al3x kay Posted July 31, 2008 Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 OK so doing my 9 mile commute home last night I got stuck in some traffic.Normally this is not that bad a thing although we all hate traffic however last nightI was sat there and suddenly I notice a red flashing light on my dash...My temp light was flashing and the temp guage was showing full (above 110)so I pull over at the 1st available spot and open the bonnet... Jesus the heat comingout of that thing, it was like a furnace.Then I noticed that the coolant level was nearly full!!! So I sat there trying to think what to do,(I no longer have AA coverage as I can't really afford it at the moment).as the engine started to cool off I noticed that the coolant level was dropping.The engine was still hot 4 hours after I eventaully got home last night.Is this a heard of thing with Lupos?? The other thing I have noticed is that there appears to be something in the coolant tank... like black muck of some sort!? Could this be a bigger problem?I hope not!!Any Help would be MUCH appreciated as I have only had her for 3 weeks and am loving every second of driving her!ThanksAl3x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niche Posted July 31, 2008 Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 Overheating normally suggests a broken water pump...What's probably happened is that the water pump has failed, your engine temp has shot up and your headgasket is blown...that's the worst case scenario.When was the water pump last changed and at what mileage? Cambelt, tensioners & water pump must be changed every 40k or every 4 years (which ever is soonest).Is the muck in your coolant tank a dark colour or is it lumpy? if its just a dark colour it could just simply be limescale from your radiator, if its thick and lumpy than your head gasket has failed.Wait until the car cools down, leave your bonnet open and undo the coolant expansion tank cap. Switch on the engine and squeeze your top radiator hose, if it goes hard than your water pump has failed. You can also tell its failed by turning on the heaters inside the car, if no heat comes through that is. Also take note of your coolant, if it starts to bubble and come out of the expansion tank than that is another indication of a failed water pump.*Don't do this for more than 10 minutes if you have lumpy bits in the coolant as it indicates a blown head gasket and you'll end up warping the head.* I'm hoping that you don't have lumpy bits, if the coolant is just a dark colour than your head gasket should be fine.Hope this helps! Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al3x kay Posted July 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 When was the water pump last changed and at what mileage? Cambelt, tensioners & water pump must be changed every 40k or every 4 years (which ever is soonest).Is the muck in your coolant tank a dark colour or is it lumpy? if its just a dark colour it could just simply be limescale from your radiator, if its thick and lumpy than your head gasket has failed.Not sure when it was last changed but it is 70K and has full service history from a vw dealer so I'm guessin it has been done at the right intervals,From what I can tell by looking at it looks as though it is a dark flakey sort of substance, I have had a look at the top of the oil cap and theres nothing there.I will do the check on the radiator hose and let you know.Thanks so much for your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottish_Sport_16V Posted July 31, 2008 Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 The thermostat are common for going in vw's arent they? Mine went any way a few years a go a replaced the fan switch, flashed the rad still no joy so i replaced the thermostat sorted the old one had collapsed! In the meantime i managed to keep the temp down by having the heaters on full. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al3x kay Posted July 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 Right I have just been out and tried that Hose thing, and it doesn't go hard!Also tried the heating and there is plenty of hot air coming out of it!Does that mean its the gasket?Checked the coolant pod again and definately a flakey dark substance!Thanks again for all your help!Just found out I haev 3 month warranty on it so whatever this is its going to get fixed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottish_Sport_16V Posted July 31, 2008 Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 Sounds the same as my problem matey which was the thermostat.Check and see if the bottom hose is cold? ( i think that was the case on mine but it was ages ago and my memorys poo) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al3x kay Posted July 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 Sounds the same as my problem matey which was the thermostat.Check and see if the bottom hose is cold? ( i think that was the case on mine but it was ages ago and my memorys poo)it's not cold but its cool! if that makes sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niche Posted July 31, 2008 Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 (edited) Flakey indicates limescale from your radiator.Your water pump is obviously working then. I would get the thermostat and temp sender replaced. When my thermostat broke I had the opposite! My engine wouldn't get upto temperature.Does the fan come on out of interest? Edited July 31, 2008 by Niche Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al3x kay Posted July 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 Does the fan come on out of interest?yeah the fan comes on! I just spoke to the Place I bought it from and they are going to send a guy out to look at it this weekend!Just as long as its not the Headgasket... I'm guessing that would end up being expensive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottish_Sport_16V Posted July 31, 2008 Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 Just a wee tip if you do need to use it have the heaters on max temp and max stregth that kept the temp down on mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niche Posted July 31, 2008 Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 yeah the fan comes on! I just spoke to the Place I bought it from and they are going to send a guy out to look at it this weekend!Just as long as its not the Headgasket... I'm guessing that would end up being expensive!Headgasket means a head-off job and can be very expensive depending where you take it.I had a 3 month warranty when I bought my Lupo, that covered my new cambelt, tensioner and water pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al3x kay Posted August 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2008 Right so same thing happened again last night on the way home.However some new notice points, it only happened when I was sat in traffic, so I opened the windows and turned the heating on and up and true to what you said it dropped however the temp guage stated that it was 30degrees outside, I don't need to tell you that it wasn't!traffic jam ended so out onto the country roads and turned the heating off and the engine stayed cool.Got home and there were no problems. I opened her up and it was warm but no warmer than it should have been.Also the amount of black stuff in the coolant has lowered!Anyway taking it to where I bought it tomorrow for them to have a look, I guess I should suggest the thermostat!Again thank you so much for all your help.What would I do without ClubLupo Huh [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyp Posted August 1, 2008 Report Share Posted August 1, 2008 try replacing the cap as well as that may also be buggered, or buy a complete new header tank as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D_eano Posted August 1, 2008 Report Share Posted August 1, 2008 i thought water pumps leaked if theve failed... surely thats the best way of checking itand im not sure but your top hose to the radiator shouldnt get hard till the engine is upto running temp as thats when the thermostat will openthe coolant level isnt dropping is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunalupi Posted August 2, 2008 Report Share Posted August 2, 2008 As you have a 3 month warranty, get it into the garage and the fault logged with them - as then I believe they have to fix it even if it takes them longer than 3 months I think it's supposed to prevent garages just pissing about with cheap repairs until the warranty runs out and you have to pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niche Posted August 4, 2008 Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 The amount of black stuff lowered? You mean your coolant levels have lowered? This suggests a failed water pump. You shouldn't keep driving the car otherwise your going to blow the headgasket and really cheese off the garage you bought it from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al3x kay Posted August 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 Update time,Went into the garrage at the weekend. They had it pretty much all day saturday and they ran all the usual tests on it,came back as the black stuff in the coolant was rust from the radiator and the hot reading was the thermostat.But... Even after all that they still can't explain the overheating experience as it hasn't happened since, and they couldn't get it to happen in the garage.So the guy there gave me his number and asked me to call him as soon as it happens again (if it does) and he would come and have a look. (they all seem very prepared to help which is nice)So onward and upward...Thanks again for eveyone's help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottish_Sport_16V Posted August 4, 2008 Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 Did they not replace the thermostat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al3x kay Posted August 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 yeah they replaced the thermostat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 I got my Arosa back from the garage yesterday after they replaced my power steering pipe, only for them to tell me its overheating now (it wasnt before i took it in, i think theyve messed something up) My fans not kicking in and within a mile of driving, the temp gauge is hitting its maximum (is this even possible??) the temperature warning light it flashing its balls off at me too. The garage wouldnt sort the problem because they say i need an auto electrician. Is it possible theyve knocked something whilst replacing my power steering pipe? I cant afford for anything else to be wrong with it now, the poor mites been out of actiuon for two weeks as it is!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99hjhm Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 Take it back to the garage and tell them to get it sorted!! Leave it upto them to prove it wasn't them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 Take it back to the garage and tell them to get it sorted!! Leave it upto them to prove it wasn't them!I would if they didnt mess something up every time it goes in. Went in for tis MOT, came out with broken power steering, Went in for the power steering sorting and came out with a knackered fan! I think theyre just doing it so i keep them in business.On a different note ive had a go with it myself, put some new coolant in, the warning light doesnt go off at me and the guage sits in the middle now. Maybe they just didnt check the simplest thing? Weird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defcon5 Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 The temp light will also light up if you have low coolant, not sure if it flashes or not though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 Yeah, I took it out properly a bit ago and the the guage hit the top end again much to my panic! The lights not flashing anymore. On the way back I had my fan on full blast and the guage stayed in the middle. Arrrgghhh so confused. I dont kow wether to drive it or not?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defcon5 Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 So the temp guage reads off the scale but the light doesnt come on? Does the temp guage change a lot? If it may need a new temp sensor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.