Temperature Senders?

[VWaxilMK1cab]

Thanks for the replies chaps, sounds like its not pressurising hence getting hot quick.
I'll take some more pics, but I've got one for ya just now that I'm unsure of.
It's like a rubber green thing on a pipe at the back of the engine. It's been taped up at some point in it's life as the clutch cable has rubbed through it! it looks like it's leaked oil or something all over too as you can see in the pic. I just wanted to know what it is for and is it essential that i replace it?...




I also noticed a slight wet patch on the block, just behind the dizzy cap, where the split for the head gasket is I think. looks like it was evaporating straight away, so it could be my leak? if so, then it's only very small, so i wondered if some radweld may sort it? or is it a new head gasket?

Cheers,
Chris.

[rubjonny]

never seen one of those before, but I assume its part of the engine breather system? Can you take any photos of where it goes?

The wet patch is more likly to be coming from the flange on the front of the block, where all the temp senders are.  Get a new one from VW or GSF, will cost you about £5-10.  While you're there, do the other on on the RHS of the block they're both a common place for leaks.

[richandhazel]

I'm sure I have seen that before and that it is a vaccuum line blanked off.
If I'm right,  you certainly don't want that leaking.

[VWaxilMK1cab]

Yeah, it does look like it may have been a breather. it's a weird thing. I'll clean it up and make sure it's blocked better.

Another thing I've noticed recently are these white speckles of dust or something accumulating all over my dashboard. I keep cleaning them off, but a couple of days later it's covered again. I think it happens when i've had the heaters on hot. Could this be a sign of my overheating prob?

[richandhazel]

Could be the heater matrix fins breaking up and then being blown through. I suspect the overheating won't be helping or could be accelerating this deterioration.

[VWaxilMK1cab]

 
Is that bad?

I was looking at a new engine today. might be simplest solution. plus I could respray it while engine is out.
like the idea of a 1.8t 20v, but the sensible side of me likes the 1.9tdi or gt tdi.
it's a shame i daren't attempt something like that myself! could do with finding a reputable garage with experience of these conversions

[richandhazel]

Not too bad. Heater matrix will usually fail by filling your footwell up with coolant. If your carpets are dry then its holding out Its probably just a little corrosion of the fins being blown through.

You do need to sort out the overheating though. You say there are no obvious coolant leaks. Are you sure the thermostat is opening?

[richandhazel]

Easy way to check is that coolant shouldn't flow through the radiator until the engine is getting up to temp. So the hoses going to the rad and the rad itself should start off cool/warm and then as you approach operating temp they should get hot, as should the rad. That is when the thermostat has opened allowing the coolant to flow through the rad.

That would be my first line of attack in diagnosing your problem.

[rubjonny]

Good news on a MK1 changing the heater matrix is an absolute doddle, remove the passenger side lower dash tray, disconnect the 2 pipes and it just slides out!

[richandhazel]

Good news on a MK1 changing the heater matrix is an absolute doddle, remove the passenger side lower dash tray, disconnect the 2 pipes and it just slides out!

Easiest car that I ever done. Why they went away from that idea and started burying them in the dash, behind the heater I'll never know