Coolant flange Removal

[Tuckervill]

Hubby and I were working on something a few weeks ago, and in the process he pried a little against the coolant flange. We knew it was dripping a little at the time, but it has progressively gotten worse, and now we must replace it.

It's a 2000 TDI, and our Bentley manual is for a '99. The manual doesn't say anything about how many bolts hold the flange in, nor about the bracket attached to a tube that runs around the front of the engine that seems to be preventing removal of the flange.

Does anyone have a 2000 Bentley manual, who could C&P the instructions on R&R of the coolant flange in a 2000 TDI? I *really* don't want to take it to the dealer, when we are soooo close to getting the stupid thing out.

Thanks,
Karen

[rcy]

I just did this and for the life of me couldn't figure out how that coolant tube was going to come off. The solution was actually quite simple. Once you remove the bolt that is holding it on, it just pivots up out of the way. Don't do what I did and try to pry it away from the flange. After that you can access the bolt behind that is actually holding the flange on. There are two bolts holding it on. Replacement is fairly straightforward - hardest part was removing the various hoses that attach to the flange.

Make sure you replace the entire flange and o-ring...don't just replace the o-ring. The part is cheap enought to warrant replacing it all.