Golf IV cold engine?

eamon11

Hello,

just acquired a mark 4 golf and don't know it's history. Noticed on drive home temp needle does not rise above 55 degrees. Might this be a sensor problem, thermostat or guage? Engine in general feels hot when I touch it after a good drive but I know this is no indication of temp. Are there any common temp faults on these cars? Thanks in advance

greasepalm

more likely a bust stat and housing which is very popular to go,if showing coolant around unit replace whole unit,i replaced this last week

https://www.google.ie/search?dcr=0&biw=1280&bih=667&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=uxeTWq7pF8rHgQa8zJSgCA&q=a3+1.6+thermostat+housing+complete&oq=a3+1.6+thermostat+housing+complete&gs_l=psy-ab.12...20156.22798.0.27647.6.6.0.0.0.0.189.570.5j1.6.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.WkKtQUHhdT4#imgrc=btS88kHGOqeoRM:

colm_mcm

Does the heater work?
I’d put money on it just being a coolant sensor.

greasepalm

aye coolant sensors always get replaced at vw as there that good not,waterpump impeller gone would be another and would see no action in expansion bottle when warm.

eamon11

heater works fine. Left it ticking over today and after approx 40 mins did reach 90 degrees.Maybe should have left it longer though just to see how hot it would get before fan kicked in. Would this point to stat?

rex-x

thermostat is a very common issue on them.

greasepalm

run car from cold for 3-10 mins feeling top and bottom rad hoses if both are same temp points to stat and they break the cap also.

eamon11

Thanks lads for all the help. Greasepalm, Don't understand what you mean by "break the cap"

Changed stat today but still car very slow to warm up. A lot of steam or smoke also. Don't know if that was because of spilled coolant or something else?
Did eventually warm up to 80 degrees and I took it for a tiny spin over the road and reached 90 degrees handy enough. Popped the bonnet at the house and let her idle. Still Smokey but the strange thing was while the rad top hose was hot the bottom hose from new stat to rad was ice cold. Didn't let the engine go too hot, maybe 91 or 92 degrees, and still bottom pipe ice cold. Is this normal? What's the running temp of this old golf?
Thanks a lot

greasepalm

the cap is the top of plastic housing which supports the stat or never remember if its an inlet or outlet secured with the 2 bolts /screws you removed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv9J1x5Whz0


note the centre of cap that breaks and stops stat from working as pin from stat needs that surface of plastic to be intact and when bust is gone or pin goes through it.90-92 stat should open and bottom hose should have been warm.

eamon11

thanks grease,

my stat and housing are completely different however. Mine is a 1.9 tdi. That was a 1.6.

greasepalm

one of the reasons why posting all info changes aspects of answers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOvct6s47-c

diesels do take a long time to heat up.

eamon11

hi,
did another test today but the golf just peaked at around 90 degrees and would not go higher. Was running a long time at 1400 revs so am sure the temp had to be higher. Left expansion cap off and squeezed hoses as warming up. Still bottom hose ice cold. It appears stat is not opening. The temp guage was bang on in center for a long time but I cannot understand this as it should have risen more. gave up the test as felt the engine very hot. What might the issue be? Thanks a lot.

greasepalm

did you not look at video as if housing is broken stat wont work,any movement of water into bottle to show waterpump is working?