thermostat-less

been having overheating problems recently
1 changed thermostat
2 changed water pump
3 changed radiator and put a new expansion bottle cap on too
problem still the same gauge red lined after about 4 miles and the dropped back to normal , when it rose the car heater would blow cold air ,
when the gauge dropped back to normal it would blow warm again, have tried to bleed it of air as that was what i was told it could be .
But i have now removed the thermostat completley and the the temp gauge didnt move at all on a run of about 5 miles is this normal for no themostat, and the heater was blowing hot air , does this look like i may have found the problem a dodgy thermstat

get a noo thermostat and fit it. Also replace both plastic air bleed plugs with domestic radiator bleed plugs. that way you can bleed out any air when the system is hot and under pressure.

It seems to be perfect symptoms of an air lock.

On my 300tdi, I was getting strange readings from my temp guage...

I'd put a new sender unit in and thermostat.

I figured it wasnt over heating due to the speed the needle would rise and fall, just a false reading... then the Tacho started to play up.

...it turned out the alternator was goosed!

ericthered said:

been having overheating problems recently
1 changed thermostat
2 changed water pump
3 changed radiator and put a new expansion bottle cap on too
problem still the same gauge red lined after about 4 miles and the dropped back to normal , when it rose the car heater would blow cold air ,
when the gauge dropped back to normal it would blow warm again, have tried to bleed it of air as that was what i was told it could be .
But i have now removed the thermostat completley and the the temp gauge didnt move at all on a run of about 5 miles is this normal for no themostat, and the heater was blowing hot air , does this look like i may have found the problem a dodgy thermstat

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You the guy that had the head done as well, and I said to check you never fitted the thermostat the wrong way round, and check the small pipe from the thermostat, wif the valve in it.

ericthered said:

been having overheating problems recently
1 changed thermostat
2 changed water pump
3 changed radiator and put a new expansion bottle cap on too
problem still the same gauge red lined after about 4 miles and the dropped back to normal , when it rose the car heater would blow cold air ,
when the gauge dropped back to normal it would blow warm again, have tried to bleed it of air as that was what i was told it could be .
But i have now removed the thermostat completley and the the temp gauge didnt move at all on a run of about 5 miles is this normal for no themostat, and the heater was blowing hot air , does this look like i may have found the problem a dodgy thermstat

Click to expand...

I have now fitted the new thermostat i thought it was sussed went about 7 miles and still ok , BUT took it onto the A19 for a thrash and got only 4 miles before the gauge started to rise ,popped the bonnet and water coming out of the expansion cap , so itook out thermostat again and did 14 mile up and down the A19 with no problem ,so why does it overheat when the thermo stat is in , getting peed off now

ericthered said:

I have now fitted the new thermostat i thought it was sussed went about 7 miles and still ok , BUT took it onto the A19 for a thrash and got only 4 miles before the gauge started to rise ,popped the bonnet and water coming out of the expansion cap , so itook out thermostat again and did 14 mile up and down the A19 with no problem ,so why does it overheat when the thermo stat is in , getting peed off now

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Did you check the pipes from the thermostat, and the little valve in there.

Normally if the head gasket is gone then taking the thermostat out helps, have you any way of getting a sniff test done, or see if you can get some of that antifreeze that changes colour if it's gone, try your local halfords or sumut, there must be something you can get to test it.

I would have to be certain that it's not gone before I go to the bother that you are going to.

Can't remember the history now, but did you say it had the gasket done.

The head got done last september 07 , i have non of the tell tail signs of the head gone ,not loosing water or oil , powers is ok ,no emulsyfying on the oil cap,
what sort of head damage could it be ?

Did the head gasket on my sister's Tdi about a year ago . Six months later it began acting up again - much like yours .
Eventually took off the head again and found it was cracked - a crack running from where no. 3 heater plug enters combuston chamber .
Engineering workshop told me they had come across a few Tdi's with the same problem . New head fitted and fine since .

ericthered said:

The head got done last september 07 , i have non of the tell tail signs of the head gone ,not loosing water or oil , powers is ok ,no emulsyfying on the oil cap,
what sort of head damage could it be ?

