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Model specific boards => Golf mk4 => Topic started by: Bfstrachan on 22 April 2014, 18:49

Title: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: Bfstrachan on 22 April 2014, 18:49
Need some help. Was driving home tonight and the engine temperature gauge shot up to 130 and the dash had a STOP! Warning with the thermometer symbol. Anyone know what caused this. I drove the rest of the way home at 40 mph and the temp did drop, but as soon as I put my foot down the temp gauge started to creep up. I checked the coolant and there is no leak, the resevouris full. Didn't check the radiator fan though. Would the fan not kicking in cause such a rapid climb in temp?
Any help will be much appreciated.
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: davidgtrr34 on 22 April 2014, 19:28
If it was the fan then the temp would go down when u drive and go up when u stop. I wouldmcheck your thermostat it sounds like it is sticking closed
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: barrym381 on 22 April 2014, 19:31
sounds like your water pump is broke  :sad:
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: dom on 22 April 2014, 20:04
sounds like your water pump is broke  :sad:

Agreed.
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: Bfstrachan on 22 April 2014, 21:39
Thanks guys, the thermostat was just changed a few weeks ago. Water pump! Is that an easy fix?
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: barrym381 on 22 April 2014, 21:45
Thanks guys, the thermostat was just changed a few weeks ago. Water pump! Is that an easy fix?
its easy if you know what your doing but while there your better doing the timing belt if its not been done in the last few years  :smiley:
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: Dizzie on 23 April 2014, 10:57
100% water pump. The plastic prop is staying still while the shaft spins. Replace it with a metal version for no more problems.

You might as well do a cam belt while you replace it since the belt has to come off anyway when you swap the pump.
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: dom on 23 April 2014, 16:09
DO NOT replace it with a metal pump, the damage will be much more severe when it fails.
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: XMC1980 on 24 April 2014, 03:42
DO NOT replace it with a metal pump, the damage will be much more severe when it fails.

Agree with Dom on that, it's plastic for a reason, when it fails you know about it
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: mcgee9t2 on 25 April 2014, 12:36
why not replace it with metal one??

the plastic goes brittle from being heated and cooled repeatidly for 12+ years. eventually it snaps/cracks and starts to spin on the shaft.

if you replace it with a metal one its not going to be as suseptable to heat and tougher and wownt crack.

its not asif the prop has hit off something and this has caused damage to one of the blades etc. just general wear and tear? or this is what it was when i replaced mine...? unless im missing something?
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: dom on 25 April 2014, 14:00
VW/Audi revised the waterpump impeller but decided to stick with an improved plastic one opposed to a metal. Reasoning for this is that if the water pump bearing developed play, it wouldn't wreck the engine block which a metal impeller is quite capable of doing.

If you want to take the chance and run a metal one then do so, but I'm not prepared to take that risk personally.
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: MoshiMoshi on 26 April 2014, 00:42
Yeah, if the plastic one fails the worst you have is a coolant drain/flush and a new pump. If a metal one fails you could have a scored/damaged block and bits of sharp metal shredding the coolant lines. Not likely, but possible. VW's are expensive enough already!
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: barrym381 on 26 April 2014, 09:39
why not replace it with metal one??

the plastic goes brittle from being heated and cooled repeatidly for 12+ years. eventually it snaps/cracks and starts to spin on the shaft.

if you replace it with a metal one its not going to be as suseptable to heat and tougher and wownt crack.

its not asif the prop has hit off something and this has caused damage to one of the blades etc. just general wear and tear? or this is what it was when i replaced mine...? unless im missing something?
anyone leaving a waterpump in there car for 12+ years deserves to wreck there engine and if a metal pump fails it sometimes tosses the belt an we all know what happens then
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: Bfstrachan on 26 April 2014, 13:41
Got the car running again. Had the pump and belt all done. The impeller had indeed disintegrated! Thanks for all the advice.
Title: Re: Dash warning to STOP! With the coolant temp symbol?
Post by: Wazzzer on 26 April 2014, 13:55
The plastic is a different composite now so is less likely to break up. I've seen first hand what happens to an engine when a metal water pump seizes on mates old Escort RS, it needed a new head fitting as well as all the other bits lol