Audi A2 - first 100miles

Ok, well that seems likely, I changed the thermostat today as well, seeing as I had it bought!

What a rubbish job lol, something so easy, but so difficult at the same time, I was going to pivot the alternator to Make it easier, someone has rounded the tensioner nut thingy lol so couldn't release the belt, so thought I'd go for the difficult route and try without doing that! What a pig!! Finally got it done! Will post a pic of the old thermostat in a bit. It Didn't look too clever
 

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Hardmonkeys said:
Ok, well that seems likely, I changed the thermostat today as well, seeing as I had it bought!

What a rubbish job lol, something so easy, but so difficult at the same time, I was going to pivot the alternator to Make it easier, someone has rounded the tensioner nut thingy lol so couldn't release the belt, so thought I'd go for the difficult route and try without doing that! What a pig!! Finally got it done! Will post a pic of the old thermostat in a bit. It Didn't look too clever
Click to expand...

That is VERY brown,

Could it be that someone has used Radweld (or similar) in the past and blocked some of the waterways and prevented the floe to the temperature sender (the one for the fan?

When the car is fully warmed up is the lower hose still cold?

Steve B
 
No, it's not, which is surprising, not sure on the radweld thing, will see how it runs now with the new 'stat, will keep an eye on fluid levels aswell, the heaters didn't get particularly hot earlier after I road tested it, but I put that down to air locks, will try get rid when I can

Thanks for all your help
 
Hardmonkeys said:
No, it's not, which is surprising, not sure on the radweld thing, will see how it runs now with the new 'stat, will keep an eye on fluid levels aswell, the heaters didn't get particularly hot earlier after I road tested it, but I put that down to air locks, will try get rid when I can

Thanks for all your help
Click to expand...

Could be a blocked radiator It would be worth getting the system flushed out properly (But it might have been due to the faulty thermostat).

But the radiator fan should spin as soon as the air con is switched on (assuming that you have Climate control)

If it isn't then the fan is suspect as I said.

Steve B
 
Hardmonkeys said:
No air con on this I'm afraid, I thought it was something to do with the econ button...which it isn't lol
Click to expand...

That helps reduce one potential issue then.

The fan should run when you switch on the air con and since you don't have that it means that the fan might be ok after all but the water around the temperature sender that operates the fan might not be getting hot enough.

If you can test the fan with a direct feed or 12 volts (once you have disconnected it).

Have you run the car up to full temperature with the header tank cap off? This might free up any airlocks in the system.

Basically if the pipe at the bottom is never getting hot then the fan may not trigger (because it does not sense it getting hot.

The thermostat could be the cause of the water not flowing through the radiator (after all, that is the main aim of the thermostat, it is designed to prevent the water from going through the radiator until it is hot enough to need it).

Steve B
 
Birchall said:
When the car is fully warmed up is the lower hose still cold?

Steve B
Click to expand...

Just tested this theory...yes its cold...I think I misunderstood what you said before, probably due to reading through quickly lol...so, yes the bottom hose is still cold...attached vagcom while driving did about 25miles of fast driving, got it up to temperature, vagcom says the highest it went to was 108.9°c, gauge stayed at 90°c, I've got it home, and the expansion tank was under pressure, and had been leaking out the overflow (bay was dry when I left)..

Is this pointing at head gasket still? Or something else??

Thanks
 
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The thermostat you took out is very dirty. What was the colour of the liquid that you drained out? Did you thoroughly flush the system with water before finally filling it with coolant again?
 
Yes, I did...the water was a rusty brown colour when I removed the 'stat, I will be spending some time on this later, unfortunately I have work tonight, so will need to come back in and have a sleep, before I toddle off at about 6:30-7pm.

I have been reading a lot on this forum, and it is looking a lot like a head gasket problem, The pressurising expansion tank etc etc,

When I open the coolant tank top, it GUSHES out the overflow, as opposed to relieving the pressure in the bottle...so combustion gases getting through into the tank?
 
Is there anything else I can test before I go all out on a head gasket? I've not tested the fan yet, I've never seen or heard this go...so there is always that to check today, will check fuses first, then try get a direct feed to it.
 
New problem today, was driving up a steep hill today, and the wheels starting vibrating, was only doing around 15-20mph, then the abs and esp (triangle with arrowed circle around it) came on, with the red (!) in the display...done vagcom scan and its come up with Fault code 01542 Yaw sensor, electric circuit fault..

Would this be a sensor that needs replacing?
 
I think its the sensor under the stearing wheel , if youv had the steering wheel off its easily moved out of postion and will throw up this fault , or its gone faulty if not
 
Hi All,

I'm no mechanic, but wth suspicion of leaking head gasket why has nobody suggested a sniffer test on the coolant?

Andy
 
Heaters have got warm again, and nothing seems to be overflowing now. Water levels stayed the same...hopefully all good so far since thermostat changed
 
Hi Hardmonkeys,

Tony at A2Cars performed a sniffer test on my FSI after a bad coolant leak from the "death" pipe when there was chance I had cooked the head. It passed okay (wiped brow) and he replaced the pipe among other things. I was not there at the time but my understanding is it is some kind analytical probe that is inserted in the coolant tank and can detect the presence of combustion gases in the coolant which obviously should not be there. Detection of combustion gases indicates a a leaking head gasket. Maybe somebody with more knowledge of a sniffer test can reply, eg how reliable?

Maybe somebody with the kit can help you out or I am sure any local garage can oblige - surely a simple test will be cheap, I expect free if they think they are going to get a job.

Andy
 
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