Club 80-90 Forums

Well dear Bert passed his MOT and was running splendidly when he started overheating alarmingly again yesterday...no loss of coolant or anything so can only think it is a blockage somewhere. My lovely husband is currently flushing the sytsem yet again despite it being Father's Day. Wish us luck!

make sure the thermostat is working

Despite it being Father's Day!!! What else does a dad want to do on a sunny Sunday? Fingers crossed.

Second that. Thermostat failed shut. To check: if you put the heater on full hot, blower on high, then the temp gauge should fall.
This will prove that no coolant is getting to the radiator and the only way
to dump heat is via the heater bypass circuit.

Or the temperature gauge/ connector is kaput. Kept happening to me , including a fetch home by the AA. I now carry one of them laser thermometer guns. They are really useful for detecting where the coolant is flowing and at what temp. Ten quid on e bay.

Thanks guys, didn't get to try and fill up again until this evening...bad news, despite attempting to fill under pressure as per the wiki instructions and having done it successfully quite a few times before, we couldn't get a significant amount of coolant in at all, the header tank level was just not going down but the engine started steaming rather alarmingly. Have stopped to let everything cool down. Am beginning to think we need professional help but Bert isn't drivable in his current condition, anyone know of any mobile T25 specialists in the Greater Manchester area:-( am feeling thoroughly fed up.

PS replaced thermostat, water pump, back end of last year.

(1985 , 1900 petrol, recon. engine done just over 31,000)

Take the thermostat out..just to see if it over heats

Agree with Kev there. It's the only component that controls the water flow.

Had another go at filling Bert up this evening just in case it was a blip on Tuesday, same thing, can't get significant amount of coolant in...Husband is fairly peeeeeed off as he replaced the thermostat a short while ago - faulty thermostat perhaps - maybe should have gone to Brikwerks!!! It took him a while to replace too so is very reluctant to do it himself again. Maybe its time for me to have a go with the spanners? Unless anyone knows of a good mobile mechanic near Stockport?

Just a thought. I'm not looking at my engine bay right now, but what if there was a blockage in the thinner pipe that returns coolant (and air locks) into the top of the left hand white tank. That would cause it to not fill, as the air in the system could not escape. I know I often "bang on" about blockages in those thinner pipes, but I have personally seen it happen twice (different vans) and read about other folks having similar thin pipe blockages on here fairly often.

Second that. Have personally removed the small hose from the top of the 'stat housing only to find it completely clogged for its entire length with silt and clag (probably k-seal...)

Here is "that pic" again (whose was it ?) - I had a similar blockage in one of my pipes, the result of which cost me a lot of hair and money.

Not good when you get a blockage like that. Nice feeling when it's cleared though

Constipated T25.

OhOh7 wrote:Had another go at filling Bert up this evening just in case it was a blip on Tuesday, same thing, can't get significant amount of coolant in...Husband is fairly peeeeeed off as he replaced the thermostat a short while ago - faulty thermostat perhaps - maybe should have gone to Brikwerks!!! It took him a while to replace too so is very reluctant to do it himself again. Maybe its time for me to have a go with the spanners? Unless anyone knows of a good mobile mechanic near Stockport?

There's a good mobile mechanic near Northwich who knows a thing or two about VWs, Stockport may be too far for him but can't hurt to ask... PM me if you want his number.