Very Strange Issue With My 1.8 T

[Female_Golfer]

I managed to replace the sensor, probably took about 10/15 minutes. But it hasn't solved my problem.

This is how I fitted the sensor, I'm pretty sure this is how the old one was fitted but wanted to make sure...



Same symptoms as before, stood in traffic the temp will sometimes drop, setting off and travelling between 20mph and 35mph the temp dial reads 90c anything above those speeds and the temperature increases. I was doing 55mph down a hill this morning, I think the revs were less than 2k (in 5th) yet the temperature was increasing. Even though the temp will go up to the red on the dial the fan never comes on.

I've read the thermostat is a fairly big job? I was thinking I could try and change that and whilst I was at it have a feel for the water pump? Or shall I just book it in to a garage?

[Female_Golfer]

Could also be a blocked radiator, which can cause the car to heat up with speed if there isn't sufficient air flow due to the blockage. When was the last coolant change?

Having said that, my money would be on the water pump impeller being broken & not pumping the water round quick enough.

To be honest I've not got a receipt to say when the coolant was changed last. The cambelt was done at the start of last year (16k ago) but there is no mention of the water pump being changed at the same time.

What sort of price will I be looking at for a cambelt/water pump change? £300?

[GTi_James]

i got it for £390 but i went to dealers for a job like that though plenty seem to be able to do it on their drive, up to you really and VW would have traceability

[Rhyso]

i got it for £390 but i went to dealers for a job like that though plenty seem to be able to do it on their drive, up to you really and VW would have traceability

And you get 2 years parts and labour warranty at VW

Think I paid about £330 at my dealers a couple of years back. They even changed my AUX belt FOC!!

[GTi_James]

i got it for £390 but i went to dealers for a job like that though plenty seem to be able to do it on their drive, up to you really and VW would have traceability

And you get 2 years parts and labour warranty at VW

Think I paid about £330 at my dealers a couple of years back. They even changed my AUX belt FOC!!

bang tidy! 

[Rhyso]

i got it for £390 but i went to dealers for a job like that though plenty seem to be able to do it on their drive, up to you really and VW would have traceability

And you get 2 years parts and labour warranty at VW

Think I paid about £330 at my dealers a couple of years back. They even changed my AUX belt FOC!!

bang tidy! 

Yeah but I am talking about 4 years ago mind 

That and I helped keep the parts department in business 

[Female_Golfer]

lol.

VW want £399 and a local VW specialist want £320 using genuine parts.

If I know that will solve the issue I'll do it, but I'd be gutted if they did the work and I still had the problem. I was thinking about selling her in the next couple of months and getting a MK5 GTI.

Both VW and the specialist said there was no way of knowing if it had failed with out taking the pump off.

[Rhyso]

Go with the specialist for that price 

It will solve your problem   

[Female_Golfer]

You'll all be sick of this thread/my posts.

Another VW specialist said they will do it for £250 + Vat but if it is the water pump there will likely be pieces of plastic in and around the engine. They would then charge me for manually removing them.

And just so I know, no one would bother changing the thermostat first? If not then I'll get it book in for the cambelt/water pump. Or maybe I should find a dealer with a nice mk5 in and chop my mk4 in ;-) .

[GTi_James]

i think i've come to the conclusion that when it comes to mk4s you have to get your nose dirty but in the end you reward yourself 

i'd still get the mk5 though lol