Finding the thermostat on audi a6 se v6 2.6

It sounds like it may be time for a coolant system flush to remove accumulated sludge in the system. You could also have some corrosion if you haven't drained the system and replaced the coolant in several years as it can loose corrosion prevention over time. It may also be a good time to have the thermostat replaced in case it is getting a little sluggish on opening. You can also take your garden hose with the spray nozzle and clean the accumulation of stuff on the condenser and radiator in the front. Some or all these measures should help.

a) air in the heater core
b) blocked heater core
c) air temp flapper motor/solenoid bad

I would check the thermostat first. Remove the thermostat and place it in a pan of water on the stove. Place a thermometer in the water with the thermostat and slowly increase the temperature until you have reached 194 degrees Fahrenheit or 90 degrees Celsius. Watch closely for the thermostat to open slightly. If it opens then the thermostat is good. If it does not open, replace it. Try that first and see what you come up with.

Most Audi's over heat for one reason. Bad cooling processes and equipment.

what does that mean?

Audi Cooling system. Is under pressure... if hoses (heater core) are plugged or the thermostat fails or its a hot day and the cool fans arent running you are likely to experience the dreaded AUDI VW cooling issues.

First things First. Check the coolant and OIL level.

any white sludgey stuff in the oil (popped head gasket)
low oil.. could be over heating your engine.

Freezing cold day when it is over heating.. frozen coolant


Thermostat issues are hard to determine and So cheap to rectify...
ask yourself this? when was it changed last if not in the last 60 K and you are having an issue. REPLACE IT.. Now you can trust it again.


Over heating issues after replacing a thermostat or having a low coolant issues and you have filled it again.. its likely you have the double dreaded AUDI AIR BUBBLE.

I have worked out a few by letting the engine warm up and cool down repeatedly 6 - 10 times..
By WARM up I dont mean over heat and destroy.

Ever time it heated to normal operating temp the thermostat opened and moved some air around the loop.
when the system cooled i added a little more audi coolant to the tank and repeated the process eventually the bubles come out enough to drive.


be smart take it to teh end of the drive and back and check the temp, oil and coolant.
park it.. let it cool
next drive take it down the drive, to the end of the neighbors drive and back.. re check the temp, oil and coolant.. see the pattern?

DO IT.

lol It works for me.. Be patient. double check yourself before driving. Double check it again.. like you need to start the task from the finish.. you will be surprised the things you find you missed. : )

Cheers and good luck.

have you checked the coolant level in the system. if its low it will do this.also you may have a bad thermostat that needs replacing as it could be stuck open not allowing the coolant to get to operating temp. these can cause the symptons your having.

I had no heat after replacing the water pump on my 96 Audi A6 quattro. After reading the last post, I found a bleeder on one of the hoses going to the heater core. I just turned it and it allowed the air to escape. Then I had heat.

1998 Audi A6 2.8

It could be that the thermostat is stuck in the open position thus providing maximum coolant flow through the engine when the engine is still cold, ie from a cold start. (The thermo should close when the engine is stopped and cold and it opens up once the coolant temp increases and the engine has been running for a few minutes.) Once the engine is hot maximum coolant flow between engine and radiator is normal.

Do you also find that your heater takes a while to provide warm air to the cabin in winter when you notice this condition?

If you do not know when the thermostat was last changed then I would suggest you change it. ( If it malfunctions and sticks in the closed position you will really have a problem). The radiator/engine coolant could no doubt do with a flush and change in any event as it should be done every 2 years. If you don't know when it was last done - do it. Cooling systems tend to be a neglected part of essential vehicle maintenance.

Cheers
Sean
Voluntary contributor.

Audi revised the specified cam belt change interval from 120k to 80k, after a class action lawsuit was brought against them.
However, they have been known to break at around 65-70k. I always replace them earlier as a precaution..

I'm afraid to replace it is a cambelt off job. Had mine done on a 2.5tdi a4 avant so had cambett waterpump and tensioner replaced with thermostat.

this is more than likely a problem with your thermostat in the cooling system .heres a few things to check to be sure make certain your blower fan is on high and temp setting is in the hottest setting check to see if   air is coming from your heater ducts  also be sure to thoroughly let the engine warm up 10 to 20 minutes  before checking. if the air is blowing but  luke warm still your thermostat is stuck in the open position  and will cause the engine to run to cold and performance will also suffer as will your heat will not be sufficient  to heat the passenger compartment  this repair should cost no more than $150 max to replace buy a repair shop    this is a  common problem in older cars and this is generally   a quick  repair to be made  for almost any repair facility  should take under 45 minutes to complete once repair is started