Ok, I had a small leak which I thought was at the coolant temp sensor and the heater hose connection. Well I tried to get the heater hose off the xover and it wouldn’t budge. In the process of to get it off to replace the clamp it broke, coolant everywhere.
Well I still couldn’t get the remaining flange end on the crossover off, so I hit at it with an extension and a set of cobra pliers, and after what seemed like an hour i got it off prying and hitting with a long flat blade. I guess with age it put up a fight, and I didn’t realize you can’t turn it being it’s notched on both sides. I got the VW oem repair one on with a worm gear clamp pretty tight by the flat blade (so much show it was starting to skip out of the notch if I tried tighter)
Then I went to install the Üro coolant temp sensor, clip, and o-ring. I had a hard time getting the stock one out. Broke the edges yanking and turning same deal. I tried to get the new one in and it wouldn’t go, then realized the old o ring was frozen in there. I tried to push it in a few times while there then realized. I got it, the old o ring was rock hard flat and in pieces. Then cleaned the edges where the o ring sits with the flat blade a little to make sure it was clean. It still fought me to install it, but after I lubed it with straight coolant it went in pushing the sensor with the flat blade between the prongs from the top and slipped the clip in. Topped it off, job done.
Well overnight, temps here at night are in the low to mid 20s sometimes, the next morning big patch of coolant on the ground. Because the cts was fighting me to seat properly. I thought that’s gotta be it. Removed the cap, removed the cts, coolant all over the place again, then finally stopped. I took the o-ring off and seated it first and pressed it in well into the crevices, then put the sensor in same way with driver clip on.IMG_4806.JPG
Topped off to the max coolant level. Bam next morning same thing big patch on the ground. So later that evening hit my buddy up with a garage to pressure test and help watch in there while I pump it up to 10 or so psi. My tester setup leaked coolant cuz it wasn’t all the way holding the pressure. We sorted that, pumped it up and it held 10 psi for a while didn’t go down, no leaks, big piece of foam board on the ground, nothing on that side.
Topped the coolant system off and tried again, nothing. I thought well maybe cuz the thermostat isn’t open and it’s not that full back there at the pipe it won’t leak. So turned it on let the needle get to the middle, pumped it up to 10 psi, let it sit for a half hour... nothing no leak, pressure didn’t go down.
Let it sit at night had some beers and food 3 hours came out no visible ground leak, considered the heat cycling and pressure testing maybe it seated better if it’s the o ring. Well let it sit 2 nights, came out and very big presence of leak on the ground maybe like 2 feet. I’m lost, I should have left it alone lol
1. It’s the O-ring/xover fitment at CTS - the sensor looked kinda wet to me. At cold temp just doesn’t seal.
2. The worm clamp isn’t enough at the heater hose at cold temp and drips or isn’t on quite right. I’ve held it at running temp, no feel of leak, felt pretty well seated. Seems the more pertinent place to really leak out given it’s location and the cts has to flow up and out this will drip at a low point.
3. From hitting the heater hose off, the impacts got the Xover funky at the head and it leaks when cold. I guess the bolts are only at 7 ft lbs. I didn’t go too crazy hitting it but the damn old heater hose coupler wouldn’t budge. With the pressure test, I mean it’s gonna hit the trans there and not the ground right away and be hard to see, same as the CTS I think. This would suck and this would be hardest to see I think.
4. Low probability, pressure testing hurt the rear main seal coolant jacket seal, or my coolant isn’t mixed quite right enough and freeze plugs opened? Not sure how that works but if it froze and they open to protect the motor it would leak, but it’s in the same region where the two things I was working on are. I have coolant in there but between topping it off with distilled water here and there then straight coolant, not sure if that’s at play. I’m pretty sure if that happens it would be obvious and I would need new freeze plugs.
I’m at wits end here without emptying the coolant system to remove the heater hose to tighten it further with a ratchet (clamp is in a odd spot when I put it in) I’m hoping another brand o-ring in the CTS just isn’t sealing right.
I also can pressure test again at cold temp to see if that would make a difference. I got two things of coolant ready, and the other side heater hose doorman plastic flange and another Üro o-ring and clip for the driver side. But I want to take care of the passenger side first, so I don’t have to keep topping off the coolant and it’s leak free. That was the plan.
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Originally Posted by CELison
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