Water sloshing sound

[Tom leeming]

Hi guys

Need some help, I have a a3 2l tdi on an 05, when start up I have a water sloshing sound behind the dash, and under acceleration. No over heating and very small coolant loose once every 3 or 4 weeks, no sign of head gasket with no water in oil, no overheating. Have read it could be heater core faulty but dont want to take dash apart to find out??

[Steve Q]

My advice would be to check your battery tray and scuttle panel as the water drains get block and they fill with water. It will eventually get through the holes in the bulkhead and into the cabin. So I'd be checking your carpets to see if they're wet. 

Cheers

Steve

[Tom leeming]

Is this the scuttle panel what the wipers sit in??

[cliffcoggin]

You may have an air lock in the heater. Try turning the temperature up to maximum for a few minutes once the engine is hot and run it at moderate speed. If any air is shifted you should see the level drop in the header tank.

Do you know where the leak is from?

[Tom leeming]

Not got a clue, check all the pipes no leak, had the header tank replaced recently as had a little crack in it! It sounds like when I start it up someone is turning on a hose pipe and its rushing through! Normally on start up and hard acceleration? Anyone on here near Norwich for diagnosis???

[Steve Q]

17 hours ago, Tom leeming said:

Is this the scuttle panel what the wipers sit in??

Yep it is 👍

[cliffcoggin]

Pity you didn't mention the new header tank earlier. To change that tank the cooling system must be partly drained, which will introduce air into the system. If I was a betting man I'd put money on your cooling system needing to have air bled out of it.

Nevertheless Steve's suggestion should not be ignored as it is a much easier problem to fix first.

[Tom leeming]

Is there a DIY fix I can do myself to bleed the system? I've heard Park on a steep hill facing upwards, open the header tank run up to temperature with the fan on hot and full and top up the coolant? 

[Magnet]

Hello Tom,

Did the noise start, or not, when the header tank was replaced?

Kind regards,

Gareth.

[Tom leeming]

It's been there for a while, makes me think I've got a leak somewhere 

[Magnet]

Hello Tom,

So we can reasonably discount any connection between header tank renewal and the start of this issue. 

Back to Steve’s suggestion? 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Steve Q]

Definitely check where I said because if there is water there and it gets into your cabin it can do major damage to the vehicle electrics! Easy way to find out if you have the issue before dismantling the scuttle panel is to check if you have wet carpets. 

[Tom leeming]

Hi guys, I have had the car on a incline today run it up to temperature to 90 degrees, for some reason fan didn't kick in which I'm quite surprised about and the noise didn't go away either so stuck with what to do really?? Help???

[Magnet]

Hello Tom,

Perhaps it’s me missing something, but have you inspected where Steve suggested? 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

 

[cliffcoggin]

DuckDuckGo revealed many suggestions:

https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/how-do-you-bleed-the-air-out-of-the-cooling-system.87168/

https://www.fixya.com/cars/t1866067-bleed_coolant_system_audi_a3

http://audifans.net/ftopicp-88989.html

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=127037

[Tom leeming]

Yeah I've checked the scuttle pans which had some leaves in and the drain holes I cleaned out as they had a little bit of leaves in them

[Tom leeming]

I've got mildly warm heat coming out of the heater, the level on my coolant is on the minimum level but the sloshing sound is still there? I've heard in one of those threads about realising one of the heater core hoses to the pin hole to release air and this has fixed certain peoples problems, is anyone in the norfolk area on here where I could take my vehicle to finally get this sorted because the noise is driving me crazy!

[cliffcoggin]

Tom.

What, if anything, have you actually attempted to resolve the problem in practical terms? None of us can advise appropriately unless you tell us what you have done and what has failed.

[Tom leeming]

I have had the header tank replaced and try to bleed the system myself. But I cant get rid of the noise and checked the scuttle panels as advised 

[cliffcoggin]

I give up. Without specific and exact explanation of the techniques you have tried I can be of no further assistance, so I am withdrawing from the discussion. Good luck in solving the problem.

[Tom leeming]

So I have tried running the car upto temperature with the cap of the header tank and squeezing both top.and bottom hoses to try and expel some of the air. With my car upto 90 temperature my fan didn't kick in either. Also whilst doing this I had the car on an incline as well to see if I could push the air out but its still not fixing the issue. Any advice?? Any other techniques I can try to get rid of this noise. I have also done as suggested and checked and flushed the drain holes on the scuttle panel

[Steve Q]

On 6/19/2020 at 1:12 PM, Tom leeming said:

So I have tried running the car upto temperature with the cap of the header tank and squeezing both top.and bottom hoses to try and expel some of the air. With my car upto 90 temperature my fan didn't kick in either. Also whilst doing this I had the car on an incline as well to see if I could push the air out but its still not fixing the issue. Any advice?? Any other techniques I can try to get rid of this noise. I have also done as suggested and checked and flushed the drain holes on the scuttle panel

I'd be getting it to a garage for a professional diagnosis and repair