as that was all replaced at 130000ish miles.
So the job can be planned out, what all else would you recommend doing at
that time?  How about the head?  Assuming everything looks ok (and checks
out flat, etc) would you worry about reworking it and such?
Other things to consider?
Dave Cook