Howdy, this morning while I was getting ready for work, I noticed that my car had a very noticeable big puddle underneath the engine bay, (I thought that it was still leaking some power steering fluid, as I overfilled it a tad bit just a couple days ago..silly me) the puddle underneath the car was radiator coolant. I drove the car yesterday and it ran just fine, parked it and there was no coolant of any kind dripping underneath the car. Overall temperature of car was normal, no overheating or anything like that..

Car sat in the same place overnight, and as said before, I was awoken to a big trail of coolant.

Checked the engine bay to see that the coolant reservoir was completely empty. All the hoses/clamps are secured and tightened, and there are no rips/tears in the hoses present. Coolant does lead itself in a runny trail that leads to the oil pan and proceeds to drip off of that.

I'll get some pictures up later once I get back home..If it helps, I drive a '96 A4 2.8 V6

 

Is the trail off the front of the motor? Probably either water pump or the stat gasket. If it's the pump, you need to pay attention. If the pump gives out, your timing belt goes slack and it's bye bye valves.

 

Sounds like once the car cools down the leak is present. Maybe before you head out for the day after the car has been sitting over night, climb under the car and have a look to see if you can see it dripping.

Jason

 

Trail leads off back of the engine and drips down the oil pan. I would believe that a gasket needs to be changed. And yeah, don't really want to the pump to give out...I'll take a closer look at everything once again tomorrow.

 

Exactly, as I said before, car ran well with no problems..next morning there's a big puddle of coolant all over the place. I did manage, however, to put a piece of long cardboard underneath the engine bay today. Came back home and noticed that the coolant is still dripping out. Either way, I think it's just time to have another look at everything. Worst case scenario is the water pump actually did give out; and that I'm stuck with a Timing Belt job...oh well. I shall have another look at everything tomorrow.

 

Thank you Jason (ECS Tuning) and mtroxel!

 

Back of the motor feels more like the tank, or that coolant tube that runs behind the motor and connects the two cylinder banks.

 

After some more thought about the water pump it could even be the water pump gasket. Most replace them with a paper gasket which can fail quite easily.

OEM is metal I'm pretty sure. Just another thought.

Jason

 

Tell you what Jason, I got a "deal" on a timing belt kit (not from you guys) for my 30v 2.8 that included a square shaped gasket for the stat instead of the O ring type OEM stat gasket. 15,000 miles later I'm ripping the front of my motor off again to change the stat gasket.

Cheaper is not always cheaper. You can quote me on that.

 

I agree. My philosophy has always been "buy nice or buy twice" hasn't failed me yet!

Jason