Suspected coolant leak...

Inexperienced Joined: Mar 28, 2014 Posts: 30

Hi, I'm new to these forums, they have given me plenty of useful information. But I can't find anything related to my problem.

As I start the car up (Audi 80 1.8S 1988), there is a small transparent smoke coming from behind the engine somewhere, but it's hard to make out exactly where. It's not a lot of smoke, just a little bit. And it does smell like coolant.

I can provide with pictures, but not at this exact moment, I can post some pics tomorrow.

Does anyone know what could cause the leak? Feel free to suggest things.

Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 5:55 am

does it matter if the engine is hot or cold Simeon ?

Inexperienced Joined: Mar 28, 2014 Posts: 30

No, I don't think so. It starts to smoke a few seconds after it's started. With cold and hot engine.

Inexperienced Joined: Mar 28, 2014 Posts: 30

Pictures:

In the middle of the picture is the area where the smoke comes from.

It's obviously somewhere in this area that the "leak" is.

Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 8:10 pm

smoke when cold could be an exhaust gasket or electrical no doubt amongst others but it's a start

Inexperienced Joined: Mar 28, 2014 Posts: 30

I doubt it's electrical, because that has a special smell.

An exhaust gasket...don't think so, but I will look at it.

I noticed yesterday that the coolant tank was empty(!), so it must be something related to that. I will refill it and see what happens.

Audi Nut Joined: Feb 04, 2010 Posts: 62

hi the heater hoses go through the bulkhead around there so maybe something to do with them does the heater work and what happens with the temp gauge allan..

Inexperienced Joined: Mar 28, 2014 Posts: 30

Last time I checked, the heater worked in the car.

Haven't really checked the temp gauge, I will let it idle for a bit tomorrow and see what happens.

Aaand I will check those heater hoses too.

Camped on the site Joined: Aug 06, 2005 Posts: 231

Yesterday, I was out trying to trace a coolant leak on my car (90 20v). I had a pool of water on the engine undertray and resting on a ledge of the cylinder block. Mine turned out to be leaking from the cylinder block coolant outlet flange (the top radiator hose) - it was a broken jubilee clip.

Anyway, I would suggest do what I did:

- familiarise yourself with the cooling system for your car, particularly where all pipes and connections are.
1988 Audi 80 4 cylinder carburettor cooling system.

- if unfamiliar, learn how the cooling system works, particularly the direction of coolant flow and when certain coolant hoses should be getting hot.
Video.

- trace all parts of cooling system when started from cold. I removed a few plastic covers (radiator cover and engine undertray), so I could see all cooling system pipes more easily.

Inexperienced Joined: Mar 28, 2014 Posts: 30

Thanks for the tips Obli!

I have located the source of the smoke, it comes from here:

And I'm pretty sure that this is the hose and pipe in the picture above:

EDIT: The heater works just fine. And it goes up in temperature just like it should.

Inexperienced Joined: Mar 28, 2014 Posts: 30

Update! I have yet to find the leak behind the engine, but now I have found another one, though it's just a broken small hose going from the valve cover to the "air-can". I'm wondering what the purpose of this/these hose/s are. Tell me if you know.

I have a picture to explain it a bit better: There is a small bit of hose going out of the valve cover, then a L-shaped tube, then another piece of hose going into the "air-can", the hose closest to the can was broken. There was some water running out from it when I took it out.

English is not my mother language, so excuse my weird writing Razz