# HELP NEEDED!! 1.8t Wolfsburgh Coolant Flange Leak



## obeni27 (Aug 22, 2008)

i have a coolant leak in a 01 Jetta Wolfsburg, I took the car to a dealer for unrelated recall service and requested a diagnostics on the cooling system. I'm told there is a coolant leak from the flange at back of engine. 

Is this some thing I can fix myself.... any DIY suggestions on how to replace the flange? With pictures is an added bonus 

I have tools to raise the car if I need to get under the engine.

Dealer is asking for $300+ for parts and labor and yet a quick check around for the cost of a new flange is around $30. 

Thanks for any help


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## MarksManB (Jul 2, 2002)

If it's the same flange that leaked on me and just about everyone else, it's easy to replace. It's on the driver's side of the engine just under the valve cover. It houses the coolant temp sensor (if you're familiar with that). You'll need to remove the airbox and a lot of hoses to get to it. There is/was a DIY for it, but probably lost in the archives.


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## obeni27 (Aug 22, 2008)

MarksManB said:


> If it's the same flange that leaked on me and just about everyone else, it's easy to replace. It's on the driver's side of the engine just under the valve cover. It houses the coolant temp sensor (if you're familiar with that). You'll need to remove the airbox and a lot of hoses to get to it. There is/was a DIY for it, but probably lost in the archives.




Thanks MarksManB, came across an old DIY posting on vortex about changing coolant flange on a jetta 2.0 engine.... looks perfect... gearing up for the weekend project


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## 1.AteTee MkIV (Feb 13, 2009)

If you get a chance, can you post a link to the DIY. I can use it as well.
Thanks!


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## obeni27 (Aug 22, 2008)

1.AteTee MkIV said:


> If you get a chance, can you post a link to the DIY. I can use it as well.
> Thanks!



Its darn hard finding posting on vortex sometimes..... it took me a while to relocate the DIY posting i referenced earlier and just as i was about to give up..... tadaaaa!!... click on the link below..... if it doesn't work..... search for "Replacing driver side coolant flange" as a header in vortex forum, you should see it. quite a helpful post. I picked up a coolant flange from the dealer plus o rings for $33 this evening. Started work on the car at 4pm eastern and was done by 5:30 including flashing the coolant system.... now for you surveys out there will say its a 30 mins project... .. 90mins to me is quite and achievement given this morning i didn't even know where the darn flange sat... 

coolant system flash was to get ride of the blue/green coolant substitute i was using to top up the leak (dahhhh!) i had no clue vw/Audi uses a special G12(Red Color) coolant. Thanks to the good postings on vortex...... i've replaced the coolant with G12 from the dealership though i had to cough out $22 for a gallon....darn expensive if u asked me but definitely worth the saving since the dealer was asking if close to $500 for flange replacement + system flash.
have fun with your project 


http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthre...ighlight=Replacing+driver+side+coolant+flange


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## sounrealx (Apr 4, 2007)

*...*

I replaced mine last week. it's pretty easy. You WILL lose coolant, so make sure you have extra, and place a towel underneath the flange to catch it all.




























http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt218/nstevic01/Volkswagen Emissions Delete/Page14.jpg


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## nhanxsolo (Sep 3, 2009)

I'm having a hard time disconnecting the hoses from the old flange..... not much room to work with. any advice?


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## groggory (Apr 21, 2003)

nhanxsolo said:


> I'm having a hard time disconnecting the hoses from the old flange..... not much room to work with. any advice?


Use good pliers and some workshop gloves and twist them off.


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## nhanxsolo (Sep 3, 2009)

got them off, now cant get the top 2 clamps back on lol... my pliers suck.


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## MisterJJ (Jul 28, 2005)

nhanxsolo said:


> got them off, now cant get the top 2 clamps back on lol... my pliers suck.


Channel-locks, FTW!


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## edbermeo (Oct 23, 2009)

*$$$$$*

same thing happened to me and my mechanic charged me 80 dollars
maybe it would have cost me less but im not to savvy when it comes to engines
dealerships are horrible
they tried to charge me 35 dollars for a coolant sensor.


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## Shifty 6 (Jun 23, 2008)

Has anyone done this on a Passat B5.5? My understanding is the flange is at the back of the engine, nearly touching the fire wall, dealer indicates the engine mounts need loosened to rotate engine forward to get room to work. The leak is not huge but, it can't be helping the car.


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## gomer (Nov 22, 2001)

sounrealx said:


> I replaced mine last week. it's pretty easy. You WILL lose coolant, so make sure you have extra, and place a towel underneath the flange to catch it all.


Thank you for the write up and pictures. Just had mine done. The only thing I would add is the need to remove the airbox, and a how to, plus the fact that the bottom nut holding the flange has some metal washer thingie that needs to be bent out a little in order to get the flange out, certainly a no biggie and all in all, prob. 1/2 hour job. -Thank you!


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## VW Scully (Jun 2, 2001)

Thanks for this! I have to do this on my Jetta next weekend


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