When your engine is nice and warm, where does the temperature needle point on your gauge? In normal use, mine never gets past the first mark on the gauge (just to the left of the first mark actually) The reason I ask is I'm trying to decide whether I need a new thermostat or not. I'm not sure whether the engine runs on a cold map setting (if that's what it's called) all the time. If most people's gauge points straight up or around the halfway mark, then I guess mine's a little bit out Ta
Possibly thermostat, but more likely gauge sender I'd guess. Mid-gauge, straight-up is normal. Check out rubjonny's coolant system FAQ for diagnostics on thermostat, to rule that in/out. Genuine VW sender probably worth the extra cash, if it looks like this is the fault.
No more than a needle's width past the centre mark under normal driving - otherwise something is wrong. Even my scabby 200k Audi manages it, as have all my scabby Mk2s.
I've already replaced the blue temp sender (with a genuine VW one), and replaced all the vacuum lines so it's probably not that
Is it the black one? Also I've tried the radiator hose test and the bottom hose gets hot when the needle closes on on the first mark.
Cheers chaps. Thanks for the advice. I'll be ordering one shortly. Then I'll wait a bit before changing the thermostat because I've only just had a rubjonny-style tune up done so don't fancy repeating the exercise (and expense) so soon after
Also found someone who had a very similar problem on another forum from earlier this year. Rubjonny gave some good advice on guy's problem
In the absence of a picture, I'll try to describe where it is under the bonnet. Stand at the front of the car and the best thing to do is follow the top radiator hose out of the left hand side of the radiator back towards the engine block. Before you get to the block you should have two sensors, with wires coming out of them, sticking out of the top of the radiator pipe. The one closest to you should be the black one (it is in mine, a 90 Digi GTi, yours might be a different colour depending on year, injection system). That's the one I'm looking to replace in mine. The other one (next to the engine block) is the blue one. If you have access to the Haynes MkII manual then you can see them on top of the radiator hose in most pictures of an underbonnet view of an injected engine. Hope this helps
ETKA number for 2 pin black temp sender please Does anyone have the ETKA number for the 2 pin black temp sender for Digi 8v? The guy at VW today was kind of useless and tried to sell me an oil temperature switch on the basis that it had two pins and was black!
The question to ask your self to diag. any thermostat problem is does the coolant temp vairy once warmed up? ie. does the coolant get very hot in traffic or idling and cool down when crusing at 40-60mph? The temp will do this because if they fail, the thermostat should fail in the open position, allowing coolant to constantly be pumped through the rad. If no then it is unlikly to be a thermostat issue. oh and it helps if you say which car your problem is with... If it helps, my black temp sender is on the same union pipe as the blue one, right next to it, flange on the front of the head as you look at the engine. MK 2 Gti 1990 PB engine i know this is late reply, but someone else will only read this at some point. hopefully.
Well thermostat now changed and boy what a difference. I've had my GTi for two years now and it's the first time I've felt the car giving me what an 8v (90 Digi) should. I'm well happy. I've been through new vacuum hoses, two tune-ups, one blue sensor, one black sensor and now a new thermostat. Engine is pulling as it should. Temp gauge needle is pointing north as it should. No more bogging down under load.
