Looks a cracker 😎

 

I don’t see boring. I see hell yeah, my kinda car 

 

Gaz

12 hours ago, Gaz said:

Are we going to be introduced? 😁

I think it's called "Enrico", or 'Enry for short.

First engine problem noticed yesterday afternoon.  Took it for a dual carriageway and motorway run to clear out some cobwebs, and even after 45 minutes the  indicated coolant temperature still hadn't climbed past 70°C.

 

Stat is tucked behind/below alternator,  so not a 10 minute job.

Have asked the garage doing the MOT to quote for it, but expect it's going to be too much, so will probably DIY. 

Amusingly, staring at the engine looking for stat location was the first time I'd realised that the engine is a different way round to what I'm used to; longitudinal.  

Edited 12 September, 20241 yr by Breezy_Pete
Sp

On 12/09/2024 at 06:05, Breezy_Pete said:

First engine problem noticed yesterday afternoon.  Took it for a dual carriageway and motorway run to clear out some cobwebs, and even after 45 minutes the  indicated coolant temperature still hadn't climbed past 70°C.

 

Stat is tucked behind/below alternator,  so not a 10 minute job.

Have asked the garage doing the MOT to quote for it, but expect it's going to be too much, so will probably DIY. 

Amusingly, staring at the engine looking for stat location was the first time I'd realised that the engine is a different way round to what I'm used to; longitudinal.  

 

might the temp gauge just be the sensor? thats a really common fault item and from i remember has 2 outputs - 1 for engine, 1 for dash. its not uncommon for only 1 "side" to fail, so the ecu is getting better data, thus no odd driving issues.

Thanks for the idea @mac11irl, but I believe VCDS has shown me enough evidence to reject the nice solution.

Engine coolant temp and oil temp as read via engine ECU data are both very similar to what dash gauge is saying. 

 

I got a £184 quote for replacement of thermostat from the garage that gave it sn MOT on Thursday. When questioned, they told me this was for a pattern part too!

So a genuine stat is arriving Monday via ebay and will be fitted by me in the next week or so.

It should be a good opportunity to familiarise myself a bit with one side of the engine, and maybe give the alternator a look over while it's off. 

2 hours ago, Breezy_Pete said:

for a pattern part

I recall @KenONeill having strongly expressed views some years back on not using pattern thermostats.  Don't know if that situation is still true?

1 hour ago, MikeTheThinker said:

I recall @KenONeill having strongly expressed views some years back on not using pattern thermostats.  Don't know if that situation is still true?

 

pattern stats and sensors are just a waste of time and effort..

Yeah, modest hassle to change stat so it's going to be genuine and tested in boiling water first, I reckon.

20 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

Yeah, modest hassle to change stat so it's going to be genuine and tested in boiling water first, I reckon.

Always a good idea to do that test first for sure. I'm not sure why there is a resistance to fitting pattern parts for things like thermostats, there is a good chance that they would be identical to the OEM parts as it is highly likely the OEM part comes from the same factory as I doubt that Audi (VW) would actually be making their own thermostats.

7 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

Always a good idea to do that test first for sure. I'm not sure why there is a resistance to fitting pattern parts for things like thermostats, there is a good chance that they would be identical to the OEM parts as it is highly likely the OEM part comes from the same factory as I doubt that Audi (VW) would actually be making their own thermostats.

 

quality control levels. 

ask anyone whos fitted a non genuine thing like a cts or maf how they got on with it on a vag engine...

1 hour ago, mac11irl said:

 

quality control levels. 

ask anyone whos fitted a non genuine thing like a cts or maf how they got on with it on a vag engine...

Vag do not make these, they more than likely be Bosch with the VW logo stamped on them, and then they can charge you more for the item. This is standard practise in the motor industry, Ferrari for instance use many electronic parts like ABS units, ECU etc that are standard Volvo parts, with their own logos printed on them and a magnitude higher price to boot as well. If you can identify the original maker, then purchasing one of their units will save you many £s.

10 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

Vag do not make these, they more than likely be Bosch with the VW logo stamped on them, and then they can charge you more for the item. This is standard practise in the motor industry, Ferrari for instance use many electronic parts like ABS units, ECU etc that are standard Volvo parts, with their own logos printed on them and a magnitude higher price to boot as well. If you can identify the original maker, then purchasing one of their units will save you many £s.

