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you will remove the plugs too for inspection right. lay them out on white paper numbered wiith the ends of the plug facing the camera and post here.
it could be as simple as the intake bolts backed out allowing.
either way, you will do fine.
Originally Posted by cache1
Well, VikingTrad3r, if you are correct about the crap I found clogging the reservoir line being IRONTITE (added by a previous owner), that's a strong indicator that the previous owner also suspected a head gasket leak.
As a side note, I'll add that since replacing the knock sensor, I have not experienced any bogging with acceleration, and the SES light has stopped popping on and off. So I'll celebrate that small victory!
I'll be checking the coolant level after my drive home from work today, and cool down. Hopefully the coolant is where it supposed to be
If not, I may just need to start a new thread for performing my first head gasket repair, or at least troubleshooting for one. (Please God, no!)
you will remove the plugs too for inspection right. lay them out on white paper numbered wiith the ends of the plug facing the camera and post here.
it could be as simple as the intake bolts backed out allowing.
either way, you will do fine.
Thanks for the vote of confidence.
Unfortunately, I checked last night and coolant is still not returning from the overflow tank, and the SES light popped ON this morning on my drive to work. So, yes, I'll post a pick of my plugs next to see if they show signs of coolant getting in a cylinder, and I'll check to see which code is causing the SES light to go on.
I need to figure out how to do a pressure test, any tips in that regard would be appreciated. I'm hoping a pressure test reveals a hose leak, or a crack in the neck of the overflow tank or something simple like that. *fingers crossed*
I pulled my plugs to see if any look steam cleaned, and I don't think any do. But I'll let the forum be the judge... Here's a photo of my plugs...
Back row: 1, 3, 5, 7<br/>Front row: 2, 4, 6, 8
Assuming maybe I don't have a head gasket leak...
Can a Heater Core leak be where air gets into the system, preventing the overflow coolant from returning? (I tend to get a film on the inside of the windshield if I leave the windows up on a hot day in the sun.) And maybe the Irontite was added to plug a leaky heater core by the previous owner?
Edit: I'm beginning to think I have a small heater core leak with no visible signs of wet carpet yet, and not a head gasket leak. Which I guess is a good thing??? (I'd think I'd rather have a bad heater core than blown head gasket ) Looks like I'm going to be joining the brave souls who have had the unique opportunity to experience doing a heater core replacement in a C4.
I'm going to try to clamp off or bypass the heater core and drive around a bit to see what happens to the coolant (whether it returns from the overflow tank or not).
Well, I'm troubleshooting a heater core issue now. (26 year old core, probably time to replace anyway) I've clamped off the hoses to and from the HC. Now I'll drive it a bit a see if coolant returns from the overflow tank now.
Well even after clamping my heater core hoses off I'm still losing coolant to the overflow tank and to some other mystery location, so I took another look around and I don't like what I see...
Oil coming from the oil cap, and mocha looking crap in the cap.
Conclusion:
I ended up replacing the head gaskets. Which was a first for me and I learned a ton from this forum and just digging in. At the time of this posting I'm still tuning the car and learning a lot about setting the timing.
08-11-2016, 03:02 PM
So I'll celebrate that small victory!
(Please God, no!)
So, yes, I'll post a pick of my plugs next to see if they show signs of coolant getting in a cylinder, and I'll check to see which code is causing the SES light to go on. 
Well even after clamping my heater core hoses off I'm still losing coolant to the overflow tank and to some other mystery location, so I took another look around and I don't like what I see...
