Crasher

The thermostat is in the pump.

What GSF part number (or VW part number) pump did you fit. It should be VW number 1H0 919 651 Q. As far as I know, GSF don't list the 4 bar VR6 pump. Last time I need one, I had to get it genuine.

Replace the brown (sometimes blue) oil pressure sender on the oil filter housing for a VDO M10x1 0.3 bar pressure sender which has a gauge connection (G) and a connection for the original oil pressure wire (WK). These senders are available from any VDO retailer but there are two pressure ranges, 0 to 5 or 0 to 10 bar, depending on the scale of the gauge. If you wish to maintain your original MFA oil temperature reading, you will need to install another sender in the blanked off outlet on the oil filter housing using a M10x1 NTC resistance sender such as VW number 049 919 563 A.

The fuses and relays are on a bracket behind the air ducting to the passenger’s side behind the glove box. Occasionally peoples feet can dislodge the fuses, especially after some, err, fun, in the passengers seat-if you know what I mean! I would suspect you have and ECU with water damage though. Is the ABS light on? Get a fault code scan first.

You can leave the P/S pump in place but it is easier to drop it down to give you more room, but leave the hydraulics connected. You will have to remove the alternator and then the bracket over the top of the water pump which will allow access to the last pump bolt. Try not to remove the lower ally bracket for the P/S pump from the block, you can work around it. The bolts through this bracket often seize in and snap, and even if you do get it apart, reassembly should be done very carefully, slowly nipping each bolt of the P/S pump system back up. If the lower bracket doesn’t bolt up straight, you can snap one of the lugs off the block.

What engine?

9A block from a Corrado or Passat 2L 16v with the KR head and cams. The K-Jet just about copes.

Surprisingly high but OK.

PG and PB heads are different castings and they are different in details such as the alloy used and later the inlet ports were a different shape. I won't interchange them just in case, but I have seen it done and with no apparent ill effects. The exhaust valves are sodium cooled on a PG and are also 0.25-mm longer.

This is a G60 then?

The switch is screwed into the (black plastic) top section of the cable selector unit on top of the box to the left of the battery as you look down at the gearbox. As the original switch is no longer available, you need 02A 945 413 C (£10.06) and plug 357 972 752 (£4.28). You will have to very carefully extract the pins from the old plug and transfer them to the new one.

Dash out is the best way. Does it have A/C? Use a genuine VW matrix unless you want to do it again.

The Diavia an original A/C systems are completely different. You can tell if it is a factory fitted system by looking (but I can't see it-I have fitted a few in years gone by) and the factory fitted system had the PR code 9AB on the vehicle data sticker. PM me your chassis number and I will see if there is any info.

I suppose it could but they normally fail because they get over sensitive, not blocked.

What type of A/C, Diavia or genuine?

Buy a new valve set from VW, about £28 and they have a few sets in stock. If you have problems getting the part number, I can get it as we had two sets this week. If you replace the valves with copper pipe you run the risk of a burst matrix blowing boiling coolant all over your legs, especially if it is a VR6.

The VAG unit doesn’t have a built in by-pass that I have ever noticed but I don't make a habit of cutting up new parts! I won't fit anything other than genuine as if they fail, they change them for you-but I have never had one fail.

Leaking and bursting are two different failures. Leaking is a nuisance caused buy the matrix getting old; bursting is due to the matrix being weak when subjected to high pressures in a head gasket failure situation, something that happens on older cars more than new ones. An impromptu 102°c foot spa of coolant isn't a nice experience, I have seen it happen a number of times and one chap I saw it happen to in the queue to get into a show in Holland ended up in hospital.

The switch closes at 95°c and goes off at 84°c for speed one. The second speed comes in at 102°c and goes out at 91°c inside the operating range of speed 1.

The harness is VAG 1315 A/1 which according to my local dealer is now obsolete so you would have to make one up which isn't too difficult as you only need to intercept the power wire to the differential pressure regulator (it has two wires) and connect the ends to a sensitive multimeter capable of measuring accurately under 200mA. You must have the car connected to an exhaust gas analyser (preferably a four gas) and the ECU is put in basic adjustment mode with diagnostic equipment and VAG-COM is ideal for that but it must be a fully functioning copy, not shareware as I don’t think you can get in basic adjustments with the shareware version. After jumping through a few more hoops, you set the idle co between 0.2 and 1.2% but if you can get the tools together, I will post the process in detail.

ETKA syas 80.

If you reset a 9A like that you alter the base fuelling so now it is ultra lean on cold start. The only way to properly set up a 9A is to have the ECU in basic adjustment mode with a multimeter on the differential pressure regulator (with the VW harness adapter) measuring the current consumption to spec. Did you check for fault codes such as a coolant temp sender?

Get a genuine VW exchange bottom end (£993.06 inc. VAT from any VW dealer) and fit a stage 2 head.

Yes, it is coded but it can be repaired without re-coding. The only replacement for that ECU is the VW exchange unit 021 997 258 GX at £545.88 inc. VAT. Why do you think yours is faulty?

Just like the original ones that burst.