Cold Temps

[Meallbhan]

As posted on here probably thousands of times over the years, I have the slow warm up time on my GTI in the winter months. Last year, and the year before, I changed the thermostat and a temp sensor. Guess what?, it didn't work.

This year, it's still annoying me so I'm wondering if a quick DIY fix may help for a few months, then I can remove it.  I'm thinking of doing what they do in ice road truckers, and putting something in front of the radiator, maybe just partially covering it.

The car is slow to warm up in anything under about 12 deg and it isnt likely to be above that for a while up here in Inverness, so what do you think? Is this a bad idea, very bad, or maybe worth a try?

[Itguy]

What year and gearbox does it have?

[Meallbhan]

Its a 2005 with a manual gearbox

[Itguy]

Ok.

On your car there is a second thermostat (if you had dsg there would be two).

See my post here http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,75756.0.html

If you are confident that your main thermostat is good (ie you tested it before fitting and it's genuine) then I'd test/replace the bypass thermostat in the turbo cooling line. Pic in the other thread.

Will.

[Meallbhan]

Thanks Will, I just had a quick read of your thread and its refreshed my memory a bit.

I think I'm going to replace part 20 or 21 in diagram 121-030 of the ETKA link in your thread. The coolant regulator in the turbo line. Hopefully that will be the culprit, just got to find it in the actual car now.

I swore I wouldn't get into this again . . . but its so infuriating.

[Itguy]

Yep, the coolant regulator is the bypass thermostat. It's in the vertical pipe that comes up from the aux coolant pump  under the inlet manifold. The regulator is positioned behind the left cooling fan, as your standing at the front of the car.

[Meallbhan]

Thanks, I'll have a look tomorrow and see if I can find it.

[Meallbhan]

I just had a look for the regulator. There is a solid pipe that exits the radiator on its top left corner (looking from the front of the car) then goes neatly down the side of the rad until about half way. The pipe then kicks out at 90 deg but also at 45 deg where there is a bulge in the still solid pipe, here it turns into the usual soft rubber pipe. Im assuming the bulge is where the regulator is housed. If this is the correct pipe, how on earth do you swap over the regulator? I can bearly get my hand in to touch it. Also, does all the coolant have to be drained or can the flow be stopped then topped up? Thanks.

[v4rley]

I just had a look for the regulator. There is a solid pipe that exits the radiator on its top left corner (looking from the front of the car) then goes neatly down the side of the rad until about half way. The pipe then kicks out at 90 deg but also at 45 deg where there is a bulge in the still solid pipe, here it turns into the usual soft rubber pipe. Im assuming the bulge is where the regulator is housed. If this is the correct pipe, how on earth do you swap over the regulator? I can bearly get my hand in to touch it. Also, does all the coolant have to be drained or can the flow be stopped then topped up? Thanks.

Am also tackling this job!! I have a DSG and have located / check one. The next one to the front of the engine is hiding behind the throttle body hard pipe. I believe ITGUY  removed this for access, check his photo in his posted link (page 3, second photo) it is hiding but defiantly there . Hope that helps

[Itguy]

I'll nip out and take photos

[Meallbhan]

Its not the thermostat under the intake manifold, the one that connects to the outside of the block at the front, I did that one last year and had to remove the alternator for access. The one I want to remove is inline in a pipe but cant get a hand to it. Its not infront of the left fan but to the left of it at the side.

[Itguy]

You need to take the main large pipe off the throttle body/intercooler to get at it.

Just to make sure you're looking in the right place...



It's right in the center of this photo, you can just see the top of the hose clip for it

[Meallbhan]

I think we're talking about different parts.  The one I want to get at is no where near the throttle body. On you second photo, its just out of picture on the bottom left. To the left of the rad, about middle.

[Itguy]

Ok I've no idea what the part is you're looking at then!

Which part do you think it is on here?



Can you see it on this photo?

[Meallbhan]

I think it might be part 3 but I cant see it on the photo. I have a solid plastic pipe coming off the top left corner of the rad, it then runs down tight to the left side of the rad til about half way down. Then there is a bulge in the pipe where I think the internal inline regulator is fitted. Here it branches off at 90 degrees and also at 45 degrees. The pipe looks like it may split coz the is a metal spring clip in it but I cannot get my hand to it. All this is on the left of the radiator.