Mk2 GTI 8v - Overheating when idle

[Sykopaf]

Hi, I'm new here and have a problem I'm hoping you can help with.

It's on my 91 GTI 8v, it boils the water in the radiator when idle, steam just comes gushing out once the engines warmed up. It's blown the head gasket twice (and the heads been skimmed twice) so once more and that's all she wrote.

I've replaced the water pump, thermostat, radiator fan and one of the water pipes so far.

I've got a quote for getting my engine reconditioned and a mate has also offered me his VR6 engine for free when he transplants an R32 engine in his but I have a feeling this is something really simple that I'm totally missing.

It's a great little engine and I don't want to write it off just yet - it's been stood for 18 months or so in the cold and wet, untouched. Yesterday I charged the battery and she fired first time. Inflated the tyres and drove around the village like I'd been using it every day. You've gotta love that!

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

[Tom mk2]

is the fan definately kicking in? and have you bled the coolant system, could be an airlock?

[Sykopaf]

The garage were supposed to have drained the coolant system when they changed the water pump, but I've lost faith in that garage since my other car went in for it's MOT a couple of weeks ago and came out on the back of a flatbed because they'd been ragging the tits off it (I can't prove it but it's the only logical explanation).

So I think I'll try that myself.

Cheers

[T_J_G]

Hi, I'm new here and have a problem I'm hoping you can help with.

It's on my 91 GTI 8v, it boils the water in the radiator when idle, steam just comes gushing out once the engines warmed up. It's blown the head gasket twice (and the heads been skimmed twice) so once more and that's all she wrote.

I've replaced the water pump, thermostat, radiator fan and one of the water pipes so far.

I've got a quote for getting my engine reconditioned and a mate has also offered me his VR6 engine for free when he transplants an R32 engine in his but I have a feeling this is something really simple that I'm totally missing.

It's a great little engine and I don't want to write it off just yet - it's been stood for 18 months or so in the cold and wet, untouched. Yesterday I charged the battery and she fired first time. Inflated the tyres and drove around the village like I'd been using it every day. You've gotta love that!

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

Expansion tank cap?

[Sykopaf]

Expansion tank cap?

Thats where the coolant and steam pour out of. I have replaced the cap as well, in fact I think I replaced the tank itself a couple of years ago.

Given what I've already replaced what else is there I should try?

Radiator, pipes, anything else?

[Ben Lessani]

Screams water pump / stuck thermostat.

[Sykopaf]

Screams water pump / stuck thermostat.

Thanks for that.

[rubjonny]

have you checked it over as per the coolant faq?

[Sykopaf]

have you checked it over as per the coolant faq?

Yeah, I just did that yesterday. I have the blue cap the FAQ refers to. Thermostat and water pump seem OK. It starts to boil over when the temp gauge gets half way, before the fan should kick in according to the FAQ. Didn't want to leave it running after that to see if the fan does kick in at 3/4. I'm going to check the fan operation as per the FAQ this morning but it looks like it's not reading the temperature properly.

The thermostat seems to be behaving as it should according to the FAQ, the lower pipe out of the radiator stays cold until the temp gauge reaches almost halfway then heats up, but if the temp gauge is not accurate that would throw everything out right?

Cheers

[Sykopaf]

have you checked it over as per the coolant faq?

Yep, bridged the pins on the fan and it spins straight away. Temp sender is knackered.

Thanks jonny, really appreciated!