My late model A4 overheated and quit on Sunday after 40 mile run in hot weather running full throttle for the last mile. After I got the engine restarted, I noted there was no water coming out of the exhaust. The overheating happened suddenly, and was not overheating before. I read some online threads and removed the tee fitting, letting the diverter fall. It did not fall, like Don M said it would, and had to push it away from the opening in the side plate. I cleaned some debris out of the removed tee, and ran a cable tie in the hole to make sure it was not completely packed up inside the side plate. I also removed the thermostat housing and cleaned major black chunks out of the housing and thermostat. I blew into the hose after the thermostat housing and confirmed there is no blockage or restriction through the manifold into the exhaust pipe. (I had the manifold ultrasonically cleaned last year.)
I reassembled the cooling system, using Teflon paste in the pipe thread on the tee. I started the engine, and only got a little water coming out of the exhaust. HOWEVER, cooling water gushed out from around the tee fitting at the side plate. It is possible that I didn't screw in the tee as far as it was before removal. What is the next step? I'm hoping I don't have to take off the rusty side plate since I want to motor down to the lake for the long July 4th weekend and can't get it done before then. My ideas:
1) Remove the tee again and use Teflon tape instead of paste, making sure to screw it in fully? I hope I don't strip the threads on the side plate.
2) Leave the tee in place and pack it with Marine-Tex epoxy?
3) Remove the side plate to clean out all the gunk, risking breaking bolts off. It would be hard or impossible to drill out broken bolts because of the tight space in the Catalina 27 engine room.
Phil
I reassembled the cooling system, using Teflon paste in the pipe thread on the tee. I started the engine, and only got a little water coming out of the exhaust. HOWEVER, cooling water gushed out from around the tee fitting at the side plate. It is possible that I didn't screw in the tee as far as it was before removal. What is the next step? I'm hoping I don't have to take off the rusty side plate since I want to motor down to the lake for the long July 4th weekend and can't get it done before then. My ideas:
1) Remove the tee again and use Teflon tape instead of paste, making sure to screw it in fully? I hope I don't strip the threads on the side plate.
2) Leave the tee in place and pack it with Marine-Tex epoxy?
3) Remove the side plate to clean out all the gunk, risking breaking bolts off. It would be hard or impossible to drill out broken bolts because of the tight space in the Catalina 27 engine room.
Phil
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