VR overheating..

[shift_540]

Hi all, I’ve been having problems with my VR overheating and would really appreciate some advice. Well i had a small hole in one of the hoses that come of the heater tap so i replaced this and i also replaced the heater tap (it was well rusty) But the car is still overheating. I replaced the fuel cap and the thermostat about a month ago so i believe it shouldn’t be these (just tested the thermo and its opening).. Starting to get worried it might be a gasket either intake manifold or head, how would i go about testing these cheaply?.. Oil looks fine although there was a tiny little bit of junk on the cap. I have also noticed a bit of fluid near the injectors not a lot but i cleaned it and it returned after a drive.. Is there anyway to test the water pump or to see if the radiator is blocked?. Little stuck on what my next step should be?
Cheers

[Brett_jjj]

The easiest way to determine the condition of the cooling system is to get the system pressure tested at any decent radiator place or mechanic to see if there are any internal leaks in the head or inlet manifold gaskets.This test also pressurises the heater core ,so any leakage there can be detected which can be a problem in some older cars.

[RazzaCaine]

i know its basic but hows your radiator cap?? my vs was running a little warmer than usual and i was having to top it up weekly with coolant. i noticed my radiator cap was leaking coolant so i replaced it with a new one. straight away you could feel that the new cap would turn a lot tighter and now the car is running colder again and isnt using any coolant. maybe try doing this with your vr. for the sake of $10 spent at supercheapauto or autobahn its worth a shot before you spending big bucks on gaskets etc

[HRVATSKI_VOJNIK]

hows the reservoir level? check the cap on it and the lines for holes.
my VS had a small crack on the cap which i was able to close up with a thick layer of superglue (still closed after 3 years )

last month i had to change my water pump's gasket when it failed, one of the warning signs was it was over heating (went past H for a couple of seconds a couple of times whilst driving)

a new pump would cost you $79 from Super Cheap

as Brett_jjj said, getting it tested would be your best bet Atm

[shift_540]

Thanks for the replys.. The Cap is pretty new (about a month) and there is no coolant leaking from it so im not confident that this could be the problem. One thing that i did forget to mention is the speed that the car is getting hot. Once the car starts to warm up thats it it just keeps going, which tells me this is not a small leak?

Cheers thanks for the help..

[VRcommondoor]

If a pressure test is done on the cooling system and there is a blown gasket (head or inlet), will this force coolant further into the engine?


I know I posted this twice but i forgot to quote in my original message and now dont know how to delete the post - lol

[VRcommondoor]

The easiest way to determine the condition of the cooling system is to get the system pressure tested at any decent radiator place or mechanic to see if there are any internal leaks in the head or inlet manifold gaskets.This test also pressurises the heater core ,so any leakage there can be detected which can be a problem in some older cars.

I am asking as I have replaced virtually all of my cooling system and am now having issues starting my car that could be related to a blown gasket (i made a thread about that a while back - thanks brett_jjj for ur reply there too).

If a pressure test is done on the cooling system and there is a blown gasket (head or inlet), will this force coolant further into the engine?

[pjdm1980]

I'd go run your car for a short trip (FILL IT FIRST) then park it in your drive let it sit and look for coolant drop onto the ground if there is no coolant on the ground and it has lost fluid then it's going into the engine (and a local radiator shop can test the coolant for engine gases) but if it's still full then your down to the basics
-Flush radiator (check radiator fins are not blocked or damaged) and cooling system.
-Check for soft, collapsed or damaged hose when car is running hot.
-Change rad cap (done).
-Change thermostat (done).
-Change Water pump (should be able to see water flowing when thermostat opens)
Older cars can over heat if the tune is out but not usually a problem with later model cars like yours,
Hope that's of some help