Bulletproof Bleeder Screw replacement.....for good!

**MmmBoost** · 01-12-2012 06:00 PM

If anyone has owned their B6 (or 1.8T) for that matter and have ever had to burp some air out of the cooling system.........you've most likely got out a big ass screwdriver and hoped that this wouldn't be the time where the head of the bleed screw snapped off. All the while leaving trying and get what's left of the threads out of the port while coolant pours down the side of your block.

Well I personaly have been through two of the shitting OEM plastic screws and finally decided to replace it with a bolt and a crush washer. My elegant solution works just fine.....as long as you don't have to try and get any air out of the system, because once you loosen the bolt....you need to replace the crush washer, which makes multiple burping a pain in the ass.

I decided to take my idea to a friend of mine with a machine shop who is interested in—at the very least—making me one......for whatever it costs (just to be rid of this issue) but I was wondering if there might be some other interested parties. I know I have seen a number of threads on here and Vortex about snapped bleed screws.....so I can't possibly be the only one.

What would you kids say about a brass or aluminum replacement and never having to worry about your bleed screw ever again? Can I get a show of hands?

Cost is unknown yet as that will depend on material and quantity.

**Charlescrs6** · 01-12-2012 06:08 PM

I'd be in for one. Would be nice if it was black.

**vhstejskal** · 01-12-2012 06:09 PM

In...

**MmmBoost** · 01-12-2012 06:10 PM

Black means either annodizing, powdercoating, or painting.....which means more money.

**Charles.waite** · 01-12-2012 06:17 PM

My bleeder screw is metal. It's got a hex head too. Am I special?

**Pothole** · 01-12-2012 06:28 PM

I thought I heard something about Audi switching to metal ones.....I know the first thing I ever did to my Audi was replace the stupid broken plastic one....I cant remember what is in there now though

**A4natomical** · 01-12-2012 06:30 PM

I thought there were metal bleeder screws available already to fix this issue?

**SleeperAvant** · 01-12-2012 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by Charles.waite

My bleeder screw is metal. It's got a hex head too. Am I special?

I believe there was a technical service bulletin issued by Audi to rectify the failure prone plastic bleeder screw.

**KFizz** · 01-12-2012 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by SleeperAvant

I believe there was a technical service bulletin issued by Audi to rectify the failure prone plastic bleeder screw.

Yea mine has always been a metal hex head.

Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515a using Tapatalk

**MmmBoost** · 01-12-2012 07:10 PM

Damn you!!!!

I have been trying to find a replacement for some time.....it's impossible to find a part number. I even tried going to the stealership and they looked at me like I had 2 heads.

**Charlescrs6** · 01-12-2012 07:19 PM

Mines metal too, but leaking, lol.

**A4Avant02** · 01-12-2012 07:25 PM

Mine is metal too, with a hex head, black too.

**SleeperAvant** · 01-12-2012 07:27 PM

I tried looking for it in ECS but couldn't find it.

**ShogunR32** · 01-12-2012 07:34 PM

Mine broke during a flush, it is currently metal.

**A4SoftWalker** · 01-12-2012 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by MmmBoost

My elegant solution works just fine.....as long as you don't have to try and get any air out of the system, because once you loosen the bolt....you need to replace the crush washer, which makes multiple burping a pain in the ass.

It was all good until I got to this part of the intro.
What use is the screw then?

Bleed with the OEM screw and then replace with this more durable "everyday" screw?

Good idea just make it something we can bleed without having to replace a washer each time we loosen it.

**MmmBoost** · 01-12-2012 07:58 PM

My CURRENT solution is a bolt and crush washer.

The replacement will have an o-ring just like the OEM piece.

**Staz** · 01-12-2012 08:21 PM

im in

**onceover** · 01-12-2012 08:28 PM

Also have a metal one with Allen head

**AudiA4_20T** · 01-12-2012 08:31 PM

Worst idea ever. You don't even need to touch this bleeder screw

**MmmBoost** · 01-12-2012 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by AudiA4_20T

Worst idea ever. You don't even need to touch this bleeder screw

yup. for sure. it was just put there for show.

**Black_Pearl_B6** · 01-12-2012 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by AudiA4_20T

Worst idea ever. You don't even need to touch this bleeder screw

I touched mine both times I did a Tbelt job The diy I read and bentley said to pour coolant in then loosen it to let the air out of the system and to cycle the coolant through the system

**alimo20** · 01-12-2012 10:48 PM

Dear AZ Members.

I give you.. the metal screw!

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/N90534203/ES470119/

"aaahhhhhh"

i just ordered one because i dropped my metal one into the engine bay the last time i was burping the system, losing it forever.

**A4natomical** · 01-12-2012 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by alimo20

Dear AZ Members.

