Get the test kit for combustion gases in your coolant.

Have a look at your spark plugs. Generally, cylinders with a leak will be very white, and exceptionally clean.

 

With the tester do I want to test in the radiator cap or in the resivour container?

 

Test the coolant.

 

It's funny that so many people think that when a vehicle is assembled many parts are certain ways because they are cheaper (ie. constant tension hose clams) but they fail to realize that these parts are engineered to work with certain applications, as stated by VW.

 

Ok, let me ask ya this, do you honestly expect any manufacturer to come out and say "we do it this way 'cause it's cheaper'??? Seriously?

Consider, even if they only save 1 cent on the manufacture, consider the number of clamps they go thru in a DAY.... that adds up over the course of a year. It's just good business sense. Now, telling the public that you do it that way as it is "better", is just marketing.

 

I'm perfectly happy with my stock clamps. Still tight. No leaks.

 

I replace mine when I did my plenum. Only leak I had was when the radiator decided it wanted to be in two pieces, and split at the seam where plastic meets aluminum.....

No more mystery coolant loss though.

 

mine split last week at the drivers side seam.
i've still got the stock clamps. they're a pita to squeeze and slide back, but they don't leak.

I got an all aluminum replacement from CSF-2969 for the superduper ebay price of $150. here's a pic.
http://www.stylintrucks.com/parts/cs...fcsf2969-.aspx

 

I actually love the stock clamps now. I used to hate them but then i got a proper set of Channel Locks. Mine are stock at 200+ thousand miles and are working fine. Been repeatedly taken off and put back on. I feel like a lot of people hate them because they take a certain touch to use without having an aneurism.

Manufactures definitely use the cheapest things they can that still meet the specs they are trying to meet. They are in the business solely for profit, why would they not use the cheapest?

The quality and price of parts has a lot to do with their projected selling price and how long they are actually designing the stuff to last. Everything is taken into account and some things they skimp and others they don't. Its all about the end goal and the end goal is making money.