Any one out there that can help. I need it. I have a 2000 TT quatro 1.8L 180HP engine with 126,000 miles and is loosing coolant. Not leaking as best as I can see, no white smoke coming out the tail pipe. Performance? Good. But slight bucking while at cruising speed. Not much, but noticeable. Any suggestions????

 

If you are losing coolant, there are indeed no external leaks, and the oil does not look like milk (coolant in the crankcase), then you most likely have a bad head gasket or a cracked cylinder head.

I like to test the gasket by topping off the coolant and leaving the radiator or reservoir uncapped. Then remove all the plugs and get a compressed air fitting that will screw into the spark plug hole.

One cylinder at a time: apply shop air to the combustion chamber, and rotate the crankshaft clockwise until it won't go anymore and builds pressure.

When you get to the cylinder which is burning coolant, the air will be gurgling up through the radiator.

If you need more help with car stuff like that check out www.realworldautomotive.com

 

Thanks autotech2, I don't have access to compressed air, but I did pull the spark plugs (I was a mechanic in the old days on muscle cars and do remember the basics)
Here it is in a nut shell. No water, smoke or moisture coming from the tail pipe.
Spark plugs all look normal 1 - 4.
No water in oil.
Adding coolant about a quart every 300 to 400 miles of travel.
Performance is good other then a slight bucking at cruising speed ( I think that is when the water is entering the combustion chamber ever so slightly)
I was considering adding "Steel Seal" to the coolant. Any feed back on that?
I have used stop leak in the distant past on customers cars. Seemed to work then.
Thanks.......Mike