1.8 16v boiling hot

[carrots 1]

hi all my 1.8 16v has just started to boil.i have been away for a week so the car has stood,i jumped in it last night done about 5 mile stopped and could smell the engine was very hot.i opened the bonnet to hear the water boiling.drove it back from girlfriends this morn about 3 mile,checked top hose that was hot and bottom cold.bottom hose felt like it didnt have water in it.could it be the thermostat,if so is it hard to change and where is it.also ive checked the oil for water and its fine and no white steam from exhaust. :help: :help: :help: :help: :help:

[dbug 0]

Sounds like thermostat. Time consuming but easy job.

Pas pump off and fiddle about or take alternator and water pump off - easy.

 

I would also swap waterpump ( cheap ) whilst your there.

 

Don't forget 40% mix of g12 coolant when you refill.

[davidwort 0]

yep, does sound like a stuck-shut stat.

much easier to fit the stat with the pump off the car if you fit a new pump anyway.

[carrots 1]

ok cheers,2 types of water pump.the type with the housing and type without.been told the bolts for the themo housing brake sometimes so its best to get the complete thing.just hope its not head gasket

[davidwort 0]

I think what you mean is a full waterpump or just the impeller half, don't mess with half the pump, buy a complete one, not much more anyway.

The two 10mm bolts holding the plastic housing/water hose connector on (that have the stat underneath) shouldn't be a problem, but don't overtighten them when you do them back up.

[carrots 1]

ive taken it for a 20 mile spin tonight and it didnt get to hot :shrug:

[carrots 1]

it boiled again last sat when i took it for an mot,the garage owners are mates of mine and said to get a thermostat and they would fit it straight away.been in it tonight and it chucked all the water out again :( must be the pump or the head gasket.no water in the oil tho and it runs fine

[davidwort 0]

just a thought, is the expansion tank cap OK? if it's a black one it's the original and should be replaced with a blue one.

[kerrly 0]

just a thought, is the expansion tank cap OK? if it's a black one it's the original and should be replaced with a blue one.

 

 

If it is chucking water out of the overflow on the side of the expansion tank it could be the expansion tank itself is dead. Dont ask how they break but i spent a small fortune having new water pump, new radiator, new lid and it still kept overheating and chucking all its coolant out the overflow.... a £10 expansion bottle (from VW) and it had been fine ever since.

 

dave

[carrots 1]

ive changed the expansion tank and the cap to a blue un a while ago.since doing it tho the light flashes on dash .could a crap cheap expansion bottle be the cause :shrug:

[carrots 1]

got a water pump today

[carrots 1]

i am going to try and fit water pump tommorow ive seen a post of what to do,just wondering if i need to jack car up to get under it or can i do it all from the top.hope i can with this :censored: weather

[carrots 1]

fitted the water pump and a new themostat,still dont think its right tho.mite try another expansion bottle even tho mines only been on a few months.anyone got any ideas what else

[carrots 1]

just found my expansion tank is leaking,ordered a genuine tank.cant see how this could fix it tho.i was thinking of putting a rad on it aswell

[davidwort 0]

if the system can't pressurise because of a leak then the boiling point is lower than the pressurised system would be, hopefully you've found your problem

[carrots 1]

ive not sorted it :censored: .put a new gen expansion bottle on and its just the same.so thats a water pump,thermostat new bottle and its got a blue cap.the bottom hose dont seem to get hot.could it be a blocked rad.its starting to :censored: me off now.i need a beer :help: :help: :help:

[carrots 1]

ive taken the rad off now

[Scar 0]

Any joy?

[carrots 1]

going to order a new rad tommorow.if that dont cure it its got to be the head

[Scar 0]

Keeping them crossed for you Carrots.

[carrots 1]

cheers i dont think its the head tho

[Wullie 1]

Just to depress you I had a similar problem but was losing water. Was corrosion on the head gasket that allowed cylinder pressure into the water ways in the head/block. Didn't show up when I did a compression test but gave similar symptoms and no sign of oil in the header tank. Been on holiday so missed most of this thread. Quick head off in the morning confirmed it. Checked the head with a bit of plate glass, bunged in a new head gasket and on the road the same evening.

[carrots 1]

i hope its not the head,if it is that will cost me.i am not to good when it comes to fitting cambelts so it would be a garage job and new cam belt kit .should get rad today.it dont seem to be losing water tho except out the overflow but that could be because the bottom hose is cold and the top is very hot.

[carrots 1]

ive got my new rad,should fit it tonight depending on the weather.took my old rad to wrexham rads who done a flow test on it.turns out its about 25% blocked .spoke to a vw trained mechanic thats worked on a lot of older vw mk2 golf ,corrados etc.he says its not that often a head gasket went on a 1.8 16v.so fingers crossed it is the rad

[carrots 1]

fitted the rad and it all seems ok now,took it for a good drive and its not getting hot,fan comes on when it should aswell