3.3TT Water Sound (Front Passenger Side) Post Oil Feed Line Recall

[Krudelydunn]

Hey all, I’ve seen similar threads on here about this issue but have tried the fix mentioned there without any success. I just purchased a used 2018 GT2 which had an open recall for the oil feed line. During the purchasing process the dealer serviced the recall and during my pickup I heard a swooshing water sound when I took off. I assumed it was maybe my water bottle? Hours later I kept researching and found others facing the same issue after their recall had been serviced.

Most posts pointed to air in the coolant lines / engine as the culprit. This sounds like it comes from a failure to burp the coolant lines correctly after refilling the engine coolant after the recall.

I had a pretty bad experience with my dealer during this purchase and without getting into too much detail I’d prefer to avoid involving them in this fix if possible.

I manually attempted to burp the engine using a funnel and massaging the coolant lines while running the vehicle. I noticed a lot of air bubbles during this process and my heat started working again. However, the noise persisted during my next cold start.

The next day I decided to perform a full coolant flush, and used a vacuum refill tool to create a vacuum after draining all the coolant. The vacuum held solid for a few minutes and I then preformed the refill using that tool. I’d imagine this prevented any air from entering the system during the refill (so I hope).

Hours later I started the car and sure enough I hear that swooshing water sounds around the glove box area again.

Looking for any advice y’all might have around this issue. Have I just not driven the car enough since the flush? Do I need to re-flush the coolant until the issue stops?

Thanks all. Love the car so far but this is pretty unsettling.

 

[D.J.]

If you yourself refilled the coolant using a vacuum fill, it is difficult to understand how there might still be air in the system.

What you did by vacuum filling, should have been the complete solution.

After two or three heat cycles, and as long as the coolant overflow reservoir is above empty, this problem should not be a problem.

 

[Krudelydunn]

If you yourself refilled the coolant using a vacuum fill, it is difficult to understand how there might still be air in the system.

What you did by vacuum filling, should have been the complete solution.

After two or three heat cycles, and as long as the coolant overflow reservoir is above empty, this problem should not be a problem.

Appreciate the reply. Just did a 45 min. Highway drive. I’ll do a few more of the next couple days and report back.

 

[D.J.]

Appreciate the reply. Just did a 45 min. Highway drive. I’ll do a few more of the next couple days and report back.

Just be sure to monitor the coolant reservoir..

Hopefully it goes down a little bit, meaning air has come out and coolant has gone in

 

[StingaGT]

I‘m having same issue.
2019 gt2
Water sound when stopping and accelerating from atop.

 

[D.J.]

I‘m having same issue.
2019 gt2
Water sound when stopping and accelerating from atop.

What is your coolant level in the overflow reservoir?

 

[Krudelydunn]

Update: I think I am finally sorted out. After the full flush and refill last weekend I still had the noise after a cold start. So I spent about an hour sitting in the car in the driveway, letting it idle. I had the overflow funnel about halfway filled with coolant and sure enough the thermostat eventually opened and the hot coolant came out (nearly overflowed the funnel) and the entire funnel was sucked into the radiator and some. The next morning the noise was 90% gone. After some normal driving it appears to be cleared up.

Everyone’s advice around keeping the reservoir at the full line is spot on. I have been keeping an eye on it each morning and refilling.

 

[D.J.]

Update: I think I am finally sorted out. After the full flush and refill last weekend I still had the noise after a cold start. So I spent about an hour sitting in the car in the driveway, letting it idle. I had the overflow funnel about halfway filled with coolant and sure enough the thermostat eventually opened and the hot coolant came out (nearly overflowed the funnel) and the entire funnel was sucked into the radiator and some. The next morning the noise was 90% gone. After some normal driving it appears to be cleared up.

Everyone’s advice around keeping the reservoir at the full line is spot on. I have been keeping an eye on it each morning and refilling.

Might even be a good idea to keep the overflow reservoir above the full line... There is no harm in that while the air makes its way out and the coolant makes its way in over several heat cycles