temperature creeping up in traffic, is this normal?

[DubGarry 0]

so i've been reading this:

 

https://sites.google.com/site/stoyneff/miscellaneous/the-vr6-cooling-system

 

and it says that if sitting in traffic or giving it a "spirited drive" then the temp could creep up around to 104degrees

 

mine is doing this, and the fans don't sound like they're at stage 2, and the engine smells hot.

 

should i start by replacing the blue temp sender? or buy a lower temp fan switch?

 

any other suggestions?

 

Cheers

Chris

[Sean_Jaymo 0]

You need to change the thermo switch on the radiator, that's stage one, the yellow is stage 2 and the black if you have it fitted is for stage 3 - which you should never get to without having both switches broken and idling for a while in the south of France. The stage 3 is really only used if you have aircon fitted.

 

The blue switch is for the ECU to monitor temps.

 

---------- Post added at 1:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 1:08 PM ----------

 

The switches "can" loose their accuracy over time with age, new switches are pretty cheap from the dealer and probably all best changed for new items if they are more than say 5 or 7 years old.

 

This is not to say that old switches can't work perfectly, some still do but most will wear out with age.

[lewvw 10]

Did you bridge the rad fan switch connector to establish whether speed 2 works? If it does replace the switch. Tbh it doesn't hurt to change them all inc the blue and yellow as they get pretty crusty and unreliable with age.

[Supercharged 2]

If it's the oil temp then normal but if it's the water temp gauge moving past the half way mark then not normal!

[VR6Pete 0]

My coolant temp creeps up to about 98 - 100 in traffic on a warm day but goes down to 90 as soon as I've got some air flowing through. All my fan speeds work as expected and completely overhauled my coolant system including brand new radiator

[Supercharged 2]

My coolant temp creeps up to about 98 - 100 in traffic on a warm day but goes down to 90 as soon as I've got some air flowing through. All my fan speeds work as expected and completely overhauled my coolant system including brand new radiator

 

Is it a genuine rad Pete? If so I suspect the fan switch is skipping the first stage... I'm not saying there is anything major wrong but it shouldn't go past 90 regularly.

[VR6Pete 0]

Hella radiator. Pretty tried and tested. It's a brand new fan switch also, tested bridging the terminals and fans come on within tolerance Which is between 92-97 C (198-207 F)

[Jon_vr6 1]

I think the gauges get tired over time and read inaccurate. Only true way to tell is VAGCOM

[Stonejag 10]

But surely you can only read the blue sender through the diagnostics port? Yellow runs the dash gauge and stage 3, thermo switch in radiator runs speeds 1/2 (bridge the pins at the harness connector to test). Neither yellow nor the rad switch are monitored by the ECU.

 

Mine has all three speeds available when bridging the harness connectors but only speed 3 when they're connected normally, it's very frustrating! Changed all the senders with no joy, I suspect I have the wrong fan controller as there's a different part number specified for autos, wasn't expecting it to flat out not work though. VW want £160 for the right one! :(

 

Stone

[Supercharged 2]

Stonejag - what's the part number? I have a brand new one somewhere that is for an Auto!