Club 80-90 Forums

mal0r wrote:Aye, cheers, the seem to look like a bad idea doesn't it? Surely a sealed unit without a seem would have been a bit more robust. That said, I have no obvious leak from it when the water pump is operating.

iirc, there have been a few people on here who have only discovered that their header tank was leaking from a seam or split on the back of the tank, by unbolting it to inspect the back of it whilst it is under pressure, or by draining and removing it completely in order to examine it closely.

Tony

Tony's 100% correct, look for white lines eminating from the screwthread or directly below and heading towards the level sensor. The sensors themselves have also been known to split and leak past their O-ring

Ian.

Thanks you lot, the flashing red light was the low-level sensor was correct! I noted that I couldn't fill up the coolant from the filler tank without it going everywhere and the coolant was *just* below the min level line. I was able to fill it from the main tank when the engine was cold. This stops my flashing warning light and engine cold, there's no leak. The leak when hot was very slow. I think the split is either very small or the coolant/water mix wasn't right by the garage who serviced her. I'm now trying to find the water-jacket drain plugs so I can drain her and do a new 50/50 mix.

Using a Haynes manual, I don't recognise the diagram, does anyone have a photo of a water-jacket drain plug?

mal0r wrote: . . . I couldn't fill up the coolant from the filler tank without it going everywhere and the coolant was *just* below the min level line. I was able to fill it from the main tank when the engine was cold.

I'm now trying to find the water-jacket drain plugs so I can drain her and do a new 50/50 mix. Using a Haynes manual, I don't recognise the diagram, does anyone have a photo of a water-jacket drain plug?

It sounds like you're saying that there was still coolant in the top-up tank, but that the level in the header tank was low? Sounds like there could be a problem with the blue "dalek" cap on the header tank if the system isn't sucking cooloant from the top-up tank into the expansion tank as it cools. The leak isn't on the hose between the top-up and coolant tanks by any chance is it? If you get a new header tank from VW it comes with the cap and isn't an expensive part by all accounts.

As for the drain plugs, when we were draining the system to replace our water pump, a wise man on here told me not to bother looking for the drain plugs (they might be rusted up anyway). Just remove one end of a hose that you can get to and that'll drain enough out of the system.

Tony

Cheers Tony, strangely enough it says that in the Haynes manual too, if you can't be 4rsed to undo the drain-plugs, just take off the lowest hose you can get to.

I did think it might be a broken cap, and I did see a genuine VW parts seller on eBay that does the tank and cap quite cheap.

Hi guys. I'm going to chirp in with my first post here, as my newly purchased and first VW also has coolant problems. I know where the leak is coming from, and I know exactly how to drain the system, fix it and get running again, I just can't find anywhere to buy a "J pipe"!

I need to fix this as I'm loosing pressure rather than loads of water, but come summer she's sure to blow!

Many thanks!

(P.S. I've tried JK and VW Heritage!)

http://shop.justkampers.com/product_inf ... ts_id/9617

There ya go

Welcome to the Club BTW

Ian.

Dont buy JK one get a genuine VW one,

mal0r wrote: . . . I did see a genuine VW parts seller on eBay that does the tank and cap quite cheap.

Have you got a link to this, or an item number, by any chance? Might by meself a spare if it's a genuine part and reasonably priced.

Tony

funbus1 wrote:Dont buy JK one get a genuine VW one,

The one I got WAS a genuine VW one

Ian.

Cool,, l Ian, I asked about these before, and i was told JK ones were made in italy and dident last long. Well there you go, Sumthin new every day. Coulda saved myself a 50 mile trip and got discount.

funbus1 wrote:Cool,, l Ian, I asked about these before, and i was told JK ones were made in italy and dident last long. Well there you go, Sumthin new every day. Coulda saved myself a 50 mile trip and got discount.

It's alright mate .... I just remembered ... mine came from Derby GSF

Ian

Ian Hulley wrote: . . . I just remembered ... mine came from Derby GSF

Genuine VW ones also available from Brickwerks:

http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/index.php?p ... t&Itemid=6

Tony

Thanks for the help, but it's this pipe I need (circled in red!):

[IMG:600:450]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/t ... pe001s.jpg[/img]

P.S. Sorry the outline looks phallic!

chuckle-bus-tom wrote:Thanks for the help, but it's this pipe I need (circled in red!):

What year is your van? I looked on www.vagcat.com/ at a 1985 Type 2 and if I've read the diagram right, the pipe that you've outlined is no.3 in their diagram (part no. 025121058A) which is listed as no longer available. I might've read the diagram wrong though, or looked at the wrong engine (DG?) so have a look yourself, you have to register to use the site but it doesn't cost anything.

Have you tried GSF, or posting in the wanted section on here (a trader / breaker might have what you need)?

Tony