Coolant issues.

[pompeypete88]

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, I've recently purchased a Leon 1.8 20v t 2001. wasn't expecting a perfect car but I want to make sure I sort any issues out before it becomes to expensive to fix.
this morning I drove to work (10 miles) and when I stopped I had some smoke coming from the engine bay. I couldn't see where it was from exactly. I noticed the coolant was non existent in the bottle but when I opened the cap it then filled back up with coolant :/

The temp gauge comes on and beeps 3 times at me when I start the car.

Anyone have an ideas what could be the issue? air lock? leak?

Thanks

 

[sockpuppet]

The 3 beeps and red light is low coolant warning. Check if the coolant is leaking, it it isn't then probably will be an air lock. I had disappearing coolant when my thermostat went, I would have nothing in the header tank and then drive for a bit and check and it would be full then drive a bit more and it was empty.

If thermostat has been changed recently then it could be your water pump.

 

[pompeypete88]

ok, I need to check service history as its coming up to 100k miles. I'm hoping the gent who owned it had that all done. can you recommend a water pump to go for or does the generic seat leon one work fine?? if its an air lock I just get the car up to temp with the filler cap open then top it up??

 

[mty12345]

When i've changed the thermostat before i've just bled it by running the engine for 20secs, then top-up and repeat until level is correct, engine gets up to temp pretty quickly.

I doubt it's the pump as the car would overheat very quickly without it......Chaning the waterpump is a big job on these cars and it's usually changed as a matter of course when doing a cambelt change, as cambelt needs to be removed to get at it.

Edit: water pump on the original was made of plastic, it can break after a while and all new pumps now have a metal impellor

 

[pompeypete88]

ive just topped up the coolant with the coolant cap off and engine running to see if it was just an air lock....it isn't, I can see coolant dripping from the bottom of the engine. Air filter side of the engine. could that just be a split hose??

 

[frijj]

If its from the air filter side it could be a spilt pipe. Have a look around the coolant temp sensor (CTS).
A mate of mine had exactly the same symptoms as your car and his CTS housing had split.

 

[pompeypete88]

I have no idea about the engine lay out and cant get it up in the air. il drop it to a mechanic tomorrow and see if he can see the issue or help.

 

[bruceR]

Edit: water pump on the original was made of plastic, it can break after a while and all new pumps now have a metal impellor

The water pumps have been upgraded from the originals way back then, there are new ones with pastic impellors which are no problem but if you want to then fit one with a metal impellor.

 

[bruceR]

I have no idea about the engine lay out and cant get it up in the air. il drop it to a mechanic tomorrow and see if he can see the issue or help.

If open the bonnet and stand at passenger side looking over the air filter to the side of the engine, you will see the water hoses (in your case probably black) and an electrical connection with either a black or green plastic housing - the coolant temperature sensor (CTS).
This is a common faulty replaceable item.

Mine is below the top blue hose that disappears under the engine cover

Hope this helps and it's easy to replace

 

[pompeypete88]

I doubt it is the sensor, or just the sensor as I am leaking over the floor. Breakers or eBay for new hoses?? I will be looking to upgrade everything at one point but as it sits id just like a car wit no issues for now

 

[Zardoz]

I had mine flash up the warning light last week, topped up a low coolant tank only to find it completely empty the next day.

Garage found it was an incorrectly fitted temp sensor that came away and caused the leak.

All sorted now. Hope yours is a simple fix.

 

[mty12345]

I doubt it is the sensor, or just the sensor as I am leaking over the floor. Breakers or eBay for new hoses?? I will be looking to upgrade everything at one point but as it sits id just like a car wit no issues for now

If the sensor is leaking then it can leak a lot once the system is under pressure, that would be the first thing i would check too. As for the hose then spares shop or dealers depending on what hose/fitting you need.

 

[pompeypete88]

ah ok il pop into a garage tomorrow and see of they can see whats wrong. shouldn't cost to much should it??

 

[mty12345]

You should be able to see whereabouts it's coming from easily enough, Sensor is about £10 from memory and should come with a new o-ring. It might be that it's just not cliipped in properly though. Other than that it's probably just a cheap radiator hose or something.

 

[pompeypete88]

Thanks guys

 

[mty12345]

http://etka.cc/vw/part_single/catal...category/121035/part_id/3691348/lang/e#sec_42

Parts diagram for the 1.8t cooling system incase you need it

 

[pompeypete88]

can anyone find the part I'm looking for on eBay and post it please as I wanted to copy the part I'm looking at but it wont let me until I've made 15 posts.

I had it checked and it was the housing but been quoted £90 for parts and labour. and if anyone can do it I might aswell give it ago

 

[s1 evoloution]

hi mate
you need to get the head gasket pressure tested if it come back ok you got a broken water pump and or a crack in the cylinder bore. had a car doing exactly what you said had the head gasket pressure tested came back ok checked everything except the water pump. as soon as you take of the coolant cap it would fill back up. turned out the overheating caused a crack in the bore from overheating so often. the reason was no water circulation.the waterpump was broken and destroyed the engine. a head gasket pressure test can only tell you the head gasket is ok not that the waterpump is your problem.