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Wonder if you guys can help..

Just pulled up on my drive in my 16v to be greated with a cloud of steam gushing out from the right hand side of my expansation tank

got back in the car and saw the temp was about 100... Bottom rad pipe is cold top is hot. It's not the head gasket, i got no water in my oil (it's the 1st thing I checked!) My question is which part(s) of the cooling system could have fallen over judging by these symptoms?

Cheers

j3nxE wrote:Wonder if you guys can help..

Just pulled up on my drive in my 16v to be greated with a cloud of steam gushing out from the right hand side of my expansation tank

got back in the car and saw the temp was about 100... Bottom rad pipe is cold top is hot. It's not the head gasket, i got no water in my oil (it's the 1st thing I checked!) My question is which part(s) of the cooling system could have fallen over judging by these symptoms?

Cheers

Sounds like the rad is blocked

thermostats stuck shut is a more common problem.I was told by a radiator specialist that VW radiators rarely block

UPDATE:

- Runs up to temperature and stays there (sitting on drive at idle, no stress)
- Can get hot air in car
- Radiator is freezing cold
- Bottom Pipe is freezing cold
- Top pipe is boiling hot (dont i just know it.. OUCH!)

Changed my thermostat about 2 months ago

ste mk1lx wrote:thermostats stuck shut is a more common problem.I was told by a radiator specialist that VW radiators rarely block

If thats the case why would the top hose (after the stat) be hot?

j3nxE wrote:UPDATE:

- Runs up to temperature and stays there (sitting on drive at idle, no stress)
- Can get hot air in car
- Radiator is freezing cold
- Bottom Pipe is freezing cold
- Top pipe is boiling hot (dont i just know it.. OUCH!)

Changed my thermostat about 2 months ago

I still reckon the radiator core is blocked - try back flushing it

Undo bottom hose where it connects to the engine

Undo top hose where it connects to the radiator

Using household (mains pressure) hosepipe - jury rig a seal to the openn end of the bottom hose so it's leak proof and push the water backwards thro the rad out of the top hose inlet.......

Probably find someone has used rad weld in the past to fix a leak in which case back flushing will clear it all out and then you will have a leaky rad

Didn't work unfortunetly...

Thinking it could be Water pump or Radiator?

j3nxE wrote:Didn't work unfortunetly...

You mean you got good flow through the radiator whe you back flushed it?

j3nxE wrote:Thinking it could be Water pump or Radiator?

Only leaves the water pump impeller has fallen off hence little or no circulation in the system if the rad core isn't blocked - but I've only ever seen that once before!!!

bstardchild wrote:

j3nxE wrote:Didn't work unfortunetly...

You mean you got good flow through the radiator whe you back flushed it?

j3nxE wrote:Thinking it could be Water pump or Radiator?

Only leaves the water pump impeller has fallen off hence little or no circulation in the system if the rad core isn't blocked - but I've only ever seen that once before!!!

Instant flow unfortunetly!

Diagnosed as the impeller by my mechanic aswell.. Thanks for all your help, you know your biscuits

j3nxE wrote:Instant flow unfortunetly!

Diagnosed as the impeller by my mechanic aswell.. Thanks for all your help, you know your biscuits

Well you don't suggest something that you haven't seen in years (sheared water pump shaft or impeller free spinning v something that happens all the time like a blocked rad cos someone has been a bit over enthusiastic with the rad weld - sorry but I hope you get it sorted and back on the road

Don't forget to do the cam belt while it's apart - I never like to reuse em when they've been removed much better to start with a new one an know it's gonna be a long while before you have to worry about that again