I’ve shared common milestones in the past: Every 10,000 miles to the 100,000-mile mark, 150,000 miles, and 200,000 miles. I even shared a metric milestone at 300,000 kilometers or 186,335 miles. Coincidentally, the speed of light is 300,000 kilometers per second. To be more accurate, light travels at 299,792,458 meters per second, but I round up to 300,000 km/sec unless I’m calculating something important such as the number of tire replacements required during a light-year. 😉 I recently celebrated another kooky milestone, something that most drivers overlook: 238,855 miles or 384,556 kilometers. “What kind of nonsense is that?” you ask. That is the average distance to the moon! I shared this photo online about six weeks before reaching the milestone.
I’ve kept only one other car long enough to reach this milestone. That was my old 1998 Jetta TDI, featured on My Other VWs page. I kept that car for over 445,000 miles! Will my GTI last that long? That is yet to be seen or speculated. My experience with previous cars was that I’d have my first significant issues around the 10-11 year mark as rubber parts began to fail. Of course, modern cars are made with far more plastic components. So, that may be a factor in when the car starts to be problematic. For now, the car is driving fine, though I must admit to chasing a few problems that weren’t shared in the 200,000-mile report.
First, an update about my hard-start condition. I had speculated that it may be a result of an intermittent O2 sensor fault. After further research and finding a decent discussion about the issue at VWVortex, I’m leaning toward the fault being with the high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP). The topic runs through the symptoms, a troubleshooting journey, and a few reports that replacing the HPFP resolved the issue. I don’t like throwing parts at an unknown problem, but this seems like a promising solution. YouTube videos show that replacing the HPFP is relatively easy. It’s cold on the moon; so, I may tackle the job when I’m back in warmer temperatures. 😉
My most pressing concern is oil migration in the coolant reservoir. Thankfully, my leak is very slow and manageable. This photo looks worse than it is because the oil floats on top and then coagulates overnight as it cools. I first thought about a leak on the oil cooler, but I couldn’t find a cooler. I feared a leaky head gasket, but the car drives fine, is code-free, and I don’t see any leaks on the engine block. Comments on my 8-Year Anniversary video mostly pointed to an oil cooler. I dove into more research and finally found it in photos and videos. It’s buried beneath the intake manifold and other attachments. Inspecting it for leaks is not necessarily an easy task. I’ve shared some random photos of another owner’s oil cooler in an album below.
Unfortunately, replacing the oil cooler seal will require removing the alternator/accessory bracket to replace its seal, too. You see, rather than hoses, the oil cooler’s oil and coolant flows through channels that are cast into the bracket, as shown in this photograph. If the oil cooler’s gasket is compressed enough to fail, then the accessory bracket probably needs a gasket, too. This will be an expensive job since the alternator, AC compressor, drive belt, and everything that blocks their removal must come out. I’d consider doing the job myself if I had a well-lighted garage and a couple days to stay organized. Unfortunately, that’s not the case; plus, I lack the time for it. I’m thankful to have a good mechanic nearby that I trust! I’m not ready to have this repair done yet. For now, I’m able to lift the coagulated oil off the top of the coolant in the reservoir by using an acid brush. I’ve also dyed the oil so that I can have a better look for leaks in the dark crevices near the oil cooler. My mechanic does not like taking jobs that may not be necessary. So, I want to be able to definitively say, “Here’s the leak; here’s a photo.” I’ll get there soon.
The next job on my list was one that I could tackle in my driveway. There’s a coolant supply(?) line above the turbo that’s hidden from sight, VW P/N: 06K-121-143. In addition to being hidden, the flange is made from plastic and subjected to wide temperature variations which eventually leads to them cracking. The resulting leak gets boiled-off by the exhaust manifold; so, a small leak never reaches the ground or other locations where it may be noticed. My leak would have gone unnoticed even longer if I hadn’t discovered a discussion about it while researching my oil migration issue. This photo shows my broken plastic part along with the metal replacement.
I cleaned the area shown in this photo with degreaser and brake cleaner before removing any parts. Do yourself a favor and buy hose clamp pliers for this job. Also, pinch the coolant reservoir supply line with a clamp or the reservoir will empty onto the back of the engine and then the ground (ask me how I know). Remove the top hose clamp and hose connection first, then remove the flange and hose together. I marked my hose with a silver Sharpie so that I would “clock” it properly when I moved it to the metal replacement part. I rinsed the area after the job was done and then went for a drive to get the engine hot enough to evaporate any standing water.
For now, everything is working well in the vacuum of space and can await better atmosphere or, as said in Earth terms, warmer weather. See how I tied this back to the lunar milestone? 😀 I’ll share another update around the quarter-million mile mark. The problems shared here should be resolved by then. Hopefully, they won’t be replaced by new problems!
“Houston, the Eagle Has Landed!“
Scott
