Blown Head Gasket or Cracked Block???!?!!!!
 

2004 Audi A8L
92000 Miles

Over the past 3 days my coolant temp indicator has been flashing intermittently while the Engine has been running HOT. The coolant has also leaked all over my engine when i popped the hood.

Visited an independent shop today, they ran a pressure test & said that its either a blown heaad gasket or a crack in the block.

Is this common for these models? I'm shocked bc i thought it was more than likely just a leak or Gauge faulting. Has anyone come across this in the past?

I say it could also be a badly leaking water pump seal or possible hole in the radiator or coolant expansion tank spraying coolant onto the engine.

I say take it to a dealer for their opinion. Unless you have used this indy shop in the past and completely trust them. I had an indy shop try to rape and pillage me on my first, which became my last, visit to them.

+1
 

Could be major, but could also be more common/expected things like Mr. Bally said--blown coolant bottle, radiator leak, water pump, maybe a bad thermostat that in turn led to a blown hose, coolant bottle, etc.

+2
 

Could start with thermostat.

You can top it with water and start it opened. If something is blown you will see it. If it is gasket or block it will blow water out immediately. If it is thermostat nothing will happen until it warms up.

Check the oil too. If it is gasket water can go that way too. In that case it would be white.

Check your engine oil. If it's clean, it's likely not a head gasket. If it looks like a peanut butter milkshake, then you're getting intermix somewhere ,and it's likely a bad head gasket.

I'd check over everything else mentioned before assuming a cracked block.

Definitely not common. Very few HG issues and cracked block is pretty much unheard of. Check the D2 forum years 2000 and up for a bigger sampling, the engines are virtually identical.

I would want to see the test myself before making a final decision and/or getting another opinion.

Bob

It was a crack in coolant tank
 

The fluid was leaking out of the Coolant container.

Just needs a new Coolant fluid tank. Phew

Nice to hear it will be an easy, low priced fix.
Looks like that indy shop is not trustworthy.

+1 Glad it was something simple

You can change that yourself. I did mines in my driveway. Buy a gallon of coolant before the change.

Also had this same problem. I thought it was my radiator leaking but under pressure it was a crack in the top of the reservoir just below the cap holding in the antifreeze.