Club 80-90 Forums

I know there ave been lots of discussion / advice given on issues relating to water temperature / heating & loss of both. Also probably the answer to my own prolem has already been given. .. so apologies for going over old ground again.

I have a Westy Joker 1.6 diesel, went for a service about two months back & since then have been using water & losing heating. I have changed the thermo switch on the rad, but not the thermostat [yet]. Also problem seems to be intermittent ... If I pootle around then water level seems to stay constant, but if I push it [if 60 can be called pushing it] then water loss is extreme .. probably used 6 litres when coming back from Folkestone on the weekend.

Any ideas ? Could it be a blockage? Is the the thermostat knackered?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Also anyone know a good T3 mechanic in Bristol region?

get the cooling system pressure tested first could be a hose ,core plug ,rad leak or a head gasket

Hate to say it but if you cant see a visable leak then its more an likely a cracked head. Same thing happened to me on a re-manufactured VeeGee engine after 5k miles.

You said back from a service then it started useing water.Did they change the expansion tank cap.It could be faulty .Look inside the engine compartment .

Mine's doing the same thing goes in for a new Head Gasket on Tuesday

If there's no leak it's most likely to be a Head Gasket, Diesel Heads are very strong so apparently it's unlikely to be a cracked head.

Fingers Crossed for you mate

take the thermostat out, like i had to last night(a brand new one) it wasnt opening and my rad popped. bleed the system up CORRECTLY, and try it for a few miles, then a few more. if no good, look for rust coloured water marks everywhere, if still no good, look at the oil filler cap for mayonaise in it, if theres mayo there, change the head gasket. a garage can test "sniff" your rad water for gas leakage too. but rather than do the head gasket(labour costs ??) stick a 1.9d golf/passat/seat engine in instead or TDI... theyre Grrreat. as tony tiger says.

Doing a head gaket job is not such a problem.I had the head skimmed by a engine reconditioner .Fitted it back my self and its seems all okay now.As the engine was a golf m2 1.6td JR engine it had hydro valve lifters so there was no shimming .If its a 1.6/td JX you going to have to set tappet clearence by hand with shims.I would like a 1.9tdi in the van but its the fly by wire installation to sort out.

Thanks for all of the excellent advice. As I'm a mechanic incompetent I will book the van in tot a garage for pressure / leakage tests.

If it is a head gasket, I might swap the engine, I was thinking of getting that done anyway. Only problem is finding a good lump to use.

Thanks to all.

keep looking on ebay, also your local loot. advertise for one in loot, the trouble with ebay is youve got too many vw enthusiasts fighting over everything. i got my 1.9 out of loot with the gearbox, alternator,pump etc for£150, i sold the gearbox for £50, bargain, it only got 50.000 miles on it, out of a crashed golf...