An other cooling issue and waterpump replacement.

[Frans_T5]

For about three weeks ago I became a check cooling level message when I switched on the ignition.
So open the bonnet and yes the expansion vessel was almost empty.
It took about 1L coolant to top her of to the max indication line.
Removing the oil filler cap show me the worse, a big chunk of mayonnaise on the cap en the filler tube was white of sludge for more than 3/4.

This was alarming.
I drove the Cali to my garage en the discovered a leaking coolant pump
The previous pump was replaced July 2018, that year we had a broken oil cooler, and ending with a load of engine oil in the expansion bottle.
So the oil cooler and water pump has been replaced at that time and we have drove about 11000...12.000 miles before we ran in to the previous failure. Not much miles and another costly repair.







It turned out that a leaking water pump and blocked drain-hole causing coolant entering the crankcase.



Im my opinion this drain connection should be inspected and cleaned at each engine oil change!
It looks if the 2018 water pump has been fitted incorrectly and the QUAD-ring at the coolant side of the pump may got damage during that installation.
I hope the problem has been fixed for at least 80...100 miles more to drive.
This Cali has been quite a money pit, at 61.000 miles first coolant pump, at 77.000miles main shaft gearbox seized up due to a ball-baring failure, two mass flywheel clutch and gearbox overhaul, at 102000miles defective oil-cooler oil in coolant, water pump replacement , at 108120miles an other water pump failure.

So generally I'm not so happy with the build quality of our Cali.
Ours build 2006, 2.5l TDI AXD engine, 130Hp 4motion. Cost those day's 75000 Pounds (GPB)
I hope that many of us have more luck with their Cali's.

Yours,
Frans...

 

[jts46]

According to your avatar it is a T5 beach, i didn’t realise they produced it in 2006 with an AXD engine?

 

[Frans_T5]

Hi,
Our bus is an California build 2006, 2.5l AXD engine. 4motion.

Yours,

Frans

 

[jts46]

Hi,
Our bus is an California build 2006, 2.5l AXD engine. 4motion.

Yours,

Frans

So it’s not a Beach then

 

[Frans_T5]

Additional information, Our Cali bus isn't a beach, but in the profile selection I could not select just California. It is a factory build full option California.
Our next objective will be cylinder head replacement, the AXD engine is well know for cylinder head wear. (the AXD engine has been used from early 2004 until late 2007... early 2008)
The injectors due to the high pressure and poor fixation will hammer them self out of the cylinder head.
Low pressure diesel will sip from the injector housing in to the engine oil and if discovered to late you end up with extensive wear on the majority of the engine bearings specially the camshaft bearings and rockers, This problem will appear round 200000 miles and cost you cheapest a cylinder head, gasket, and labour estimate 2000 pound minimum.

Coolant pump issues, generally all 5 cylinder VW engines suffer from this issue!

Yours,

Frans.