Coolant Probs

[steviem]

OK

So I'm having worser problems with the coolant on my car, as you may know the fanbelt twisted and got shredded up about a week ago, the pulley on the water pump still turns ok, but the inners might be buggered...

I changed the coolant again this weekend, and removed and cleaned out as many hoses as i could. Then when i connected it all back up and refilled with water the water temp shot up and one side of the radiator was boiling hot, but the side with the fan switch was cold.

I took the radiator out, and cleaned it with boiling water and some Persil (rubjohnny's idea!) and flushed it again, which got rid of a bit of crud, refitted it, but the same happened.

The hose connector on the radiator seems to have snapped of (always like it) and has been plugged with a screw, and when the water gets hot, it seems to vent out of that hole.

Anyways, i sort of need to get it going again, so how do i test if the water pump works?

[rubjonny]

Not sure about the best way to check the pump, but for the price of the impeller half I'd just get a new one!
http://www.vwspares.co.uk

As for the small hose snapped off the radiator, this will give you a problem in that the system will be unable to self-bleed, so you've probably got a nasty airlock in it!  However there is a solution to this problem, fit a MK3 2e front water flange (the one on the front of the head):
http://www.vwspares.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=2249

As you can see it has a connector for the small header tank hose on it   The problem is you'll also need the front coolant hoses from the waterpump to the oil cooler from a 2e lump, as the flange has 1 less connection on it.

[steviem]

Wow, I didn't know it was that cheap..

I think I'll do that, then

Thanks!!

[Raceboy]

Go with what Rubjonny said, if you keep getting an air pocket from that screw your going to keep overheating.

As for the water pump, theres no real way to test it, it has whats called a "weep hole" with a seal in it usually when the pump goes bad the seal goes out so after driving your car when you shut it off the excess pressure remaining in the system is pushed out of the bad seal thru the "weep hole" and you'll see coolant pouring on the ground. thats usually the way a mechanic will test your pump is with a pressure checker he'll put it on where you radiator cap goes and pumps it up and checks to see if any coolant is comming out of the "weep hole".