I have been battling overheating problems for the last week.. I have tried all that I know how to do.. So I am turning to you guys for help... Here is the brief history:

The car is a 99 TA Ws6.

Jan 03 Switch to 4l60E and add small trans cooler.

Mar 03 Switch to vig 3600 (From 2800) add larger cooler.

Mar 03 Switch to Hypertech 160 stat.

May 03 Temps are climbing in Georgia, tranny getting to hot for comfort. Replace M6 radiator with unit out of 02 A4.

June 03 While sitting at Autoparts store, car running AC on vehicle starts to peg needle. Autotap to find 250*

Replaced Radiator Cap, Flushed and refilled radiator with Dexcool and Purple ICE (Royal Purple).

While flushing the car, I had the vehicle full of just water and flush fluid and it said to run the heater.. I turned the heater on and no heat blew out.. Autotap showed 210* so I should have had heat. Drained and refilled, heat works..... Start car and have drain open with hose in radiator.. Car never gets above 178*....

Drained and refilled radiator. Start car run AC and car never gets above 178*... Today, start car and go get a movie, car shoots to 215*.....

I do not have any loss of oil, water in oil or smell of coolant in exhaust.

I am thinking that the thermostat is sticking? What do you guys think I should try? Both fans come on and the temps are lowered via edit. The car gets to around 190* or less on the highway.........


So, who can help me?

 

Might be the T-stat, are you burping the cooling system each time you refill it? You could have air pockets in there causing some hot spots.

 

I am having the same exact problems, and think it is my t-stat also. Mine starts to overheat only so often not all of the time. I have also tried everything I can think of except replacing the t-stat.

 

I have burped it many times... I think I am going to put the stock stat back in...

Mine also only does it sometimes...


TTT

 

Have you changed radiator hoses?

I've seen old hoses pinch off under the water pump's suction.

Idling everything was fine. Give it gas and the hose would almost collapse.

Another data point ....

 

Mitch, I checked the hoses today.. They are fine.... The problem is that it get to hot when sitting still idling also... No hose pinch..

 

So I had somethign just like this happen once. If the car was running, it would overheat and puke colant in just a couple of minutes.

Turned out that the two little hoses from the radiator on the passenger side, one of which goes to the resevior, the other I dont remember, were reversed. Put them back on the right nipples and "voila'" everything was fine.

chris

 

Hmmm which one of the nipples goes to the throttle body?

 

Good call ... I remember this happening to a friend's car after a cam swap.

Just below the radiator cap there are 2 ports.

The upper goes to the reservoir and the lower goes to the throttle body, unless you've done the TB bypass mod.

Hope this solves the problem.