Reggit

I usually have a temp gauge that reads low, at most 65 degrees in normal conditions... however, tonight I'd driven about 5 miles on a cold engine and pulled up with engine idling for about 5 minutes, on setting off again I noticed the coolant warning flashing and gauge rapidly making for 120 degrees with the fans runing. Stopped car and looked under bonnet, nothing seems amiss, water level on max marker, top and bottom radiator hoses at a similar temperature, warm but not hot, drove home cautiously and noticed that the gauge lowered whilst driving by about 10 degrees, as would be expected with airflow around radiator. I've recently had sender out, but have no reason to suspect air locks as car has been driven a bit since doing this. Only thing differend was replacing the plastic guard that fits over the temp senders, and after removing this gauge showed normal (for my car!) temperature again. I'm at a loss with this one, I'm guessing problem is electrical as engine (and stat housing) didn't appear overly hot. Although I may swop the sender with a spare as a matter of course. Anyone got any thoughts???

Nah, go back and remove the blooming camera :wink:

Last time I had a broken windscreen and third party insurance, I put up with the ever growing crack until my insurance was due for renewal, and guess what, I upgraded to fully comp and claimed a week later. OK, a little naughty I suppose! As to RAC autowindscreens, I've nothing but good to say about them. When my side window was leaking last winter/spring, I took car to several screen places to ask if they could remove, reseal, refit it. Most said they would have to smash it to remove it and £300+ for new one. Visited RAC and fitter wandered out to it had a poke and prod about and told me he 'thought' it could be done. An hour later, the job was done and has been fine ever since.

I could see a problem if you say someone else was driving, as they would have to be insured to drive your car. I guess it could be possible for the police to attempt to then try and do you for 'aiding and abetting an uninsured driver' which has a far worse outcome than speeding, unless you have any driver insurance. I'd say just take it, but get the photo. On the bright side the same happened to me last year on the bike, I thought I was in a 40 but in a 30, camera double flashed me, but no summons arrived. There is always a chance.

Sounds like the battery has died. Think you need a new one. The alarm coming on when you try and start the car is usually a classic sign of this.

What's the point? Unless you want it for originality's sake, but remember that every item in the 1st aid box will be many years past its use-by date. Why not go to Boots and buy a new car 1st aid kit for about a tenner. Warning traingles less than a tenner as well IIRC (Not from Boots!)

As dr mat said, weight of VR6 from handbook is 1210kg, weight of G60 is 1155kg, 16v is 1175kg. The figures are based on a basic model with manual gearbox, auto box +30kg, and some extra for sunroof, air con etc. It doesn't go into specifics about these.

To attempt to narrow low temp reading fault down, I've extended wiring loom to yellow sensor so it can be heated externally to the car whilst monitoring the temp gauge. Heating the sensor in a pan to boiling point of water, car was reading only 80 degrees max, I'm assuming the gauge is duff. Can someone confirm this or do they usually read this low? Cheers.

I just ordered a yellow one as well and it arrived black!, I yes just looking for the receipt but can't lay my hands on it at the moment. As to the sensors I was under the belief that the Yellow(now pos black 4 pin) is for Temp Gauge, Blue for ECU, and black for Air-con cars only. I have all 3 fitted but air con has never been fitted to the car, is this normal?

If it was mine, I'd replace them as a matter of course if I had the motor stripped down. Saves the hassle of possibly doing it again in the near future if they are starting to wear.

Just out of interest I called the local stealer for a quote, they just got back to me with a price of... ...wait for it... ...now are you sitting down sir... ...ok here gos... £659 and something pence (fitted) :shock: I told them it was going elsewhere!!!!

They are doing a custom one to my requirements, so time will tell... Probably means they have a deal with a local stainless exhaust manufacturer and are getting more commission, but who cares. Life time guarantee, promise of no bodywork fouling, and what characteristics I want. It'll cost £350 fitted. I'll let everyone know what I think next week.

