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> Is my Audi A4 head cracked? What to do?, Last update. 10/13. Spewing coolant.
jk76.914
post Sep 5 2011, 07:27 AM
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I may be in a pickle. My daughter's 2004 Audi A4 1.8T, 105,000 miles, was using some coolant. I looked and looked and looked, there was no evidence of a leak. It used about a pint every 500-1000 miles, so I thought there should be some visible sign, but no. There's no symptom at all. Nothing wet, driveway dry, no smoke, starts good, runs fine....

But then yesterday, after topping it off again, I changed the plugs. The threads on the #4 plug were wet. The other three not. I'm guessing a crack from the plug to the water jacket somehow, and it probably opens up at temperature, seeping coolant into the combustion chamber.

What do you guy's think? The wet threads seem to confirm the diagnosis... Any other ideas? Anybody know if these things are prone to cracking?

Any danger in trying a Bars Leaks sealant? They're pretty well regarded, I think, and they have four products for cracks, head gaskets, etc... I'm thinking of trying the mildest first.

She commutes from Boston to Rhode Island daily, putting about 400 miles on the car every week.

Here's a picture of the 5 valve combustion chamber I found on line. Lots of opportunities here for cracks... Help!

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jk76.914   Is my Audi A4 head cracked? What to do?   Sep 5 2011, 07:27 AM
kg6dxn   Might be a cracked head. Might be a head gasket. E...   Sep 5 2011, 07:39 AM
914.SBC   Thats too bad. Sounds like a cracked head and hope...   Sep 5 2011, 07:48 AM
vtursi60   Red Devil makes a good product for crack heads .   Sep 5 2011, 08:11 AM
HAM Inc   It is more likely that you have a head gasket fail...   Sep 5 2011, 09:32 AM
r_towle   It is more likely that you have a head gasket fai...   Sep 5 2011, 10:58 AM
rohar   1.8ts are prone to head gasket leaks at over 100k....   Sep 5 2011, 09:43 AM
Valy   I bet is just the gasket. Pull the head and check....   Sep 5 2011, 10:39 AM
jk76.914   Thanks for all the replies. Groan. Not sure if I...   Sep 5 2011, 12:35 PM
r_towle   Randolf Racing. My buddy brings his audi there all...   Sep 5 2011, 12:37 PM
Bleyseng   Says "Made in Taiwan" so I wouldn't ...   Sep 5 2011, 12:41 PM
HAM Inc   Rich I've repaired many-a M20, M50,-M54 BMW ...   Sep 5 2011, 12:43 PM
Mikey914   10:1 on the headgasket, especially if you are runn...   Sep 5 2011, 11:28 PM
jk76.914   It sounds like the head has to come off either way...   Sep 6 2011, 02:20 AM
HAM Inc   Jim it's definitely possible that you have a c...   Sep 6 2011, 07:47 AM
r_towle   could be the gasket blew right between the water j...   Sep 6 2011, 03:40 PM
jk76.914   Thanks Rich. I'm in Newburyport, so European ...   Sep 6 2011, 06:00 PM
kg6dxn   Your cooling system is blowing steam into the cumb...   Sep 6 2011, 06:06 PM
brant   I HATE all "stop leak" or "head gas...   Sep 6 2011, 06:12 PM
jk76.914   I HATE all "stop leak" or "head ga...   Sep 6 2011, 06:23 PM
Dr Evil   There is no way that water could have gotten into ...   Sep 6 2011, 07:40 PM
rohar   There is no way that water could have gotten into...   Sep 6 2011, 07:58 PM
jk76.914   There is no way that water could have gotten into...   Sep 7 2011, 04:01 AM
cary   I'm just finishing up the same kind of thing o...   Sep 7 2011, 12:27 AM
jk76.914   Then for some reason I look under the big Y-pipe ...   Sep 7 2011, 04:05 AM
HAM Inc   I agree 100%! They make a real mess in the c...   Sep 7 2011, 07:24 AM
r_towle   wanna see if its still leaking...its simple. Pull ...   Sep 7 2011, 08:28 AM
r_towle   go to EMS..tell Michael that Rich Towle sent you.....   Sep 7 2011, 08:32 AM
jk76.914   go to EMS..tell Michael that Rich Towle sent you....   Sep 8 2011, 03:57 AM
Scott Schroeder   one other thing to check.... The heater core. Unfo...   Sep 8 2011, 09:03 PM
Jake Raby   Fix it right. The stop leak crap is pure bullshit ...   Sep 8 2011, 10:04 PM
HAM Inc   Yep. The fix for this problem is not in a bottle...   Sep 9 2011, 08:00 AM
r_towle   If he went to Mike he should be fine. He has been ...   Sep 9 2011, 08:12 AM
jk76.914   If he went to Mike he should be fine. He has been...   Sep 9 2011, 08:34 AM
Cap'n Krusty   Have you looked at the water fitting on the back o...   Sep 9 2011, 08:55 AM
cary   Another thought. You're probably already there...   Sep 9 2011, 09:22 AM
Eddie914   Sounds like a "marginal" head gasket to ...   Sep 9 2011, 09:28 AM
Drums66   .....Trade it in on an R-8 :first: (you'll be...   Sep 9 2011, 11:22 AM
r_towle   a pressure test properly done will show all leaks....   Sep 9 2011, 01:18 PM
jk76.914   OK, I'm home I made it to EMS and met Mike. ...   Sep 9 2011, 07:56 PM
rohar   Still can't connect to the plug threads, but ...   Sep 10 2011, 07:34 AM
jk76.914   I'm overdue for an update... Took the car in...   Sep 30 2011, 04:18 AM
jk76.914   Last post on this topic. Car is spewing coolant. ...   Oct 13 2011, 03:51 AM


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