Club 80-90 Forums

This part is the plastic manifold that connects one of the front-to back coolant hoses to the engine water pipes on later wbx (syncro) engines, in the RH corner of the engine bay. They are prone to developing a weep around the end cap which faces outwards to the RHS of the vehicle (you need to get your head under the driveshaft and look up past the starter to see it when fitted)
Aidan Talbot was kind enough to send me a couple of the above parts, to investigate the feasablility of a repair technique after I discovered mine was starting to lose a tiny amount of coolant, the part now being NLA from VW
The downer is that these are manufactured from a (non-glueable) glass-loaded nylon, which is good for strength and thermal stability but the end cap was ultrasonically welded on, which is where the crack starts.
After a quick bit of fast-track R&D combined with some good fortune, the upshot is that an exchange repair service for all similar types of coolant manifold/tower should be available pretty soon
I won't be able to simply sell a repair "bung" as machining of the manifold is necessary to remove the old cap, but costs should be very reasonable. It is one of the coolant system king-pins, after all!
More later.

Thanks Silverbullet. When I do my 2.1 DJ rebuild I'll be on to you!

wrestled with mine a couple of years back. Mine just kind of disolved where the hose plugs on ....the clip just stopped working no matter how i tried to tighten it.....right cow to replace when on yor back in the gutter drowning in your own coolant!!!!

Just to keep this alive, still got to do a field test but confident that it will work. The repair method should work for other versions of this manifold too.
@ KP: I have got one here with a slightly degraded looking pipe stub (one of the smaller pair), I put it down to a blowing exhaust joint on #1...

Ian - is this part...1. syncro specific ? 2. petrol, specific?

I have 2 used ones on the shelf

jes*b wrote:Ian - is this part...1. syncro specific ? 2. petrol, specific?

I think that must be the syncro equivalent of this 2wd WBX part...

251 121 438 B
http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/shop?page=s ... ory_id=118


And, yep, the 2wd one does the same trick... I know this for a fact...
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=102643

jes*b wrote:Ian - is this part...1. syncro specific ? 2. petrol, specific?

I have 2 used ones on the shelf

The part number that I'm working on is what's fitted to to my early 1.9 carb syncro, DJ/MV may be the same/similar. I thought that the long ones were 2wd.

Just going to check ETKA, back in a bit!

ETKA also lists 025 121 082 for very early syncro but that looks to be for the DF-type cooling system Must be a mistake (not the first)

251 121 442A appears to be for all petrol syncro models, ...442B is diesel syncro.

...438B is 2wd, 1.9 or 2.1

I'm not sure that repairing these is always a good option, having just changed mine today.

OK, I'm lucky to be 2wd, so it's available.

But - my leak wasn't the welded seam, as I expected it to be - the heater stub was detaching, and just crumbled to dust. No real signs of exhaust-blow (and those bolts haven't been touched for years, so it's not likely that one's been fixed in the past) - I think the plastic had just time-expired.

I know exactly what you mean, I have one here that looks a bit "melted" but it could well be the plastic degrading and it's only the glass loading keeping it together. Best to assess if they are worth saving before going out and spending £100+ on a nice shiney stainless one. Still cheaper than a boiled engine though!

Mixed results from repair and testing, one didn't turn out right, one needed drying out and re-sealing due to a pinhole. TBH probably best to save up quick and purchase a stainless steel one from Mr Baxter, while the Pound is still strong against the Euro (they are German made)