MkII Glof GTI 1.8 8v.

[Kamanchi Slide]

Hello board i'm new to this forum and hope you lot can help me.  I've just taken my car to have it's MOT renewed, and while it was there i asked if they could see why it was overheating.  The guy at the garage said it was overheating cause the headgasket needed replacing or it needed a new head.  The car was overheating after standing still for 10/15 mins and this only happens when it's standing still, when i'm moving i don't get a problem.  I thought it would just be the thermostat as the heaters not working either.  Can anyone advise me if im being ripped off or does this sound like a head gasket or cracked head?  I was under the impression that if the head gasket had gone the oil would go creamy.

[Judderi]

Does sound suspicious to me. Does the radiator fan kick in? Is the water level ok?

[Kamanchi Slide]

Hello there.  Water level drops after a while and it'll steam from the resevouir but the fan works.

[Judderi]

You might have a blockage somewhere. If your not confident enought to check or flush the system then take the car somewhere else and get a second opinion.

[Kamanchi Slide]

Thanks for your help.  I'm waiting to hear back from someone as we speak.

[Aklass]

That does sound dodge ...  I would go for a thermostat first..  and get the air out the system...   If that doesnt work, then it could be the head.

[Rain]

faulty thermostat wont stop the heater getting water hot through it  if its actually missing it might take longer to heat up but so would the engine and it wouldnt be overheating :S

[...joe]

i'd say if you've got steam coming out the cap it'd be worth changing the cap for a new blue coloured one from either vw garage or german and swedish.

the seals go in them and when you un-do the cap it never seats itself properly again. make sure you get a blue one though as they changed the design to improve it and colour coded it.
if that doesn't cure it at worst case its only cost you a few quid.

[Organisys]

also, take the cap off, and check coolant is being pumped around by seeing if some is being returned to the header tank via the little hose at the front of the bottle.
 

[Mk2 Runout edition]

Are you sure it's overheating? If you're going by the dial on your instrument panel these can sometimes give faulse readings. Also i would change the temperature sender switch (only cost a couple of quid)