GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: shakman on 16 November 2009, 11:13
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Picked up my new car yesterday - so far i'm really enjoying it. it's very different from what i'm use to having only driven Honda's mainly.
It's a 1991 GTi 8v in Tornado Red. Pretty good condition for its age and almost everything is working as it should.
Here's a few pics from the sale ad:
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t281/shakman87/1318530-1.jpg)
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t281/shakman87/1318530-2.jpg)
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t281/shakman87/1318530-3.jpg)
Now the problem i'm having - On driving to work today, i noticed the temperature light started flashing about 30 mins into my journey. I was only about 5 mins away from work so thought i'd keep going and check it out when i get there. I parked up and left the car for about 5 minutes to have a chat with the local mechanic to explain the problem. When i got back to the car and started it up, the light wasn't flashing anymore! The mechanic said its most likely its low on water or worse case is there's a leak :( which is hard to tell as its a wet day today.
Do any of you guys have a better idea of what it could be?
Cheers
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the light also warns of low coolant, so check that 1st. if level is ok, disconnect the plug on the header tank and bridge the pins with a bit of wire. if the light no longer comes on then its the level sensor in the tank thats at fault. if the light still comes on its the sensor, wiring or clocks, assuming temperature is ok.
where does the temp sit, and what does the mfa oil temp say?
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The MFA oil readout doesn't read anything. just comes up with this '---'. guessing it's been disconnected or something?
I'll check the coolant levels and diagnose problems in the order you've given me.
Many thanks for your help buddy.
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yeah sounds liek duff sensor or disconnected wire. fyi it wont read anything till oil temp rises above 50degrees :)
the mfa oil sensor is on the top of the oil filter housing, its the small white sensor. has a green/black wire
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This is unlikely - but it could be a dodgy rad cap, if it isn't letting pressure escape and there is an air lock, then the air pressure could force the water level lower and make it think its short on coolant.
As RJ said, check the water level, make sure you've got antifreeze in - it makes leaks pretty easy to spot given the residue it leaves behind.
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And the smell :smiley:
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Ok - problem solved!
It was low on water so topped it up and now it's OK. Is there an dramatic difference between using anti-freeze and using water?
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Ok - problem solved!
It was low on water so topped it up and now it's OK. Is there an dramatic difference between using anti-freeze and using water?
Yes one will F**k the engine in cold weather, One won't.
Put it this way if you run only water in your engine and it freezes, ice expands, metal not so much when it's freezing so you run the risk of a cracked block. For the price of decent antifreeze vs new engine seems a bit mental really. There are other reasons too but that is the most important one.
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Thanks for the heads up! i'll get it flushed and refilled at some point this week.
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Thanks for the heads up! i'll get it flushed and refilled at some point this week.
Nae stress... :wink:
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Yes one will F**k the engine in cold weather, One won't.
Yep, been there done that - I went on holiday just as Winter was approaching and the car had all water in due to a leaky summer run.
Needed a new matrix, radiator, metal water pipe and core plug :(
50:50 coolant only!
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I'm cutting it rather fine with mine, I had a leak also in the summer so ran only water. Gonna change the temp sensor today or tomorrow and get my heater valve out if I can find some copper pipe to replace it. Hopefully I'l lose enough water to top it up with anti-freeze
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Other problem to just running water is the corrosion - anti-freeze has inhibitors.
Pop the bottom rad pipe off drain it out (when hot - so the thermostat is open) then top back up with 5l of 50:50.
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I left a MKII GTI over winter with just water in it and never had a problem. Admitadly the car wasn't in use and was parked up on my folks driveway but it was a reasonably cold winter and it snowed several times. It only occured to me it had no antifreeze in it when I went to start it up in the spring, crapped myself, but it was fine.
Nick
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Some sound advice there Nick :rolleyes:
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Ha ha wasn't advice, just an observation. My folks pond froze over so I guess the water in the golf must have frozen but it didn't do any damage. It's managed 2 seasons in the GTI Champ since then without any failures. It's even running the same box that I drove 60 miles on with no gear box oil in (garage error, not mine I hasten to point out)!
nick
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Coolant also increases boiling point.
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normaly the freezing itself dosent crack the block sometimes it tests radiators but not allways. its when you start a frozen engine you trash it all sort of expensive things can go wrong then