Radiators and dipstick guides...

[Mystic Rado 0]

I've got steam coming out from under the bonnet, seems to be from the radiator area behind the fan rather than from any of the hoses around the thermostat housing or the main radiator ones, just looks like the steam's coming direct from the radiator. Nothing visible from the front though and it loose to be in pretty good nick visually.

 

I'm thinking the radiator's holed, but wanted to check whether there's some other possibility I've missed.

 

Also assuming I do need a new one, is there any advantage to getting genuine VAG or are the ones from Eurocarparts or GSF okay? Thoughts?

 

Second, I'm a bit confused about whether there ought to be a plastic dipstick guide on a late VR6 - it's a Storm. At the moment the dipstick sits directly in the tube and looks right. However there are a few posts on here saying that the VR6 should have a plastic orange guide at the top like the eight-valve motors and quoting the same part number, but the one off my Mark 2 GTi definitely doesn't fit. Are late VR6s supposed to have a plastic guide or not? The diagrame in Bentley doesn't list one, but I kind want reassurance that my oil levels are okay and the dipstick shouldn't have an additional guide.

 

Thanks for any input. Looks like the 'rado ain't doing any festive trips this year then :(

[G60SC_Stoney 0]

my M reg VR6 corrado doesnt have a guide, the dipstick just sits directly on the tube. as for the rad question i aint got a clue!

[Mystic Rado 0]

my M reg VR6 corrado doesnt have a guide, the dipstick just sits directly on the tube. as for the rad question i aint got a clue!

 

Cheers fella, I'm not going mad then :?

[pete_griff 0]

if you can get hold of a pressure tester then pop it onto the top of the coolant header tank and pump away - watch for water squirting out of the radiator (watch closely as it may only be a very thin squirt coming out).

 

if you go to a friendly garage (i.e not the stealers!) then they will probably do the test for you for free...

 

hope that helps

[Supercharged 2]

Rad - yeah get a genuine Denso Marsden one - bit more expense but vast difference in quality!

[Mystic Rado 0]

Thanks guys, I guess it'll give me something to do between Boxing Day and New Year eh, if I can get whatever bits are needed then that is. Kind of frustrating as I've just replaced the coilpack and I had this naive idea that I might just be able to drive the car around for a bit without anything breaking or dropping off :?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Sounds like condensation in the rad fins 'steaming' off mate. Mine does that too, shouldn't worry about it, happens this time of year...... unless the coolant level is falling?

 

There's no plastic guide tube on the VR6 dipstick.

 

You should see how solid and neat the 24V sump and dipstick arrangements are. They bolt right up to the 12V. I've seen a 6 degree oil temp drop using the alloy sump and it has baffles ;-)

[Toad 0]

Sounds like condensation in the rad fins 'steaming' off mate. Mine does that too, shouldn't worry about it, happens this time of year...... unless the coolant level is falling?

 

There's no plastic guide tube on the VR6 dipstick.

 

You should see how solid and neat the 24V sump and dipstick arrangements are. They bolt right up to the 12V. I've seen a 6 degree oil temp drop using the alloy sump and it has baffles ;-)

 

Hmmm, 2.8 24v I assume? Got any Part No.s?? ;)

 

Edit... 021 103 601L for the sump,

022 115 629B for the dipstick tube and

022 115 607A for the dipstick

 

Do they sound right??

 

1/2l extra oil in the 24v sump isn't it??

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Sorry chap, I never remember part no's :lol:

 

But yeah, 2.8 24V. The R32 sump defo does not bolt up to the 12V unfortunately, which is a shame as it has bloody awesome baffling!!!

[Mystic Rado 0]

Sounds like condensation in the rad fins 'steaming' off mate. Mine does that too, shouldn't worry about it, happens this time of year...... unless the coolant level is falling?

 

There's no plastic guide tube on the VR6 dipstick.

 

You should see how solid and neat the 24V sump and dipstick arrangements are. They bolt right up to the 12V. I've seen a 6 degree oil temp drop using the alloy sump and it has baffles ;-)

 

I wish :( Condensation is what I thought to begin with, but the coolant level's dropping and you can smell the coolant in the steam coming off the radiator, also the steam's very localised. It's definitely a leak and since there's no hoses, sensors etc where it's coming from, so I reckon the smart money - unfortunately - is on the rad' for now.

 

Cheers for the thought anyway and for confirming the dipstick thing :)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Bummer :(

 

Oh well, the car needs a new xmas present then! As Supercharged says, I would only get the radiator from VW as the GSF one is rubbish!!

[Mystic Rado 0]

Bummer :(

 

Oh well, the car needs a new xmas present then! As Supercharged says, I would only get the radiator from VW as the GSF one is rubbish!!

 

LOL, when you're a 'rado, every day is Christmas Day - he's just unwrapped his new coilpack, now it looks like a new radiator, next I think it'll be some Gruvenparts cooling system hardware, the joy of Christmas just never ends for him :? :)

 

Have a good one :)

[Stonejag 10]

Sorry chap, I never remember part no's :lol:

 

But yeah, 2.8 24V. The R32 sump defo does not bolt up to the 12V unfortunately, which is a shame as it has bloody awesome baffling!!!

A very old thread bump, but IMO justified because this thread shows up well in Google searches :)

 

You can fit an R32 sump to an ABV or AAA - my dearly departed VR6 has one. The oil pump and pickup have to be swapped for the R32 parts, and it needs a tiny hole drilled in the uppermost plastic baffle so that it doesn't stop the dipstick from being inserted all the way. The oil condition sensor obviously doesn't have anywhere to plug into the Corrado engine management but it'd probably be possible to rig a temporary power supply to it if you were desperate to find out about your oil condition without spilling any!

 

The R32 sump is not only alloy and baffled but significantly shorter than the stock VR or 24v sumps. This is a godsend if you have a history of scraping them on the road - mine sat so high up that the subframe would scrape before the sump did. The 24v sump I had fitted prior to the R32 one only lasted a couple of months before I hit a bump and cracked it :lol:

 

Stone