I've just replaced the engine temparature sensor using a how-to guide by Ap0gee. The engine management light has gone off, the temperature gauge on the dash looked to have started working, and the associated problems with a faulty sensor appeared to have ceased (failure to start, flooding the engine, poor fuel consumption)

But today (24 hours since I replaced the part) the dashboard temperature gauge only started working after about 10 miles of driving, then kind of went up, down, then stayed at about a quarter.

VAGCOM diagnostics proved the sensor was faulty, so I've basically come on here to see if there's an associated problem - possibly a faulty thermometer or something else.

Replace thermostat as well.

Replace thermostat as well.

+1

a common thing to fail on the 1.4mpi

Cheers guys, is there a how to guide on here?

It's not too difficult to do. You either get the bit that screws to the other plastic bit, or the whole housing which screws to the back of the cylinder head (which generally also comes with a temp sender). If the former don't tighten the screws too much otherwise you will strip the threads.

Whichever method you should either partially or fully drain the coolant (there's a tap bottom hose on the radiator). Swap it over, using mole grips to undo the hose clips, top up the coolant, put the cap back on, run the engine, wait for fan to come on then off and turn off engine. When cool top coolant up to correct level.

Here's the thread where I learn about the problem and fix it myself!

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/175468-how-many-temperature-sensors-do-i-need

Edited 3 March, 201115 yr by Nicholas Hill

Thanks for the help. I thought I'd fixed it with the sensor.... How wrong I was!

Thanks for the help. I thought I'd fixed it with the sensor.... How wrong I was!

I have just replaced the entire housing, thermostat and temp sender on mine - dramatic improvement.

The old one does show dramatically the problem. The thermostat housing has a couple of plastic lugs on it, which managed to both destroy themselves which results in the thermostat being totally buggered, which then renders the temp sender useless - Which then results in terrible fuel consumption and from what I saw, rather poor performance.

Replaced it today, and a dramatic improvement (aside from me noticing some bright spark had over-tightened the rocker cover and left it cracked and warped, update on that when I get a replacement. Might even take some piccies heh).

For the cost of a genuine temp sender, you may as well get the entire housing. And if you get an official part, guaranteed for 2 years

Yeah, I thought there was little point just replacing the stat when I could do the whole lot. Is jorily the best place to go - got my sensor from there and they were tip top.

Is this the best part to get? http://www.jorily.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=131_7_77&products_id=266

Is this the best part to get? http://www.jorily.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=131_7_77&products_id=266

That is the part, but I got mine from skodaparts and picked it up in person (I live in Sheff) and ended up getting it for the web price minus the shipping. Plus because I picked it up from an official dealership (skodaparts are really the parts shop of Bickertons) it comes with a VAG parts guarantee.

Strange thing about Jorily is if you go look around at their ebay/bidding points, you can seemingly get the same part for less than it'd cost to buy direct from the website. Seems a bit strange. Could be just me that's noticed this of course, and i've got the wrong end of the stick.

That is the part, but I got mine from skodaparts and picked it up in person (I live in Sheff) and ended up getting it for the web price minus the shipping. Plus because I picked it up from an official dealership (skodaparts are really the parts shop of Bickertons) it comes with a VAG parts guarantee.

Strange thing about Jorily is if you go look around at their ebay/bidding points, you can seemingly get the same part for less than it'd cost to buy direct from the website. Seems a bit strange. Could be just me that's noticed this of course, and i've got the wrong end of the stick.

I'll give that a go!

Right, got the stat, mole grips, trolley jack and axle stands all on their way to me now. I've never worked with mole grips before. Are they simply just to take the hoses out of the thermostat housing?

On the hose clips there are like two prongs, you push them together to undo them. Mole grips are just like pliers, but they lock into place, there's a screw at the bottom of the handle to adjust the width, you want it just enough that you can grasp the two prongs but not so tight that it will squeeze them in too much. If you find you can't get them back on because you need to slack off the adjuster to get it round the prongs again, just use some pliers or another pair of mole grips on the adjuster to tighten it up once you have squeezed the prongs together as best you can.

There is probably a special tool for the hose clips, but mole grips do the job and they are useful for a variety of other purposes.

This is going to be fun. Not so much if I fail, but it looks straightforward. Thanks for all the help people.

This is going to be fun. Not so much if I fail, but it looks straightforward. Thanks for all the help people.

So how'd it go?

It seemingly went well - drove 80 miles and now it has started overheating. The coolant has leaked out - mustn't have attached some hoses correctly. So close!

The red coolant usually leaves an obvious tell-tale sign. It is also possible it has just bled the system after driving if the bleeding procedure (oops that sounds like swearing, lol) had not been followed.

Edited 11 March, 201115 yr by anewman

Sure it will be easily sorted out.... fingers crossed. Least the stat is working now.

Sure it will be easily sorted out.... fingers crossed. Least the stat is working now.

Easiest way to check would be to open the bonnet - set the car running, get some kitchen towel. put the kitchen towel in all the usual places (i.e. under the thermostat housing, under the base of the rad, etc) - and once it warms up the water will flow under pressure and you'll quickly notice the white of the kitchen towel showing up against the coolant. Tighten/adjust where necessary!

One point I noted on mine was the rubber sealant ring didn't come off with the old housing when I took it off - I had to peel it off the head. If you leave that sealant on it will not end up sitting flush enough to the head and will leak.

Could also be base of the radiator, near the draining tap if you drained it before changing the stat.

Any problems, gimme a shout.

Edited 12 March, 201115 yr by Chris Coates

Morning all. I'm actually 80 miles from home staying at a friends house, so didn't have tools. Anyway, managed to borrow some from a garage, had a look and there's coolant spraying out of a small central hole on the right side of the new stat. I've taken a picture of it. Should I just block the hole up or is it serving a purpose?

http://twitpic.com/48qrna

Anyone know?

Anyone know?

One sec - i'll pop downstairs and compare.

Morning all. I'm actually 80 miles from home staying at a friends house, so didn't have tools. Anyway, managed to borrow some from a garage, had a look and there's coolant spraying out of a small central hole on the right side of the new stat. I've taken a picture of it. Should I just block the hole up or is it serving a purpose?

http://twitpic.com/48qrna

Please tell me that water is not coming out of the small hole...

It definitely shouldn't be. The thermostat housing is meant to be a sealed unit.

If so, take it back with your reciept - Now.

The one I changed out had what looked to be a hole too in the spot you're talking about, but it was still a sealed unit - it was just a recess. Didn't leak anything. but the new part (rev 2 housing possibly?) doesn't have any 'hole' there at all. Neither leaked out of that spot - I confirmed this (as I generally keep quite a few replaced parts just in case) by pretty much just cutting it in half to check just now for ya. It's meant to be a sealed unit.

Yeah, it's streaming out of that hole. I thought maybe It's a pressure release. If it's not meant to be, then it's clearly faulty but I need to figure a way of getting home with it. I could seal it up using some kind of substance.

Thanks so much for looking mate - my friend's dad has been out trying to source a replacement part for me but it has been fruitless.