Our T5 Caravelle 'family bus' woes continue...

[blaast]

After some fairly major and expensive repairs this year (see details below), our Caravelle is losing coolant (again), and I don't know where it is going.
It is occasionally blowing white exhaust smoke, I cannot see coolant leaking from anywhere, and it is not going into the engine oil (not milky or inreasing in volume).
About 1.5 litres of water has been added over the last 1000kms.

The car started losing water in 2020, but a new water pump fixed this, then earlier this year it started happening again, but this time there was a visible external leak, which was repaired (see below for details). It was great not having to continually top this up, at least for a little while.

We are all just over having the 'bus' that gets all 6 of us around becoming unreliable, and expensive!
In addition to this, just yesterday, I noticed that our Mk7 Golf is chirping on gear changes, indicating the DSG is stuffed...

• I have provided the recent repair history below, and was wondering if anyone might notice if there is something 'common' causing these issues, including the current one.
• Can anyone suggest what might be causing the current coolant loss?
• In addition, is the Golf's DSG stuffed...?

Any help and advice is greatly appreciated.

Recent repair history:
2009 Caravelle, BNZ196316
I have found a very experienced and honest VW mechanic who has been doing this work, as although I love DIY, I just don't have the equipment or tools to do this myself.

October 2020, 108,000kms:

• Issue: Losing coolant for some time, noticed engine oil becoming milky
• Repair: Replace water pump
• Cost: $860

January 2022, 127,000kms

• Issue: Exhaust smell in cabin, which gradually worsened
• Repair: Linish exhaust manifold, replace gaskets, seals and bolts (the main exhaust leak was coming from the triangular shaped join from the EGR to the turbo)
• Cost: $1500 ($1250 just for labour)

April 2022, 135,000kms

• Issue: Losing coolant, could see coolant leaking down drivers side but could not locate myself
• Repair: Replace square shouldered o-ring seal on metal pipe where it meets thermostat at housing
• Cost: $250

July 2022, 140,000kms

• Issue: Noticed oil on ground, and found leak from the fuel/vacuum pump
• Repair: High pressure fuel/vacuum pump leaking oil from the body of the pump. Replaced pump and high pressure diesel hose.
• Cost: $1350

[BrianJ]

If its a 5 cyl with internal water pump I would consider checking the water pump again, even though its a long shot because if its not that then you may have head gasket leaks which is almost unheard of in that engine. If they used the same brand water pump as was used in the earlier motors it will only last about 50,000km. My replacement has lasted 200,000km and is still ok.

[Rebuild]

If it's losing coolant(and not into the engine), first thing to do is check the run-off banjo and pipe at the lower rear of the engine, adjacent to the water pump, for coolant.

BTW, changed my orig waterpump at 165K

[Greg Roles]

White smoke tells me you are combusting radiator fluid, or are having injector problems and the smoke is too much fuel.

Given water is disappearing I'd be inclined to get a compression test done, and that's a bitch ( as is everything ) on the T5. Inlet manifold off situation.

All you can do otherwise is check the water pump area for weep, check the flanges that bolt on the front and lower back of the drivers side for leaks, and obviously check the hoses and radiator itself, again looking for leaks or evidence of.

That's a lot of fluid to lose, and my gut feel tells me you are ingesting it hence the white smoke, although too much fuel from say leaking injectors can cause white smoke too. If this were the case in any decent amount the oil level would likely be going up due to fuel also getting into the oil - something to watch.

Is the car down on power at all, or does it run or idle differently at all??