All you need to do is unload the tensioner for a moment with a open box wrench. There's a metal extension on the top of it just for this purpose.

 

I tried to get the hoses off the thermostat but I think I missed something because there was no give and I after about 20 minutes of fiddling I gave up and put everything back together. I was running out of daylight so I couldn't keep at it.

What I can't quite find is how the loosen the hard lines. I can see some kind bracket that attaches to the side of the block, but I couldn't loosen it with a torx, maybe it's a triple square. I want to try again, but I'm wondering if anyone has been able to find any other steps to loosen up these hard lines that wrap around the side and back of the engine.

Thanks.

 

You could have used your cell phone to take a picture in there. Hopefully you didn't strip either of those screws in your attempt.

I wish I knew if Audi used triple square for those, but mine are HEX. Are you sure the bit was even seated correctly?

Just reread your post. Use hex not torx! In Closer's post he even states it.

 

Didn't think of taking a picture at that time.

There are two hardlines going to the t-stat, one goes to the middle port and one to the top port. The middle port line has a hardline that bolts directly to the t-stat, and the top line which has a small rubber hose to the t-stat. Both hardlines seem to snake together and run along the side of the block from the front where the t-stat is toward the back. About halfway there is a bracket that attaches the hardline with some kind of screw. The screw head seems like a triple square, but I'm not sure. It didn't look like a hex or allen.

Does it make sense to loosen this bracket? I was hoping to loosen the bracket to see if I can get a little more play on the lines so I can break them free from the t-stat.

Optionally, I probably could have undone the two bolts holding the t-stat onto the engine with the lines still attached to it, but that didn't seem like a good idea at the time.

 

The answers are all in this thread; people took the time to put their t-stat experience in this thread already. Did you even bother to read? Again, go through Closer's post and he tells you only need to remove four bolts to get to the t-stat once you get past the alternator.

 

Did I bother?..... OF COURSE I read it. How the heck do you think I got to the t-stat? I read every single post, from start to finish, several times!

I followed step by step, EVERY step, including Closer's update. But I still couldn't break loose the top hose or the middle hard line. Frankly, I didn't try very hard on the middle hard line because I couldn't get the top hose off. I pull the clamp back over to the middle of the rubber hose, but I didn't have one of those hose removal picks. Instead I was pulling on the top hose very hard, and I felt it would literally snap if I kept at it.

Rather than break it, I tried following the top line to find another way to loosen it from the block so I could get more play at the t-stat. About 18" away from the t-stat, moving along the side of the engine block, on the driver side, below the intake manifold, there is a black bracket welded to the hard line with a bolt holding it down so it literally doesn't move. It doesn't look like a hex bolt, it resembles a torx, but if it is torx then it is a size I don't have.

 

I don't know how you can say you read step by step. You didn't know the type of bolts on top of the oil cooler that were clearly explained. You didn't get the hose pic tool which facilitates the removal of to the coupling hose from the tstat and you don't know which bolts to take off past the alternator removal. I'm curious to see what your response is if your lower radiator hose is indeed fused. Again and last time there are only four bolts that you need to take off after the alternator is removed.


These are HEX


These two pictures are of the same TORX bolt


You decided not to buy this three dollar tool instead you're going to hack the job.


And of course the two hex bolts on the tstat itself.

There's more ways to skin a cat, but this is as simple as the procedure gets. Use whatever search engine to find your answers, they're there. Perhaps someone else can chime in, I'm done. Don't even consider doing your coolant flange if you can't get through this. I'm sorry I've ruined this thread.

 

Dolamite, clearly we can't seem to communicate effectively via this medium. My lack of experience on this Audi platform, and what is apparently your lack of patience with newbs, seems to irritate you considerably. I regret that I seem to be driving your BP higher, so I won't hold it against your or get offended if you choose to ignore me.

Now, about the oil cooler, I don't recall mentioning anything about the bolts on top of the oil cooler. Perhaps you're confusing me with someone else?

Agreed I don't have that tool, a fact I disclosed above, which should further confirm that I have read the thread. However it seems others were able to do the job without this tool, which I confirmed from reading the thread, so it seems there are other options.

I admit I was a little puzzled by the recommendation to use a wrench and the picture at the top of this thread. It led me to believe there was a bolt to be turned, rather than sliding the tensioner tab. It didn't take long to realize, and as I posted I was able to overcome that pretty quick.

I won't bother with the rest of your response since it won't help either one of us to keep this up. Thanks for the assistance thus far, I'll attempt it again when I figure it out, and perhaps I'll try a different forum if I need more assistance.

 

alright so I made the mistake of not changing this hose when I did my thermostat and now it's leaking coolant... any idea on the part number for that hose?

TIA