Update - Cooling...

[reborn]

G'day all, Need some idea's on the next stage... OK, so far I have put new fuel lines in, cleaned the carby, done an oil change and de-homed the Redback eggs. I have run it a couple of times (sounds the goods too) for 20 mins or so and have noticed it is getting hot...

On this note - After running for a while the over flow bottle appears to leak (from where I am not sure, I suspect around the cap - maybe 250-300mls). The temp guage climbs to 3/4 and the warning light flickers... The water in the over flow appears clear and green with no evidence of rust.

The fan is not firing up at all. Could this be the only problem? Having not touched a radiator or the ikes before I am hesitant to progress unguided... Thanks.

[ontarv]

if the fan doesn't turn on they will over heat and bubble out
its a pretty simple system
test if you have power and earth at fan
it should have power all the time
it has a switching earth, the plug with two wires
on side of radiator one should have earth all the time
and when hot both should have earth
when my sat for a year it lost power to fan
had a bad contact in back of fuse box

[gldgti]

simple things first - the fuse for the fan should be a 16 amp at least, and is the last fuse on the right hand side of the fuse panel. golf 1 fuseboxes are notoriously bad and theres every chance that if you push, wiggle or replace that fuse (even if not burnt out) your fan may begin working.

i would next check the switch as ontarv suggested.

provided that coolant flows into the bottle through the little pipe at the top when the engine is running and settled, your water pump/etc should be fine.

checking the thermostat is also easy. undo the bottom radiator hose at the pump end, and undo the two 10mm bolts that hold the bowl shaped fitting to the base of the water pump. the fitting will come off, and the thermostat sits between that fitting and the water pump. stick it in a pot on the stove and make sure it opens - you might be able to find written on the thermostat what temp it should open at, but its probably between 80-90 deg C.

good luck

aydan

[reborn]

Thanks guys.
I tried to hotwire the fan but discovered the thing was not working (surely dead). Will see if Mr Loon can get me another one.

I took out the thermostat and saw it had had the middle taken out of it already so will get a new one for it tomorrow.

When people talk about "leaving the heater on" when flushing, what are they referring too?
luke

[h100vw]

On a mk1 there is a valve which controls the flow of hot water through t he heater core. Therefore when you refill the system, the heater control should be set to hot to ensure that the heater core gets filled too. Otherwise you will get an airlock and the water level will drop the next time you set the heater to hot.

This is not the same as a mk2/3/4 where the water circulates through the heater core constantly

[syncro]

When people talk about "leaving the heater on" when flushing, what are they referring too?
luke

On a Golf 1 you need to turn the heater on so that it gets flushed out as well.

[reborn]

OK Gotcha - does it matter if the heater does not actually turn on? - I assume it is a manual mechnism which turns it on or opens it? should I start the car up, just for a short while (1 min or so), whilst I am flushing it out?

When I put a new radiator in the old Commodore (VP) I loosened off a nipple on the water pump (I think) until water came out - then I tightened it. This was to get rid of any air pockets in the engine. Do I need to do something similar?

[syncro]

OK Gotcha - does it matter if the heater does not actually turn on? - I assume it is a manual mechnism which turns it on or opens it? should I start the car up, just for a short while (1 min or so), whilst I am flushing it out?

Just pull the hose from the tap and the return to the engine and stick your garden hose on it. My '77 was completelt blocked with sediment.

When I put a new radiator in the old Commodore (VP) I loosened off a nipple on the water pump (I think) until water came out - then I tightened it. This was to get rid of any air pockets in the engine. Do I need to do something similar?

Drill a very small hole in the thermostat to allow a bleed through.

[reborn]

Just pull the hose from the tap and the return to the engine and stick your garden hose on it. My '77 was completelt blocked with sediment..

Sorry mate, I dont follow... Do you mean disconnect the hose from the top of the radiator and flush into the engine?

Drill a very small hole in the thermostat to allow a bleed through..

I took the thermostat out and it had the middle out of it... Need a new one now I guess - best to have one I take it.

[syncro]

No, sorry I meant the small heater hoses near the head that go through the firewall.