Oh well, just bit the bullet and booked it in to Dubsport (VW specialist near Wigan) who I trust to work on the car. It'll cost more than a standard system, but I have no way of raising car to fit exhaust myself and fitting centre and rear section looks to complicated for me, especially at this cold time of year!! I didn't realise what issues this subject would raise, cheers for everyone's input. :cheers: , let's see what I think next Thursday when the job is done!

Hmmm, You've given me something to think about there... I hadn't considered original as I assumed it would be stupidly expensive, I'll call stealer later for some prices, another concern with original is condensation in the system. As I only do a small mileage in the year, the exhaust may not always dryout fully, I was worried that this condensation could rot the system from the inside out (which wouldn't happen with stainless).

...but on the bright side, only on the exhaust, which I suspected anyway. and they couldn't do emmissions because of exhaust blowing. Now to buy it an early Xmas pressie, thinking of new stainless system. Considering Magnex, but what do people here recommend? I prefer look to be similar to standard, and want a quiet system. I'll be having a chat with Dubsport in the morning to arrange something.

dr_mat, I've never done thermostat, and after a quick look through the cars history, it looks as though it hasn't been done. Any tips to change it, as it looks a pain to get the housing off. Cheers.

Sender is genuine, oil runs at mid-high 90's, although I took it on a 10 mile run tonight and it only reached 74 degrees, from cold with ambient air temp at +1degree. Gauge does reach 100(ish) if stuck in traffic, so I wouldn't have thought it would be buggered. Can I ground one fo the sender wires for it to read full scale? If so which one?

Ever since I got the car ('93 VR6, in December last year), my temperature gauge has read on the low side, never reaching 70 unless stuck in traffic, and then dropping to below 70 again in clear conditions. I've just changed the blue sensor, for a Vagcom error, and thought I might as well do the gauge sensor at the same time. Blue one no problem, error has cleared. I also changed the Yellow one with 4 wires, is this the correct one for gauge? and replacement one was black, is this ok? Now temp shows lower than ever, only just off the bottom stop after a several mile run. Oil temp comes up reasonable and heater also blows warm quite quickly. Does this sound like a possible stuck open thermostat? Have I changed right sender (yellow)? Why does my Bently manual show the third position blanked off for non-airconditioned cars when I've got another sender in there and what does this 3rd sender do? Sorry about the length of this ramble, but I'm confused.

These read the number plate, then cross reference it to the car, which then has details of it's tax disc. It takes about 4 seconds for he police to know whether and specific car is taxed or not. The bar code is probably there for the post office (or other issuing body) to enter it onto the licencing system quicker. If you think about it, they would be buggered if the tax disc had fallen onto the dashboard if they tried to read it with a camera.

You haven't accidently turned them off using the dimmer(next to headlight switch) have you? I've done that one a few times

My guess is goosed battery, or jammed/dead starter motor. Or Immobilisor, some prevent starter motor operating so you may get dash lights, but you need to listen for 'click' from starter solinoid. When you try and start it do dashlights dim, if so prob battery.

Is it not possible to disconnect the belt drive to the power steering pump and drive it? albeit with very heavy steering. Or does the same belt run water pump/alternator as well?

The auction is on now, ends 24th Nov. Assuming this is TomB's car. http://www.hbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/zyview/D=v ... /R=1531046

My mate has a '94 VR6 auto Golf, the box is a bit sluggish in kick-down, but has been like that for many 1000's of miles and otherwise works fine. More importantly though it just failed its MOT for severe rust on the underfloor area on both sides of the car, I'm not sure on the exact location, but it's caused by the underseal splitting and the front wheels blasting water and mud between the floorpan and underseal. I know of atleast one other mark 3 (again 1994) that has suffered similar problems, so probably worth a double check/prod around this area. The car is in for repair at the minute, but if I can get a picture of the area to look for I'll post it up here (won't be for a week or so, so don't hold your breath)

I'd be tempted to have a look at the blue water temp sender for ECU, mine packed up recently with exactly same symptoms, and it only costs a tenner so no great loss if not needed. No one with Vag-com in that area?