mk2 8v gti overheating problems

[Kramonket]

Hi guys,

   I've just bought myself an 85 8v gti which likes to overheat after about 20 minutes of driving. Its also losing water but god knows where from??? Does anyone have any help or ideas on where I should start looking?

Many thanks
Newbie
Mark

[Gambit]

replace the thermostat & flush the system, buy a new expansion bottle cap. could be something a simple as an airlock

also take a look in below dash/behind centre console at heater matrix if its leaking. carpets will be wet up around that area

worst case scenario, headgasket is gone

[Kramonket]

Got a new cap already. Will fit a new thermostat and flush the system and go from there.
Could it be the rad?
Thanks

[Gambit]

if the water flows through the rad when flushing then it should be grand

[sparkplug]

mine is the same age , the rad was full of old radweld & sludge (probably dead ferrets an all)
renewed it with a GSF one made a real difference 

[Kramonket]

Cool cheers for the help guys its also riddled with electric problems

[oakgreener]

Water pump impellers wear sometimes. Overheating and water loss sounds a bit like head gasket. But this usually produces an uneven tickover as well. Whip the plugs out and check em over.
Good luck with the electric probs. Trouble is many golfs of this age have been messed with over the years.

[Jimmyrallye]

When i had my digi engine in my golf it used to lose water,, i changed expansion bottle and cap new thermostat and still done it changed water pump before i ripped it out and solved it but then head gasket went

[JaffaGTI]

Not sure if this is any help, but over the period of a few weeks my temp started spiking once the engine was warm, really couldn't keep it down and then one sunday I was driving back from Plymouth to Wiltshire, the temp went through the roof.  The fuel pump through in the towel at 2am...  Fixed now and temp has been fine ever since.