Cambelt or chain and coolant query

[Beermatt]

Hi, new to Skoda and new to this forum.

ive just bought a 63 plate Octavia (reg Jan 14) VRS 2.0 220 estate 2 weeks ago and have two questions.

1. How can I tell if the timing is a cambelt or chain by looking under the cover? I can see a belt on the left of the engine..... If it's a cambelt how often does it need changing.

2. Coolant - it does seem to have dropped since in bought the car - could this indicate an issue? Is it normal for it to need topping up? I had a Passat 2.0 tdi before and never had to touch the coolant!

Any advise gratefully received 

[ahenners]

Hi and welcome!

 

It's a chain cam, the belt you see is an auxiliary belt. So no cambelt change required further down the line.

 

I have a 63 TSI also and mine did need a top up after I bought it (at 3yrs/15k) but 9 months and 13k later it seems to have not used any more. 

 

Top it up with some G13 coolant (to appropriate dilution) so it sits below max and then monitor it every few weeks. If it drops quickly then you have an issue as it's being lost somewhere.

[Beermatt]

Thanks. Mine has 48k on it. I'll top up and monitor closely. Off to Cornwall in a few weeks so don't want any problems with long drive. 

Has 6 mth warranty with Sytner so will contact them if leaking. Wonder about getting k seal just in case whilst I'm travelling?

[Gabbo]

I would rather take it to the garage before you go & get them to pressure check it.

Filling it with gunk after the problem has got worse is just going increase the cost of the repair afterwards.

[glosrich]

21 hours ago, Beermatt said:

Thanks. Mine has 48k on it. I'll top up and monitor closely. Off to Cornwall in a few weeks so don't want any problems with long drive. 

Has 6 mth warranty with Sytner so will contact them if leaking. Wonder about getting k seal just in case whilst I'm travelling?

 

Don't mess with it if you think it is leaking. Let the garage sort it.

 

Have a read around on here, there have been some leaking manifolds and water pumps on 2.0 TSi engines. Some get a lot of steam out of the exhaust under hard acceleration, more than you would usually get on a cold start.

[Beermatt]

Thanks all. I was thinking emergency only with the k seal. Ive not noticed any steam. Would it be obvious in the rear view mirror? Reading the forums the water pump does seem to be a common issue!

I've topped up the coolant to just below the max mark so will see how it fairs. I'll be driving around 400 miles this weekend so would expect to see some loss if there is a leak. Fingers crossed I'll have the same experience as ahenners.

thanks all for the warm welcome to the forum and good advice.

Edited 2 August, 2017 by Beermatt
Grammar

[Beermatt]

Really looking forward to this weekends drive - going over the tops to Bridlington and then up to Whitby - hopefully get a real feel for the vRS over my last car, a Passat diesel.

[Beermatt]

Eek. Made a mistake with the coolant and used concentrate rather than ready mix.

 

[Ootohere]

What ever you do do not add K-Seal , Rad Weld or even egg white. 

If the Water Pump needs replaced then you get that done, if there is coolant loss for some other reason then you get a diagnosis why.

 

Do not put off, do not work on fingers crossed principal, and do not keep topping to MAX, just top to below that, above MIN,  Below MAX and mark the line where it is after running to operating temp,  not just ticking over, allow to cool,  mark line on the reservoir / filler bottle with a marker pen.

Monitor after next run and then when cool again.  Do not keep opening the lid.

[Beermatt]

I topped up to the max line. Do I need to drain a tiny amount?

[Ootohere]

No you do not.

The car will set it's own level.

Pressurised system and you will see the little pipe or exit at the top of the bottle so that the coolant / steam can be released.

 

So see if it sets a level when you drive at least 20 miles next time and then the engine / coolant has cooled.

Do not open the Filler Bottle lid again until use see if there is a coolant loss after the next 2 up to temperature runs.

[Gabbo]

I would just leave it as it is and monitor it when the coolant is the same temperature as awayoffski suggests.

Also, I wouldnt worry too much about adding concentrated instead of diluted coolant.

You've only added a few millilitres to a couple of litres of coolant so wont have changed the real dilution too much (and it will be ready for the cold winter thats coming...)

 

If in any doubt, go back to the dealer as they can pressure check the system quite easily.

Better to pay a few quid to have it checked than get stuck on the highway miles away from home & miss your ferry/Holiday etc.

[Beermatt]

Awayoffski - are you saying mark it after a few runs and when cooled down? I guess it fluctuates quite a lot between hot and cold with expansion and all that.

I've a few

good runs this weekend so will monitor 

Edited 3 August, 2017 by Beermatt

[Ootohere]

Basically stop tampering.

Yes there is a change on level Hot to cooled down.

Why it shows MIN & MAX.  

Do not open unless totally cool.

 

If the level is not constant when cold and trip after trip keeps going lower you are losing coolant and the system has not just self bleed / ejected Steam,

steam is hotter than liquid.

 

If it needs a water pump it needs that, if a pipe / hose clamp is loose, or a leak in the coolant system that needs fixed.

 

SEE IF IT IS LOOSING COOLANT, LEAVE ALONE, OBSERVE then get a Technician with the gear and more than just an idea to sort it for you.

[Beermatt]

Thanks. I won't tamper anymore!

You don't see an issue with a mix of the GG40 (which is VW TL 774-J approved) and the existing, I assume g12/13? I used about 250ml of the gg40