RE: When it rains it pours!

["Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz@kla-tencor.com>]

Thanks for the detailed description of the procedure Dave!  I did order all
new hoses, the heater control valve and the seal from Carlsen yesterday and
will pick them up here in a bit.  Interestingly enough I called around to
another Audi dealer and also a VW dealer saying that they were parts for a
Quantum Syncro.  I was worried that I would need one of the hoses and wanted
to try all reasonable means to get one yesterday.  I found that there was
quite a bit of variation between the sources for some reason ... it was not
the case that the prces were all scaled.  The VW dealer had the highest
price for the valve and the seal, but the lowest price for one of the hoses!
I guess that Audi & VW price based on how often they are used ...

In any event I did get the problem to recur, and fortunately it was not the
head gasket ... the hose that attaches the back of the block to the heater
core developed a pinhole leak that would spray a thin stream of coolant
conveniently on the exhaust manifold!  I hacked the end off the hose and
refastened it as a temporary measure, but I'm going to want to remove the
flange so that I can clean it up before attaching the new hose.  You know
that in all my Audi-years of experience I've never had to replace a hose
that goes through the firewall?  I guess I'll find out this weekend how much
of a PITA this is.  Perhaps when I go to pick up the hoses I'll find out if
they have a heater core in stock ...

Thanks to all for the suggestions!

... maybe then I can get back to the wagon ...

Have a great weekend all!
Steve Buchholz
San Jose, CA (USA)

> ----------
> Re: a colant leak, Steve B. wrote:
> My primary suspects are the heater valve and the seal inside the back end
> of
> the block (where the metal hose is attached with a single bolt! 
> 
> Steve,
> An experienced audi mechanic once pointed out this heater hose to engine
> adapter/flange as a common failure/leak area, so I have kept an eye on
> mine.
> It seeped slowly for several years and was getting worse (on my 87 5KS) so
> I recently fixed it.   What I found is the flange is attached with one
> bolt
> and sealed with an O-ring.  Loosen the bolt and >withdraw< the flange.  It
> is inserted several centimeters into the engine.  The old O-ring was very
> hard and I think would eventually let go altogether if left unattended.
> It
> is a metric size O-ring and I ended up buying it from the Dealer.  I first
> tried a local plumbing supply shop but their 5 cent O-rings were not
> metric
> and the closest size available would not work.  The fix was done about a
> month ago and hasn't leaked a drop since.  
>