Losing coolant

[Garyb]

 I baught an Audi a3 on monday an its losen coolant rapidly the bottle was empty i losen the top an this happened...

[Magnet]

Hello Gary,

Thanks for being in touch, and sorry to hear of your issue. 
If this car is emptying its reservoir then there is something (probably seriously) wrong with it. Exactly what? - the car would need inspecting to find out. 
Any evidence of external leaks? 
You video is not telling me very much, since the camera is moving about too much!  
My first port of call would be to get in touch with the seller. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Garyb]

There is no leaks visible it only started coming out the reservoir wen i started to open the cap wen the engine was hot because i noticed it was empty i really hope it not the head thats gone an its just a water pump he said he had a new thermostat fitted but shurly that cant be the issue 

[Magnet]

Who is ‘he’ Gary? Trade or private sale? 
Did the car overheat (on the gauge) before the coolant disappeared? 
‘Thermostat.….can’t be the issue’. I wouldn’t be so sure until you let us know if it overheated or not? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Garyb]

No it doesnt over heat it was a private sale 

[cliffcoggin]

Gary.

Repeating Gareth's question, and adding a few of my own. Did the temperature guage show it to be overheating? Are there any other symptoms like smoke from the exhaust, mis-firing, lack of power, black or emulsified oil in the sump? Do you have a full service history? What engine is it? How many miles has it done?

[Garyb]

Not the temp seems fine just stays at 90 no overheating not noticed any smoke i undone the oil cap oil looks black but no milky signs no back fireing powers seems good it a 1.9ltr think it seem to lose more coolant wen i put my foot down iys done 11100 miles he had it serviced at halfords 2 wks b4 i baught it he had new thermostat fittled an has a new oil cooler in the book that he didn't hav time to fit 

[cliffcoggin]

Well if the temperature guage reads normal yet the engine overheats my first thought is that there is no water circulation. The obvious culprit would be a faulty thermostat, or the system was left air locked after changing the stat. Alternatively the water pump could be faulty, though that should have been replaced many thousands of miles ago on a 1.9 litre diesel. The service history, which you have not mentioned, would show if the pump had been changed.

[Magnet]

Hello Gary,

I too am confused when you say the car overheated, yet the temperature gauge stayed at 90. So how do you know it overheated?? 
Have you got a receipt for the work carried out by Halfords two weeks ago? 
Was this done at a Halfords near to you? If so, return it there. 
If not, visit your local Halfords service centre armed with your receipt, and talk with them.

My stab at this is that either the fitted thermostat is faulty, and/or the coolant system wasn’t bled properly. 
Of course, this assumption may be way off the mark, if the car has been used without problem in the two weeks following the thermostat being fitted. 
How far did you drive this car from where you bought it, to where you live? 
Kind regards,

Gareth.

[Garyb]

It doesnt overheat yea i hav the receipt for the work done an the i took it to a mechanic today he thi ks its a faulty thermostat he had it on the ramp for an hr he said no leaks then took it for a run noticed it started blowing cold air then checked the thermostat an said it was cold one side so he thinks its that £70 for new one an fitted 

[Magnet]

Hello Gary, 

OK, sorry, I’ll give up asking if it’s overheating - you told us it was, now you tell us it doesn’t. 
A new thermostat sounds a good try, but if this were mine, I would be investing in a good make ( probably unlike the one which Halfords apparently fitted). If I’ve got this right, your mechanic is going to supply and fit? - a new thermostat for £75. If so, I would think that would mean fitting a cheap thermostat, and wouldn’t be for me. Buy once and wisely - you are already ‘paying twice’ for the same job! 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[cliffcoggin]

I too am confused as to whether the car is overheating or not. The little I could see from Gary's shaky video seemed to show steam and hot water spraying out of the header tank, which indicates overheating. If that is not the case we need Gary to clarify what exactly the video was supposed to show.

[Garyb]

Sorry if hav confused you about the over heating the temp gage goes the middle of the gage witch is 90 it goes upto 120 i didn't think that was it overheating wen i opened the  bonnet i seen that the reservoir was empty so i losen the cap just a little an then the pressure built up in it an started filing up an starts spraying out the over flow i dont no much about cars i would like a decent thermostat so this problem doesn't ruin my car thank you so much for all ur help it is much appreciated 

[Garyb]

It looks to be a cheep thermostat 

[Garyb]

Sorry goes to 130 but stays at 90

[Magnet]

Many thanks Gary,

If the needle goes up to 120/ 130 on the gauge then it’s overheating. 
Re. Your? Your garage? - order with ECP, then personally, I would not buy, or fit that brand of thermostat. If you insist on buying from ECP then you will find a selection of other more expensive brands of thermostats to the right of the screen which shows the chosen (cheapest?) one on the left. 
Just in passing - I see they are (correctly) pointing you to changing the oil filter as well. Again you will find that they will promote you to buy a Crossland brand - their ‘own’ brand name of a once respected filter manufacturer - now just another bought-out brand name. Would I use one? No. I would only use Mann or Bosch at marginally more expense. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Garyb]

I didn't buy anything the lad done it all an baught all this before i got it i just baught the car on monday an noticed it was losing coolant an blowing cold air wen heater was on hot 

[Magnet]

Sorry Gary, but you are succeeding in confusing me something terrible!
I’m now getting the impression that that list refers to what was fitted, as opposed to what you now intend to have fitted - but that’s a guess! 
Anyway, whatever, my earlier comments apply to what I would fit now.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Garyb]

Yea thats wat he had done an fitted apart from the oil cooler he said he didn't have time to hav it fitted thanks for all ur help i need to buy a decent thermostat an try that 

[cliffcoggin]

Irrespective of what the guage is reading, or what might or might not have been fitted, or whether any of it is of decent quality, the fact remains that the engine is overheating. That much is at last finally clear, so let's focus on a solution. I still believe you should first remove any airlocks from the cooling system, the A3 being prone to air locks after a thermostat change. If that does not resolve the problem then take the thermostat out and test it. Testing is easy: put it in a pan of boiling water and watch to see if the wax bellows opens.

If those actions don't cure the fault then something more serious (meaning expensive) is wrong with the engine. Let us know what transpires.