'02 Passat anti-freeze

That amount of coolant loss each weak would show some visible signs if the coolant is lost externally. Check for signs both with and w/o the engine running. Water pump noisy? The coolant also can be going out the tailpipe because of a faulty headgasket or faulty head. Did you ever run the car with low coolant to the point it got hot?

Take a look at your oil. Does the cap have a foamy goo on it? If so it likely is a head gasket and the longer you wait the more likely of additional and much more expensive damage. Even without the goo I would have it checked unless you find another source of a leak.

You might also want to check to see if any gases are showing up in the overflow tank with the engine running.

With respect to the other (good) answers you have gotten, a couple of questions or more:

a) how many miles/km/furlongs/ells in that week? b) have you done a pressure-test/leak-down test? c) does your pressure-cap open with a distinct *POP* when the engine is dead-cold? d) is there a puff of white sweet-smelling smoke in the morning when you start the car? e) any white powdery residue around your tailpipe? f) have you done a very close examination of your engine and cooling system for any sort of white powdery residue? Start with the heater- core pipes & valves at the firewall and work your way through the entire loop. Get a powerful flashlight in addition to good light. g) any funny sweetish and new smell inside your car? Does anyone else smell anything?

Others have noted other things to look for, include them on your list. Report back, please. With more information a diagnosis-at-a-distance will be more accurate.

Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA

this time of year about 90% have the goo under the cap.

are you 100% sure there is no leak? How did you check it? heater core, but there would be a smell inside the car headgasket, not likely but possible.

Count me in the 90%. I noticed some about a week ago and it freaked me right out. Any idea what causes it, 'chuck?

** Oh about 250 mi/wk

** Not yet, but expect too since new cap did not fix. ** Will check tomorrow, but I do not recall a sound ever. ** Will check.

** There was some crusty residue on the overflow tank. I cleaned that and replaced the cap. There has been a sweet smell too.

The car has about 65K miles. The timing belt/water pump was replaced last summer. At 24K the water pump failed while climbing a tall bridge over a harbor and overheated. First dealer could not find the problem, so it overheated again. This past November, an ignition coil blew and started smoking. The valve cover gasket was damaged and oil spewed. Maybe all related. Oh by the way VWoA has not been responsive for past issues even though this is our 4th dub. 1978, 1983 & 1985 but no remaing records to prove it.

Not a great distance, but at 50 miles per day, some.

This is important, and should be done overnight. If you do get a pressure drop but no visible fluid, be sure to pull the plugs and check the oil... it is just possible that one-or-more cylinders will have water in them.

That is good, that at least suggests that the head-gasket is marginally OK, but not certainly so. A *POP* would be a sure sign of a cracked head or head-gasket failure.

Yeah... if so, that is where your anti-freeze is going... into the cylinders somehow.

Sweet smell = anti-freeze. If inside the car = heater core. And that leak could be small enough to go through your ventilation drain lines while driving and never be visible in any obvious way.

WOW!! Only 65,000 miles and all of that? My guess is that your car was built on a Tuesday after an extended holiday weekend centered around drinking and other recreational pharmaceuticals... I am thinking more and more that it could be your heater-core, however, and for some longish period of time. That *could* explain everything from the first water-pump failure to what you are going through right now.

The additional fear is that the repeated over-heats and the head- gasket failure could be indicative of a warped head - doesn't take much - that will be chunky to fix. And, for the record, I would be on the horn to the VW zone manager in a hummingbird heartbeat with this array of issues going right back to the first warranty call at 24K miles. They mis-diagnosed it then, and that was the proximate cause to all that followed. Even if *you* do not have records, *they* will have records of those events. I have found VW to be rather more responsive than not when good evidence of neglect or poor installation (together with a size 13 workboot) is applied to the correct pressure-point.

Best of luck in any case,

Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA

An overnight pressure test was performed, as was a test when the engine was at operating temperature. No loss of pressure. There is no distinct *POP* when the engine is dead-cold. No smell of anti-freeze since I replaced the cap, but it still uses 4 - 6 oz a week. No fogging or smell that would indicate a heater core.

The plugs and the cylinders show the expected carbon, so a head gasket leak is ruled out

We will replace the resevoir tank as a $50 test. I am collecting the serial numbers from past Dubs in our vehicle history. Cannot find the 1979 Rabbit that my wife bought used in college. Does anyone have one that I can use ? Preferably from Colorado.

Usually that pink coolant leak leaves a trail of residue somewhere if it leaks out that much. Does the coolant system ever pop when you remove the cap, warm (not hot)or cold? I just like to squeeze those hoses as the engine warms up. 8^) That tells me about the pressure inside.

Try letting the pressure out when the engine is cold, reinstall cap, start the engine wait about 1-2 minutes and remove the cap again. POP...then it might be the head gasket. On my '83 Audi 4KS it leaked through the head gasket after it made a crack through it. No leak through the combustion area just a leak out of the area near the timing belt.

I have seen some problems like yours on the older VWs and it was the radiator cap or the water pump. I think if it was the heater core you would get that sweet smell of antifreeze when you used the heat. Everyone has been telling you that though.

You can pressurize the system and watch for leaks and even check your radiator cap. Takes a little ingenuity, a bike tire pump, tire valve, some hose, clamps and a bolt. Make your own coolant pressure tester. ;-)

If it is the engine and you are the first owner of this Passat then you should still have a warranty on the engine.

BTW Come on over to the Passats group on Yahoo and bring your post.......the water's fine!

just send an email to " snipped-for-privacy@yahoogroups.com "