Steam through the vents

[Pickard1 0]

what about a mocal cooler? They are about 100 quid and allows you to throw away the silly heat exchanger that VW use as standard. It will drop the oil and coolant temps as well.

[asdf 0]

Any more information or link to where i can buy one from?

[sixpotter 0]

Steam through the vents is almost definitely heater matrix leaking.......

This can be very dangerous in 2 ways,

1: Driver / passenger feet can get covered in boiling hot water.

2: Instant heavy misting of the winscreen, incredibly dangerous at any speed.

 

Oil In water tank will be caused by internal leak in your heat exchanger (oil cooler).

I have never seen a headgasket cause oil and water mix on 16V's,

always the oil cooler, so start with that and the heater matrix first.

 

 

Vince, would this be the same on a vr6?

 

Had steam/smoke come through the vents last night and had a search on here and found this thread. It stopped coming through but stunk of burning when I pulled over so have just left all vents off since.

 

Sorry to hijack the original thread!

[Pickard1 0]

Here you go:

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GOLF-GTI-CORRADO- ... 5d2a444cb6

 

I am sure places like G werks, jabba etc will sell them too.

 

I would advise paying the extra £20 and getting the thermostatic sandwich plate so that you aren't waiting ages for it to heat up in the winter.

 

In my opinion this is a better solution than the OEM part.

[dukest 0]

Steam through the vents is almost definitely heater matrix leaking.......

This can be very dangerous in 2 ways,

1: Driver / passenger feet can get covered in boiling hot water.

2: Instant heavy misting of the winscreen, incredibly dangerous at any speed.

 

Oil In water tank will be caused by internal leak in your heat exchanger (oil cooler).

I have never seen a headgasket cause oil and water mix on 16V's,

always the oil cooler, so start with that and the heater matrix first.

 

 

Vince, would this be the same on a vr6?

 

Had steam/smoke come through the vents last night and had a search on here and found this thread. It stopped coming through but stunk of burning when I pulled over so have just left all vents off since.

 

Sorry to hijack the original thread!

yes, steam through the vents still means heater matrix on VR6 - it shouldnt smell of burning though and just turning off the vents is hardly solving a problem is it?

has your car been using water? have you topped it up if so? ignoring something till it does you or something else damage is not normally a good plan.

[sixpotter 0]

Steam through the vents is almost definitely heater matrix leaking.......

This can be very dangerous in 2 ways,

1: Driver / passenger feet can get covered in boiling hot water.

2: Instant heavy misting of the winscreen, incredibly dangerous at any speed.

 

Oil In water tank will be caused by internal leak in your heat exchanger (oil cooler).

I have never seen a headgasket cause oil and water mix on 16V's,

always the oil cooler, so start with that and the heater matrix first.

 

 

Vince, would this be the same on a vr6?

 

Had steam/smoke come through the vents last night and had a search on here and found this thread. It stopped coming through but stunk of burning when I pulled over so have just left all vents off since.

 

Sorry to hijack the original thread!

yes, steam through the vents still means heater matrix on VR6 - it shouldnt smell of burning though and just turning off the vents is hardly solving a problem is it?

has your car been using water? have you topped it up if so? ignoring something till it does you or something else damage is not normally a good plan.

 

Well that told me didn't it... it only happened last night and I had to keep driving it home (half a mile or so) and it hasn't left the drive since that is why I posted and did a search on here in the first place!

 

I did notice it was a little low on coolant last week after it was serviced but assumed the garage left it low and just topped it up. The burning smell stopped as soon as I switched it all off and then it just smelt of antifreeze.

 

If thats what it is I will get myself one ordered and give it a crack over the weekend though, is there a recommended part to use for the VR?

 

Cheers

[dukest 0]

Sorry, I somehow glossed over the bit where you said that you'd only seen it the night before. I had kind of thought that you'd carried on driving it for a few days afterwards, anyway.. :oops:

Good that the burning smell went but if you need to drive it this week then try to bypass the matrix until you replace it so you can see that there is no coolant escaping anywhere else. Go original with the replacement matrix, its not a job you want to do too often :)

[Pickard1 0]

When mine went there was a bit of a smell.

 

Maybe not burning, but certainly of hot coolant......I guess smell is pretty subjective so this is probably all you smelt.

[sixpotter 0]

How much are they from VW and GSF out of interest? I have a nice long parts list to sort out my wobbly column so this will get done too if the dash comes out...

[dukest 0]

about £90 and £50 respectively i think - but not worth a pattern one failing

[sixpotter 0]

Cool thanks, I've bitten the bullet and gone genuine with everything else so may aswell...This car can never be sold its had far too much time and money already!

[dukest 0]

should be the forum motto!

[sixpotter 0]

Genuine matrix £127 on enquiring today, a little steep if I'm honest!! Anyone got any reviews of the cheaper ones?

 

Euro car parts one is exactly £100 cheaper...

[sixpotter 0]

Fitted the ECP one yesterday though am yet to test it in the car as I am going to VAX the carpets and treat all the leather while its out too. Needless to say, I have significantly less skin on my hands and arms today :)

 

Glad I did it myself though.

[STU175 0]

Genuine matrix £127 on enquiring today, a little steep if I'm honest!! Anyone got any reviews of the cheaper ones?

 

Euro car parts one is exactly £100 cheaper...

 

i fitted a GSF one about 8 years ago not had any problems.........as yet (touch wood)

[borders16v 0]

Just fitted the ECP one myself 3 hundred miles ago,ok so far. Annoying thing was the orginal one looked mint when it finally came out with only a hairline crack in the plastic neck that has caused my car to stink of coolant.

 

Did it without removing the whole dash,nightmare,but if doing again would take about 3 hours.

A wee tip,wd40 nuts screws the night before,especially the screws in the engine bay bulkhead. If the heater box screw just spins when turning keep turning as it comes free eventually from the housing.Enjoy :shock:

[sixpotter 0]

Just fitted the ECP one myself 3 hundred miles ago,ok so far. Annoying thing was the orginal one looked mint when it finally came out with only a hairline crack in the plastic neck that has caused my car to stink of coolant.

 

Did it without removing the whole dash,nightmare,but if doing again would take about 3 hours.

A wee tip,wd40 nuts screws the night before,especially the screws in the engine bay bulkhead. If the heater box screw just spins when turning keep turning as it comes free eventually from the housing.Enjoy :shock:

 

It ran up good and got nice and hot with no leaks, funny enough the one I removed was a VAG one that looked mint too but had leaked from the top join where the plastic joins the metal. Maybe the ECP was a better bet afterall as the old one can't have been the original!

 

I had the whole dash out for it took the whole day Sunday and ended up leaving all the interior out to clean so still on the push bike anyway :?

[sixpotter 0]

Had some further smoke through after turning the toasties on this morning, am hoping it is just burning any remaining antifreeze from the internals of the heater box as it stinks of antifreeze and the new matrix isn't leaking..

 

Pumped it to 4 and opened the windows and it was ok but un nerving nonetheless! How long till it stops as I don't want the thing apart to clean it all out.

 

Wiped the insides where it leaked through with kitchen roll and it was pretty clean when it went back together :cuckoo: