Gear Box woes.

[Peter Jones]

Yep the thermostat was stuffed but completley removing it didn't help.

Next step water pump! Perhaps the impellor has fallen off????

I picked up a brand new pump cheap on ebay last week so in it goes!

If that doesn't fix it I don't really know what else to do....My pet mechanic tells migh it may still be a cylinder head issue despite the head looking to be straight and sound.

Even very short trips of 5km/5min send the temp off the gauge and yes there is coolant in there!

(Despite this the heater has never worked and it's bloody freezing inside the car. I think I might have to cut some holes in the firewall to use some of that excess heat!)

Dropped the box radiator and heater core off this morning. hopefully I'll know soon what's up with the box.

Pete Jones

[Golf Loon]

Is the gague working properly? Is the engine actually overheating?
Compression test?

[Peter Jones]

I'm going to change the sender to be sure but the fan is kicking in at the right point on the scale so I'm fairly that's not it.

I'm wondering now if that steel tube that carries water from the back of the motor back to the pump isn't blocked with rust. That would explain the heater issue too. Because the sender is passed by the water going to this pipe perhaps it's just a local hotspot. Although the expansion tank fills the radiator ok.


Pete

[Golf Loon]

Take the waterpump and the metal hose off I reckon mate.

[worm]

Keep the updates comming, I am really keen to know the outcome..... My heater doesnt work either and my car runs hot enough for the fan to be on almost all the time and its freezing outside

[Peter Jones]

The pump's ok but the metal pipe is blocked solid between the pump and the expansion tank outlet.

When I pulled the pipe off the pump no water drained from the expansion tank until I undid the cap when it drained back into the motor and out of the pump itself.

With this pipe blocked no water can get through the manifold or the heater core and no water is flowing past the temp sender.

Tomorrow I'll bypass it with some hose and see how I go.

The bad news is that the head may still be cracked as a result. My mechanic told me the best way to check for water getting into the cylinder is to run the engine up to temp, then pull out the plugs and put a cold screwdriver into each plug hole. If there is any water in there condensation will form on the cold screwdriver. I got a wet screwdriver in no1!

I've pressure tested the cooling system with the motor both hot and cold and it holds 10psi no probelms.

No work on the gearbox yet.

Pete Jones

[Golf Loon]

Which golf is this in? You wont be fixing a 1.6 motor surely?

[Peter Jones]

Yep, it's the 1600. This is just the hack to get me to the station. This is second on the list of cars to go.

First we get both golfs reliable.
Then we sell the BMW (ongoing liability!)
Get the 59 Beetle on the road.
Then sell red golf.
Then I buy a split screen Kombi!

Of course the new VW diesel EOS could be pretty tempting along the way too!

SO I don't want to over invest in the red car. The clyinder head work won't cost me much, if anything at all. My "mechanic" owes me a lot of favours and now mostly specialises in cylinder head reconditioning.

Actually I quite like the way the 1600 drives, it's very civilised. It's pretty good around the 'burbs but it needs a 5th gear for longer trips.

One day it will be a good project car for an injected late model motor and box (for someone else). It's ex diesel so it's got the tank and no polution gear, chassis is straight. Rust in the usual spots.

As much fun as a 2.0L 16v would be, I'm trying to stay focused on the end game!

Pete

[gldgti]

i like that - staying focussed on the end game.

im kind of the same...a petrol gof would be/is great fun (thanks mollins for our numerous drives) but in the end, my diesel is going to be so much for practical fo os much longer... sad but true

[Golf Loon]

Yeah wise words, realism leads to a more finished car. One step at a time.