Odd Coolant Leak

[rabi42]

Just noticed a nice slow coolant leak the other day. I started the car, and popped the hood to make a minor adjustment in the BISS screw (unscrews itself after a couple weeks or so), and i noticed a small amount of coolant bubbling from the top the exhaust gasket on the right side of the manifold (right side as in passenger side). However, steam was also coming from the driver's side. On driving the car drives pretty normal, no noticable performance loss. I can't really push the car too hard, since it is winter here and snow, ice make traction a problem already. I keep having to top off my overflow bottle about once a week to keep the annoying low level dash light off. Car doesn't overheat. I can't do any underhood work at the moment because the daily high for temperature has been peaking at 2 to 5 degrees farenheit without windchill. Any ideas as to the problem?

 

[jrivard00]

The only thing that i can think of that is in that general area is the water pump. There is that water pipe that is seal by an O-Ring. That could be leaking or the water pump gasket for that matter.

 

[Mike1992]

dunno about the coolant leak, but if the Biss keeps backing itself off, its most likely the O-Ring on it, they wear and need replacing

 

[kpt4321]

I second that, get a new O-ring or a new BISS.

 

[rabi42]

Sorry guys, I just re-read my post and realized that I put the wrong info in there. The coolant is bubbling on the passenger side of the exhaust manifold, just a tiny little bit. I got a chance to look at it today as I warmed it up to go home from work. It looks like the steam is coming mostly from underneath the exhaust manifold. Maybe the head gasket is bad? The car doesn't seem to run worse than before, aside from a few minor misses (plugs are due for a change tho). I guess a compression test is gonna hafta be done..... Could the steam be coming from the turbo.... bad seals maybe? This is my second turbo car (I have a turbo Audi too) but I've never had a turbo go bad, so I don't know the symptons. I will check for shaft play as soon as I can get the car to a heated garage tho. It's about 35 below with the windchill out, so I'm not too excited to go use metal tools outside.....

I did get a new BISS o-ring so that's fixed. Anyone know where I can get the little rubber plug that is supposed to plug the hole that the BISS sits in?