Replacing the Radiator - And Coolant Fan Control Circuit

A6 All/ S6 All
#1

My rad sprang a leak a few weeks ago, so I’m in the process of removing it. I have it pretty much ready to remove - just need to drain it and remove the hoses now. While I have it apart I plan on fixing a few other things, I’ve gotten a:

001152 - Coolant Fan Control Circuit 1
P0480 - 002 - Electrical Malfunction

Ever since I first scanned the car, the fan works but it does seem to run too often and can cause it to take a long time to warm up when it’s cold. Is that circuit part of the fan or is it a separate module? I can’t find any info on it.

Just curious what people are using to refill - the few times I’ve had to top up I’ve used pentofrost sf but it’s not cheap, is there a better option?

Also, when I’m putting it back together is there a recommended method for bleeding air out? Any help would be appreciated

Thanks in advance

#2

I just had a fan failure on my niece’s A6, and it seemed some folks pointed to the fan control module, some pointed to the fans, and others thought perhaps failing fans killed the module, so I went ahead and swapped both. The module would have solved the issue, but the fan bearings had some play. I got the fan assembly from Autozone and used a cheap $60 Amazon fan controller, no issues so far.

As for coolant I have been using Peak purple Euro from the auto parts store. Pretty sure it meets the Audi spec. There’s and Audi document about this.

Where was your rad leaking and did you get it fixed up?

#3

I haven’t had a chance to work on it much lately, been focusing on one of my other cars. But I’m hoping to get the rad off this weekend. It looked like it was leaking from the pinch welds on the side where it meets the plastic but it was hard to see exactly. I’ve been looking up fan assemblies for my car and they’re very expensive. It looks like the module is built in, does anyone know if the a6 setup will work?

#4

I just got my lightweight crank pulley and new crank seal (figured I’d change it while I’m there) is there any tips for removing the old one? I tried using a pick and a little screw driver but it’s not budging and I don’t want to gouge anything. The manual lists some weird tool for doing it, is there a way to do it without?

#5

Never mind I was able to work it out with a couple of screw drivers without mangling anything. Used to old gasket to tap the new one in, it should be good to go :grinning:

#6

No issues as on link below?

JHM Lightweight Pulley Issue

#7

I haven’t checked the two next to each other, I’ll try that before installing it to see if they’re offset

#8

Checked them on the weekend and the look pretty damn close as far as I could see. Do you guys replace the harmonic balancer bolts when you change it? In the manual it looks like they want you to torque them to yield

#9

image
image4032×3024 2.8 MB

Hard to get a good picture but when I get a straight shot of them they look pretty good

#10

Ordered a new set of bolts just to be safe, I couldn’t find them locally (well the Audi dealership here is to retarded to look them up without the vin number despite me telling them the damn part number, maybe they have them I just didn’t want to deal with the idiot parts guy any longer - end rant). Looks like it’s torque them to 20 n-m then two additional 90 degree turns…that always make me nervous (the two turns that is)…anyone have issues with that?

#11

Yes, you need to make the 90 deg turn. It went no problem for me. Also, remember you need to apply bolt locking fluid, as these bolts are not coming with loctite on them as standard. I personally had an incident, where after 200km of fast driving my harmonic balancer got loose. It turned out someone before me didn’t apply the locking fluid.

#12

I’ve got locktight in the garage, I was about to start putting it on the old bolts when I read that I needed to torque them to yield in the manual lol

#13

Got it all put back together last weekend, I replaced the ac pressure sensor to see if that would help with the fan but it’s still doing the same thing :upside_down_face: oh well, I’ll deal with that later. And fyi for anyone thinking of using the jhm lightweight crank pulley, I’ve put a couple hundred km’s on it so far and no issues with the belt slipping off (knock on wood), you can definitely feel the difference. The engine revs up much quicker, especially at higher rpms.

#14

Indeed. But it took me probably several thousand km for the belt to snap. It’s possible that the guy(s) who did the installation messed something up or that there was some other problem in the pulley system that was causing it. I never found out since I ended up selling the car.

#15

I’m at around 1000km’s right now and still no issues

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#16

Still trying to find a solution to my fan issue, does anyone know if the s8 v10 fans/modules are interchangeable with the s6? They look identical, and there are knock off s8 fans available for a reasonable price (I can barely find a s6 one for sale anywhere)

#17

Just an update if anyone is wondering, I’ve put about 4000 km’s on the lightweight crank pulley with no issues, seems like that other member may have just gotten a bad one. I ended up finding a new fan assembly on a used car part site in Europe that was reasonably priced and I’m not getting the fan error anymore thankfully. Wish there was an easier fix but it doesn’t seem like there is.

#18

Do you possibly know, if this source of yours might have a second one in stock? I’m looking for a cooling fan myself.

#19

It was called B Parts, it looks like it’s basically a database for a bunch of wreckers throughout Europe. I’m not sure if the fan motors are interchangeable, if they are I have one that was working correctly on my old fan setup (depending on which side you need, not sure if you can swap them)

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