robert eckersall Posted August 19 Share Posted August 19 Hello. I have just bought an 2011 a3 sportback and I'm losing coolant and got white smoke out the exhaust and a bit of sludge in the coolant reservoir but I can't see any sludge in the oil cap or on the dipstick. And it's not overheating. Any ideas please Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffcoggin Posted August 19 Share Posted August 19 Robert. If there are no visible coolant leaks around the engine, it is likely the EGR (exhaust gas recycle) cooler is leaking internally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert eckersall Posted August 20 Author Share Posted August 20 If it is the cooler will getting it blanked off be a cheaper option?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffcoggin Posted August 20 Share Posted August 20 I have no idea about cost. Look on eBay for an indication, though I would be wary of the quality of anything bought via eBay. If you bought the car from a dealer take it back and let him bear the cost. If it was a private purchase then it is your responsibility. Either way I am curious why anybody would buy a car that is making smoke without first investigating the cause and cost of repairing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert eckersall Posted August 20 Author Share Posted August 20 It was a private seller and it was showing no signs of coolant loss or any smoke when I bought it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggles Posted August 20 Share Posted August 20 21 hours ago, robert eckersall said: Hello. I have just bought an 2011 a3 sportback and I'm losing coolant and got white smoke out the exhaust and a bit of sludge in the coolant reservoir but I can't see any sludge in the oil cap or on the dipstick. And it's not overheating. Any ideas please Thanks Hi Robert, it sounds like the EGR cooler. Very common fault on these engines. Not an easy DIY replacement either, cost me £100 to pay the garage to change mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggles Posted August 20 Share Posted August 20 2 hours ago, robert eckersall said: If it is the cooler will getting it blanked off be a cheaper option?? 2 hours ago, robert eckersall said: If it is the cooler will getting it blanked off be a cheaper option?? Yes definitely, you may need the ECM adjusting to recognize this. There are blanking kits on eBay. This was my way forward after the eBay EGR cooler didn't fix the coolant disappearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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