Poorly Passat - Over heating

[yozzer]

Hi all,

I wonder if you can help me?

I have recently purchased a 67 reg (2017) Passat 2.0 TDI SE Business (148bhp model) ~75k miles

two weeks after purchasing I had an overheating engine warning (all the way around the temp gauge, dash asking me to stop, etc) so I pulled over, allowed the engine to cool, checked I had coolant (I did), and then drove home with the heating on full which kept the temp at the normal level.

I booked it in with my trusted mechanic who diagnosed a head gasket failure, the head gasket was 'fixed' but the issue remains.

He has since gone checking for blockages etc but has still not fixed the issue.

He sent the car to an 'engine specialist' to look at the car and they again have not solved the issue ( I am due to get the proper feedback later today - so I am, as yet, none the wiser as to what they have tried/checked)

Can any of you help me at all?

[camel_landy]

Have you checked it is actually overheating and not a faulty temp sender, connector, etc?

M

[CraigyMc]

yozzer said:

Hi all,

I wonder if you can help me?

I have recently purchased a 67 reg (2017) Passat 2.0 TDI SE Business (148bhp model) ~75k miles

two weeks after purchasing I had an overheating engine warning (all the way around the temp gauge, dash asking me to stop, etc) so I pulled over, allowed the engine to cool, checked I had coolant (I did), and then drove home with the heating on full which kept the temp at the normal level.

I booked it in with my trusted mechanic who diagnosed a head gasket failure, the head gasket was 'fixed' but the issue remains.

He has since gone checking for blockages etc but has still not fixed the issue.

He sent the car to an 'engine specialist' to look at the car and they again have not solved the issue ( I am due to get the proper feedback later today - so I am, as yet, none the wiser as to what they have tried/checked)

Can any of you help me at all?

1. How long after starting the engine from cold does it take to get an overheating warning with the heater off? If it's immediate, it's a sensor problem. If it's a few minutes, it's likely a real overheating problem
2. Have you had the thermostat changed? (nb. this costs buttons. If it's permanently closed due to failing, then it won't be letting coolant run into the primary radiator, it'll just be doing a short loop round the engine and heater matrix, leading to overheating).
3. Head porosity exists. It's possible for coolant to leak even if the head gasket is fitted and sealing the block to the head, but if the head itself is leaky that won't stop symptoms just like HGF. This is expensive to fix, you can either have it sealed up (requires removing head, stripping, sending away for a chemical bath, then reassembly/refit)
4. You could have a warped head/block/liner somewhere that makes it impossible even for a good head gasket to seal the combustion - this is more likely in the expectation of an overheated-to-damaged motor.
5. Has a HGF-disclosing fluid test been done? (This is a fluid contraption that you put on top of the radiator cap, it changes colour if there are hydrocarbon gases in the coolant system). Realistically should be one of the first things your trusted mechanic did.

This is a doc that shows some details of the family your cars engine is from https://pics.tdiclub.com/data/517/820433_EA288.pdf
You might find P18 helpful.

Edited by CraigyMc on Monday 7th November 13:25

[yozzer]

Hi,

Thank you both for your replies.

I have just heard back that the garage suspects the head is cracked and is advising me to reject the car (as the failure first occurred within 30 days of buying the car)

I have no experience with this so wish me luck!

Thanks again for coming back so quickly with helpful replies

[CraigyMc]

yozzer said:

Hi,

Thank you both for your replies.

I have just heard back that the garage suspects the head is cracked and is advising me to reject the car (as the failure first occurred within 30 days of buying the car)

I have no experience with this so wish me luck!

Thanks again for coming back so quickly with helpful replies

That'd fall under [3] in my post above. If you can possibly dump the car for another, do so. Cost to repair will be in the thousands, not the hundreds.

[kylos27]

Sell or scrap the car and buy a diesel Ford.

[Auslander]

kylos27 said:

Sell or scrap the car and buy a diesel Ford.

You're quite the comedian.

[gazza285]

Auslander said:

kylos27 said:

Sell or scrap the car and buy a diesel Ford.

You're quite the comedian.

Non of the five Fords I have had have cracked their heads, while both the VWs I have had have cracked theirs.