I give you.. the metal screw!

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/N90534203/ES470119/

"aaahhhhhh"

i just ordered one because i dropped my metal one into the engine bay the last time i was burping the system, losing it forever.

Hmm. I would've guessed it would have an o-ring seal like the one Chris posted.

**Charles.waite** · 01-12-2012 11:02 PM

Hah. Well apparently I'm not the only one then. Well regardless I don't see why a nice brass fitting isnt better than the ugly Allen bolt thing I've got. Mines fairly weathered looking. Didn't mean to be the wet blanket on this idea.

**boy412** · 01-13-2012 07:24 AM

I appreciate the time it took to mock that up in SolidWorks...and its a good idea. But with an OEM metal part available I doubt you'll have many takers. It looks pretty though!

**Pothole** · 01-13-2012 08:13 AM

not sure if the thread pitch and size are the same but it looks like the silly Beemers had the same idea

LINK

appreciate all the hard work though

**Dan[FN]6262** · 01-13-2012 08:29 AM

I haz teh metal 1 dat takez da 5mm hex hedz

**iamshayan** · 01-13-2012 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by Dan[FN]6262

I haz teh metal 1 dat takez da 5mm hex hedz

n0 wa1! I alsew haz dat wun. aldo dat wun i has is stripped like a huker redy 4 akshon. I jus use da vice gwips 2 undew itz

**dougyfresh** · 01-13-2012 09:00 AM

You have a plastic screw?

Mine is metal and a 5mm allen head socket.

2002 FTW!

EDIT:

I only read the first post and now just read all the posts. Guess I didn't need to post as its already been stated (and shown) that there is a factory metal screw.

**audinate** · 01-13-2012 09:04 AM

well your vin has to do with it weather you get a metal or plastic piece.

i just recently went to the dealership and that is what i was told. they checked my vin and sold me a plastic piece for $6

**FORCE_FED_DUB** · 01-13-2012 09:24 AM

Would the plastic one correspond to a certain option? Such as cars destined for cold climates? It seems odd that the time and effort was spent on making 2 different bleeder screws...but it is an Audi...

**MmmBoost** · 01-13-2012 10:03 AM

The BMW one is not the correct thread. Our bleed screw is M10x1.5, the BMW one is M10x1.0.

A metal bleed screw is great and it's nice to know all of you guys didn't get the POS plastic ones......but if it has a crush washer it's useless for bleeding. The only thing it's good for is keeping the hole sealed.

If someone can find a part number for a metal screw with an o-ring, then I won't waste my time with the custom piece........or perhaps shipping to canada will kill me on it, so I might as well have one made local.

**Dan[FN]6262** · 01-13-2012 10:21 AM

my bleeder screw is not round, it has a flat spot all the way down, so that it'll bleed.

**Charles.waite** · 01-13-2012 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by MmmBoost

The BMW one is not the correct thread. Our bleed screw is M10x1.5, the BMW one is M10x1.0.

A metal bleed screw is great and it's nice to know all of you guys didn't get the POS plastic ones......but if it has a crush washer it's useless for bleeding. The only thing it's good for is keeping the hole sealed.

If someone can find a part number for a metal screw with an o-ring, then I won't waste my time with the custom piece........or perhaps shipping to canada will kill me on it, so I might as well have one made local.

The crush washer is a good point, though I just bled mine and didn't replace the washer, and I'm fine. I'm fine with my setup though if it ever failed, having a replacement with an o-ring would probably be a better solution. As long as the o-ring was high quality and lasted...

**AndreyMan** · 01-13-2012 10:34 AM

I just bled my system through the expansion tank. Is using the bleed screw absolutely necessary?

**Charles.waite** · 01-13-2012 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by AndreyMan

I just bled my system through the expansion tank. Is using the bleed screw absolutely necessary?

Well if you have any air trapped in that part of the system its kind of the only way to easily get it out...

**boy412** · 01-13-2012 10:49 AM

Let us know if you go through with this Chris. I'd buy one...although probably not necessary unless I'm pushing 400 bhp.

[/sarcasm]

**walky_talky20** · 01-13-2012 01:27 PM

I've never had a problem making the crush washer reseal. I don't think the fact it's a crush washer makes it useless at all. The factory drain plugs use a crush washer as well, and they certainly aren't replacing those things at every oil change. /IMHO

The vin-split for the metal>plastic bleeder screw is listed as 8E-4-170 000.

I haven't done the conversion from plastic to metal before, but I think it is just a drop in replacement. Both are listed as the same thread pitch in ETKA (although I can't confirm that to be true, and I'm slightly skeptical). This guy seems to have done the conversion on an 05 with no issues:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.co...&ct=clnk&gl=us

Can anybody else confirm the conversion?