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.... the radiator shouldn't be toasty hot with the temperature needle stills showing about 68 degrees now, should it?

The radiator should be hot after a long run, but if the gauge is reading that low then is sounds like a faulty black temperature sender or temperature gauge.

If it is overcooling, the engine would take ages to warm up, and once it gets warm, as soon as you start moving, the temperature would drop right down again, as the thermostat is constantly open.

If it is overcooling, the engine would take ages to warm up, and once it gets warm, as soon as you start moving, the temperature would drop right down again, as the thermostat is constantly open.

sounds familiar. i need to get mine checked- takes about 2 miles of driving (keeping it below 3k) before the needle even moves and then when it does it feels like a completely different car- it feels before as if its not running proeprrly- severely underpowered, struggling to move anywhere and like all of a sudden its runniong on all cylinders..... of thats possible?

In the cold weather we have now mines running just over the 70 mark...while i'm driving along. If i sit in traffic for 5 mins its goes up over half and the fan comes on though.

I wouldn't worry mate. These engines don't like running cold (as don't most engines really, as they are designed to run hot.)

They are tappety and hesitant until they get a bit of heat in them. Mine seems very underpowered when it's stone cold, but as soon as she warms up, it's so much more pleasant to drive.

3 miles of driving to register on the gauge sounds about right to me. It should take about 5 minutes to warm up to a nice temperature (85 ish deg.)

mine struggles to get above about 75... even on those full bore hot days i was lucky if general driving got it up to 75... and otnight it wouldnt even reach 70- more liek about 65 but cant tell as its unregistered below that...

The usual operating temp is about 80-85 isn't it? around about 85+ and my fan kicks in, though when I've been tinkering, its just been sat on the drive. Admittedly is taking longer to warm up either due to the weather or a combo or the new coolant and weather, or the coolant.

Karl.

I think if it takes more than a mile to warm up then something aint right (not to 90C i mean but for it to start warming the cabin up) Maybe thats just my 1.4 though? My mk2 takes ages as well but the temp doesnt go back down when travelling at high speeds.

Change your thermostat tahrey! £5 for the part and then a few quid for some antifreeze. Its just two bolts to get the old thermostat out. Yeah youll make a bit of a mess as you loose some coolant but put a bucket under yer engine and youll be fine!

i'm going to, its just a case of getting the bits! plenty of time to do the job in but not to get the freaking shops!

what i really meant was, in a more lengthy fashion - as the haynes stated temp for the thermostat even starting to open (ie to begin shunting coolant to the radiator) is in the 80s, whatevers in the rad should be sitting stone cold if everything's working properly, til that needle gets a good 15 degrees higher than what it was with mine being toasty warm like a hot water bottle. and not actually getting toasty til nearly 90, where it's fully open.

it even *looks* like a simple job, like the brake fluid was. however i've learnt my lesson and will do it on a sunday (AFTER work) not saturday (before..) !!!

mind you there's still the little oil problem to sort out. topped it up from MIN today -- 79303 miles. Mileage of the really big top up previous? 78780. Those are NOT happy maths!

One thing I can recommend fully is you get a proper VAG thermostat. I had a couple of different ones, and it couldn't regulate the temperature. Either too cold, or would cool down when you went over a certian speed. No problems with the VW part and it costs only a little more.

Make sure you bleed it properly.

I always recommend VAG thermostats. Non-genuine ones aren't worth the bother. Last time I got one it was about £8 including the seal. Just remember the housing could break.

so best to chuck it on the vagparts order should i ever get round to putting it thru then?