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The classic symptoms of a head is overheating and chucking water out, when the head went the last time was the coolant clean or was it rusty because of a lack of antifreeze.

I have seen engines like this where they have been running with no antifreeze and the internal engine corrosion is almost terminal, one part of your engine is cast iron and the other alloy, they interact with one another and cause hell inside.

If this is the case then try to clean it with a flush product, if not then-start at the begining.

Is the head ok, if it's gone then you are going around in circles, a crack as described would cause the fault you have.

You omit to mention the pipes and valve from the thermostat, I am not sure how they work but since they are clearly some kind of bleed off, I would personally be checking them out, both hoses go into a valve of some sorts and I guess if it's fooked then it's going to **** up the flow. Mines is a 300tdi and they are at the drivers side with a black valve.

david451 said:

The classic symptoms of a head is overheating and chucking water out, when the head went the last time was the coolant clean or was it rusty because of a lack of antifreeze.

I have seen engines like this where they have been running with no antifreeze and the internal engine corrosion is almost terminal, one part of your engine is cast iron and the other alloy, they interact with one another and cause hell inside.

If this is the case then try to clean it with a flush product, if not then-start at the begining.

Is the head ok, if it's gone then you are going around in circles, a crack as described would cause the fault you have.

You omit to mention the pipes and valve from the thermostat, I am not sure how they work but since they are clearly some kind of bleed off, I would personally be checking them out, both hoses go into a valve of some sorts and I guess if it's fooked then it's going to **** up the flow. Mines is a 300tdi and they are at the drivers side with a black valve.

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i have checked these pipes by blowing through the one from the thermo stat and got bubbles in the expansion tank so assume flow.Called in a garage today to book in for the overheating and they said straight away head / gasket. If it is the head Knackered , whats the next step , new head i suppose this sounds EXPENSIVE or is there re-cons out there ,where do i start looking ?

take the filler cap off and start it up then check fer bubbles appearing in teh header tank. usually grey ones if yer HG is shot and allowing gases into teh cooling system

ericthered said:

i have checked these pipes by blowing through the one from the thermo stat and got bubbles in the expansion tank so assume flow.Called in a garage today to book in for the overheating and they said straight away head / gasket. If it is the head Knackered , whats the next step , new head i suppose this sounds EXPENSIVE or is there re-cons out there ,where do i start looking ?

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Best to find out if it is the head first, you are going around in circles at the minute.

If it is the head then only once you get it off are you going to determine if it's the gasket again or the actual head itself, perhaps it just wants machining, who knows, was it machined the first time, was it flat, was it the gasket that went, could you see clearly where it went, was the guy who did it competant.

If it is the head then my money is on the gasket because this is what failed the last time, if it were a crack the last time it would not have worked would it, and the chance of a crack now is slim to say the least.

fill it up from the top of rad then fill it right up thru top of thermostat housing to get rid of airlocks...........

i love the household radiator bleed idea - very clever - cant beleve theyre the same thread size!

garaged now getting the head tested expecting results tomorrow wednesday
fingers crossed only the gasket

ericthered said:

garaged now getting the head tested expecting results tomorrow wednesday
fingers crossed only the gasket

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Be positive, I suspect the worst is a head skim and a new gasket.

Head been skimmed new head gasket got her back tonight at 16:00 having my tea now and then going for a test run,
need her to be running going to see Springsteen at old trafford on the 28th May, a 270 mile round trip

ericthered said:

Head been skimmed new head gasket got her back tonight at 16:00 having my tea now and then going for a test run,
need her to be running going to see Springsteen at old trafford on the 28th May, a 270 mile round trip

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well thank fook for that, how much did they charge you, and remember after it's been run a bit you need to check yer tappets again.

Total cost £380 just got to change oil,filter and air filter and put the coolant back in , while its have been overheating just had water in ,got sick of watching £14 going down the drain literally. another tester is to tow my small caravan up and down the a19

ericthered said:

Total cost £380 just got to change oil,filter and air filter and put the coolant back in , while its have been overheating just had water in ,got sick of watching £14 going down the drain literally. another tester is to tow my small caravan up and down the a19

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A least you will be an expert wif water now.