Engine temp question

[clark]

Hi guys,

Pretty n00b qestion incoming.

Basically my GTI Golf is taking a fair while to warm up and doesnt ever hit 90 on the temp guage anymore. Only really noticed it this week.

I would have thought that this could be a couple of things. Either a broken temp sensor (any the engine temp is actually ok). Or the bit that regulates the flow of coolant isnt closing properly to let the motor warm it up.

Any suggestions about which one it might be? I found a thread about replacing the temp sensor here DIY: Replacing your temperature sender with the updated one (green-top) but I'm not sure about replacing it if its the other bit. Worst comes to worst I'll just take it to the mechanic but I'd like to have a go at it myself if it looks possible and not too difficult.

Thanks

Alex

[balkanac]

I had to replace my temp sensor. While it was faulty, the needle was jumping up and down till the car warms up fully and then it would settle at 90.
In your case its probably the thermostat. Those are the typical symptoms. Get a mechanic to check it out if you are not sure

[craig_the_german]

Hi,

There is a thread here about the thermostat....started by me . The symptoms sound very much like the thermostat. When my temp sensor went, the needle did as balkanac says...jumps around acting erratically...the thermostat just never let the temp get to 90.

[WhO]

Yeh i'm also going to jump on the thermostat boat. It sounds like its stuck open thus not regulating the coolant temperature.

[Manaz]

Yeh i'm also going to jump on the thermostat boat. It sounds like its stuck open thus not regulating the coolant temperature.

Coolant temp sensor is a quicker/easier thing to fix - if you have the black and not green one, it'd be worth doing regardless.

[clark]

So what I'm getting is that it's likely to be the thermostat. Is that something I'd be able to change myself, or is it a pain?

[Speed]

I actually had the same issue on my B5 A4 (1.8T), turned out to be the temp sensor, when I suspected the thermostat
but my guage just wasn't jumping around and would only go a little above the "cold as" temp, if that makes any sense.

[audi-tone]

its not 'too' difficult to change yourself.. i did it but you ned the right tools. 10mm socket with 100mm extension is required. maybe a magnetic pickup in case you drop a bolt? (i did and had to get some new oem bolts coz i simply couldnt find the bolt..) obviously a jack and stand would help.. couldnt jack mine up coz its too low and the stands i have a way too high.. both wheels came up off the ground when i was jacking it up.. gotta get some smaller ones, or ramps

good luck with it if you do it yourself. i'm glad i did mine

[Jmac]

Its also not too difficult to check what the temp sensor is actually sending to the relevant ecus , being cluster and engine. Read what its saying and then you will know without guessing.
Still i reckon the temp sensor for the price is worth changing at every service anyway, i know the T4 Blue one gets done at the dealers in the UK as part of the service and quite rightly so
Minor cost, bucket loads of avoided problems ie fuel consumption , bad starts and bad gauge readings to name a few
Bring on the temp sensor as a service kit item, cheap and most of you pay for a "sundries cost at the dealer" im sure its nearly going to cover your sensor with your independant
Jmac
Cheers
Jmac

[clark]

Sounds like solid advice Jmac - I'll be booking it in sometime next week, and I'll just get him to change both. Looks like the next couple of weeks are gonna be too busy for me to get to it myself, and I don't mind paying my mechanic to do it because then I'll know it's been done right.

Thanks for all the info guys.

PS - anyone wanna buy an old Valiant?