Audi A4 (1995 - 2000) - 97 1.8T Head gasket blown.

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Sun 10 Aug 2008 17:01
97 1.8T Head gasket blown. - stuart1077
The cylinder head gasket has recently blown on my A4 1.8T Sport. The cooling system os FULL of oil and we cannot find the cause. The head was slightly warped when tested by the local engineers but it would be good to find something else that caused this!

The oil cooler has been checked and is fine. The water pump is yet to be checked but will be replaced as a new one is only £25 for a genuine Audi pump.

Does anyone know anything about what is known to cause the gasket to fail on these engines?

Also what products are there on the market that will get rid of the huge amount of oil in the cooling system. I've been told that putting washing powder into the system and running it at high idle for ten minutes can be good!!!

Thanks,
Stuart

Edited by Pugugly on 10/08/2008 at 18:52

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Sun 10 Aug 2008 17:15
97 1.8 Head gasket blown on 1997 A4 1.8T Sport - Screwloose
The oil cooler has been checked and is fine.


Check it again!
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Sun 10 Aug 2008 17:19
97 1.8 Head gasket blown on 1997 A4 1.8T Sport - stuart1077
I don't know a lot about this subject but my mechanic has had the oil cooler off the car and checked it in a basin of water for leaks but he seems confident everything is fine!
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Sun 10 Aug 2008 17:33
97 1.8 Head gasket blown on 1997 A4 1.8T Sport - Screwloose

That's just about the most pointless cooler test I've ever heard of! It will only leak under pressure. Seen dozens leak oil on this engine.

Find a bit of tube [solid round bar would do] the same size as the water stubs on the cooler. Remove the hoses from the cooler and connect them together with the aforementioned tube/bar.

Run the engine; if oil oozes from the water stubs on the cooler - it's bin-fodder.
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Sun 10 Aug 2008 22:21
97 1.8 Head gasket blown on 1997 A4 1.8T Sport - George Porge
Find a bit of tube [solid round bar would do] the same size as the
water stubs on the cooler. Remove the hoses from the cooler and connect them together
with the aforementioned tube/bar.


Stolen from another forum (copyright D Hill)

tinyurl.com/5tbowy

Remove the cooler and fit a tyre valve to one side of the water outlets of the cooler and plug the other end, dunk the cooler into a bucket of water and pressurise with either a foot pump or a tyre inflator set initially to around 12 PSI and watch for air bubbles escaping from the oil side of the cooler.

HTH

Edited by Dox on 10/08/2008 at 22:26

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Sun 10 Aug 2008 22:55
97 1.8 Head gasket blown on 1997 A4 1.8T Sport - Screwloose
Ahh; I'd forgotten Dave's little method. Not sure anywhere but a garage is going to have all the bits needed lying around.

[He'll hate a trade secret like that getting out into DIY hands... Very anti-assistance chap - we've had blunt words on the subject.]

I still prefer the method I detailed above; the pressure's up to five times higher and it's getting hot. Only needs a bit of tube too.

Edited by Screwloose on 10/08/2008 at 22:58

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Sun 10 Aug 2008 23:24
97 1.8 Head gasket blown on 1997 A4 1.8T Sport - George Porge
A piece of cycle inner tube, a marker pen top or a suitable diameter screwdriver handle and a foot pump.

The 12 PSI is just a starting point. You could also use the footpump hose and the spare wheel a little like gunsons easibleed set up.

;o)
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Mon 1 Sep 2008 13:58
97 1.8T Head gasket blown. - stuart1077
Turns out the water pump was screwed!!!!

Cheers to all!
Stuart
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Mon 1 Sep 2008 15:21
97 1.8T Head gasket blown. - Screwloose

So how does a failed water pump fill the coolant with oil??
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Mon 1 Sep 2008 16:51
97 1.8T Head gasket blown. - Peter D
Do you mean the pump was shot the engine overheated and popped the gasket. There is no oil way in a waterpump. Regards Peter
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