 

i didnt say they do make them. what i said is dont buy pattern versions of them. ie the non oem, made cheap sold cheap by other companies versions. 

My sincereliest apologies for making the assumption that everyone else, who has been here and dealt with this type of topic coming up a million times also understood that difference...

Thing is if you can identify the oem you can save loads as the same part will often be used in other cars as well. Just buying the car maker, you will pay their premium as well. 

FWIW this genuine one is made by Bremi, who made it in Germany according to other stamping on far end (also 'BTT').

The 1.186.87 B is what told me Bremi.

I paid £33 delivered, including o-ring from an eBay seller. 

Does seem to work when dunked in boiling water. 

 

On 15/09/2024 at 12:53, mac11irl said:

 

pattern stats and sensors are just a waste of time and effort..

 

Not aimed at yourself but parole like that usually being spoken down to me in a condescending manner from someone who has never ever worked on their own vehicle makes me all the more determined to prove them wrong (if that is the case), you will no doubt have seen me triggered a few times on this forum (usually ABS sensors or brake discs) where I end up posting that I have fitted mega cheap Chinese parts without problem but boy oh boy did I bouffer mon brin when it came to coolant temperature sensors

 

When the CTS played up on my MK1 Octavia I fitted a second hand one from a breakers yard engine, big mistake as all the factory fitted ones would fail (there was a certain colour that I should have sought) then a  dirt cheap Chinese one only lasted a short while, the correct coloured VAG item from TPS did what it should do and continued to do so.

 

I have never had a problem with a pattern part thermostat and as Pete wrote its one part where you can easily check that its working correctly before fitting and being mechanical are very robust in service, no electronics with underrated electrolytic capacitors etc to fail prematurely.

Unless I find that mine has been removed, it failed some time ago. Previous owner says he can't remember a time when it went above an indicated 70°C. 

He had the car for 12 years approx, but he is about my age, so his memory may not be 100% reliable. 

Bloody engine top cover fixings are mostly busted. 🙁

One undid fine, one had pulled right through, third one has nut spinning.  😆

3 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

Unless I find that mine has been removed, it failed some time ago. Previous owner says he can't remember a time when it went above an indicated 70°C. 

He had the car for 12 years approx, but he is about my age, so his memory may not be 100% reliable. 

I think removed is more likely than failed if the car never reaches 90C. Experience with failed 'stats suggests slow warm up, but to normal operating temperature.

Beat the spinning engine cover nut by drilling and tapping an M3 thread in the stud, and sticking a screw in it to counterhold.

Credit to workmate Richard for that idea. 

 

7 hours ago, Paws4Thot said:

I think removed is more likely..

 

I'm gonna say it's in there, stuck open, just to be contrary 😁  One of us is gonna be right!

 

G

I might get to it tomorrow afternoon,  depending on how the morning goes.

Genuinely curious to see.

 

The sound insulation on the underside of the engine cover had done a nasty mix of falling off and disintegrating,  covering the engine in black foam dust, now largely vacuumed away.

 

11 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

 

The sound insulation on the underside of the engine cover had done a nasty mix of falling off and disintegrating,  covering the engine in black foam dust

 

 

The same happened to our Octavia.  I tried sticking and taping it back together for a while but then gave up.

25 minutes ago, skomaz said:

 

The same happened to our Octavia.  I tried sticking and taping it back together for a while but then gave up.

Same on my 1.9TDi Fabia. You'd think they could have used something more resistant to heat. 

Yup, it has all the same failings (well minor irritations really) as my PD engined Octavia had!

 

Mine also had an annoying buzzing rattly resonant vibration at certain engine RPM's which I eventually traced to the plastic insert in the engine cover, the one that supposed to suggest rippling abdos or intake tracts, it had movement on the plastic clips, a dollop of painters mate which was to hand at the time between the parts shut it up.

 

I have yet to have a thermostat fail but have had a couple get blocked partially open by debris/foreign objects, it only takes something a mm or two to prevent warm up, in anything but tropical temperatures the stat barely opens off its seat, one of mine was blocked by a woodshaving/chipping, the mind boggles as to how it got in the cooling system.

1 minute ago, Lee01 said:

Same on my 1.9TDi Fabia. You'd think they could have used something more resistant to heat. 

 

They are self composting, actually I hope it should be "were" self composting as touch wood the Yeti one is still intact.