Temperature issues and lacking power...does it ever ends?

[golf1992]

 Hello,

 Hope some one can give me some insight for this please!

 I have a Golf GTI 1992 2.0 115 hp  which been having some heat problems.

 Things done:

  1. Changed water pump.

  2. Changed Fan relay controler (my car has only one fan).

  3. Changed thermometer sensor.

  4. Changed the ignition coil (not sure this is the name of the thing, I was driving and the car just died, there wasn't any electricity so the put a new device for it).

  5. Was about to change radiator but the one in my car seems new, no damage and air seem flowing fine (taking refrigerant out and blowing with mouth) so did not change.

  6. Butterfly (I don't know if is this, but the car was accelerating by itself when turn on, or in low gears...so the mechanic clean the butterfly or whatever it was like for 3 times, now seems to be fixed)
 

 History:

 When changed water pump, my car before had a 90ºC constant temperature, then it seem to be overheating (when I went over a road pump, very strange), going over 100 or 110ºC (but not warning light turning on), I stopped the car just in case. The problem seem to be that the fan relay was not working right (not turning of the fan or not turning off) and when we took the cover out the motherboard was burnt in some places. Last time the fan did not stop after turning of the car, thus drainning the battery. We changed the relay for and new old one working (it was from a Seat car with the exact same pins as the old one).

 Ever since, the temperature reading does not keep the 90ºC constant temperature, but now I doesn't overheats. But what worries me is that it stays for very long in 70ºC or keeps there (going in the freeway or in the city) it only heats a little bit if I'm in the city and stoping a lot in lights or what not, or when parking (doing the maneuvers)...when in these situations maybe the car goes to 80-85ºC. If I'm driving uphill for some minutes then the car goes to 90ºC and stays there.

  I dont know if the reading is wrong again, if not, the car has a temperature difference of 20ºC or so, and I think is not good.

  I told my mecanich and he told me not to worry, that if the car is not overheating everything is fine.

  Other thing that I sence is that the car is lacking force is a 2.0 but seems a little weak, and when changing gears there's some seconds I feel the car going weaker, expecially in the freeway going from 3rd to 4th and to 5th...I keeps the speed but you feel is weak, it's very strange.

 Questions:

   1. You think the reading still not right?

   2. How long it takes a car to go to operating temperature? (I live in the Canary Island not very cold here)

   3. Should the car keep a constant temperature of 90ºC no matter what??? What if it doesn't and move in a 20º degrees difference? if it should remain constant and thus not happenning in mine, what do you think could be the problem?

   4. Why do I feel my car is lacking power all of a sudden?

 That in a nutshell is what's going in my car for the last weeks and I'm worried the car my die on me because of this, even thought the mechanic says everything is okay...but I'm more concern since is my car and not his.

  So please as always I welcome all your thoughts and insight.

  Thanks in advance.

[Seanl]

Change the thermostat. Very common problem, and 9 times out of ten, they fail in the open position thus constant cooling is taking place, and only rise in temp whn no airflow is going to the radiator. Also very cheap to replace, but a bit of a pain in the arse. Hope this helps. 

[golf1992]

Seanl,
Forgot to mention...when changing the water pump I also changed the thermostat!

And remember no the car wont overheats but stays in 70-80 degress and only 90 when goin uphill...and still there's the doubt of the power issue?

Thanks.

[Seanl]

Well it should sit at 90 degrees in all weather after initial warm-up. That shouldnt take longer than 5-6 minutes especially where you are. The only reason I can think of for overcooling is the thermostat, or a dodgy temperature sender thats making you think that its overcooling. If your doing the work yourself it may be worth changing the stat again, as they have been reported as faulty from new. Wont cost more than 15 euros, and stick it on the hob and boil up some water with it in to ensure its working. As for lack of power, its hard to tell. With a dodgy stat you should have slightly more power as its taking longer to heat up, your management wont switch from cold fuelling until it reaches 70 degrees anyway. 2.0 8v cars are honestly not very quick cars. Remember their only 115 bhp, but if you honestly think your down on power, a good service, plugs, leads, MAF and throttle body clean, fuel filter etc etc may help, or even get a compression test for complete peace of mind. Is your clutch slipping? Any black/blue/excessive white smoke? Timing out - does it stop accelerating at 5k rpm? Brakes binding? lots of things for you to try mate.

[golf1992]

Hello again!
I changed the fuel and filter two months ago. The oil filter three weeks ago.

The mechanic changed the temperature sensor because he said it was overheating when not (that is when I and they change all the stuff) Now its the other way around it almost never I get a reading of 90 degrees.

I've never put the car to 5k...how do I do it? While driving? At what gear? Or I can do it while the car its stopped (just pressing the gas pedal)? When I reach 5k what needs to happen? Keep going or stop? What this test tell you about the car?

The throttle body has been checked 3 times by the mechanic and now seems to be fine.

Seanl, thanks again for your time and answers!

[Seanl]

Not tried whilst stationary so not sure, so go for a drive. If it goes past 5000 rpm then your fine, if not then your ecu is going into 'safe mode'. It does this even if your cambelt has jump a tooth or 2, but will drive ok mostof the time as the ecu will advance/retard spark to deal with it.

[golf1992]

Okay I'll do while driving. Do you recomend any gear to test? 3rd or 4th perhaps? If it doesn't go past 5k what would happen? The car will just spot?! If it does will I have to wait to be able to start the car again?

Thanks!

[Seanl]

Any gear is fine. It won't cut out, it'll just hit a sort of limiter.

[golf1992]

Okay,

Let's see how that goes.

About the temperature issue I recalled that at the very beginning of the problems I did changed the water pump and the thermostat, both brand new and did the home test of boiling water and seem to operate fine...after installing everything the car was working at 90 degrees at all times! Then two days later I hit a road pump and somehow everything went downstairs, very strange!

I will like to avoid dismantle the whole thing again my car has AC and it's a pain in the ass get to the thermostat, but I dont know how a bump could affect the car so much?!!!