Help with hot engine

sorryaboutmywife

Hi

I just got out of my car after a 30 min journey, the fan had kicked in to cool the engine down but it was really really hot under the car, and it has worried me a bit. Is there any reason why it would get so hot, is something about to go, like the gearbox or something? It's an X reg Golf, 1.6 petrol.

TIA

fivetide

Starting with the obvious stuff - when did you last check the coolant levels?

5t.

Mankysteve

What's your temp gauge telling you?

Its not usually for the fan to kick in when the car not moving and the engines just been switched off. The cat and exhaust get bloody hot.

mattyprice4004

Engines run at around 90-100 degrees (the fan on mine kicks in at 105 degrees), so it's normal to feel a lot of heat around the engine.

If the coolant level is OK and temp gauge normal, it's probably fine. You've got to remember that under the bonnet there's a lot of small explosions going on every minute, that's a lot of heat

Strider590

fivetide wrote: »

starting with the obvious stuff - when did you last open the bonnet?

ftfy

sorryaboutmywife

Thanks peeps.

Lol, I open the bonnet now and again! Got back on my return journey ok so this morning I will be checking the coolant. I know it gets hot - just not that hot!
Have got a new bottle of coolant in the garage...somewhere.

Mankysteve

I dont want to sound like a parrot but

Whats your car temp gauge saying?

No one can give a proper diagnose without know this first.

cb1979

Hello we have 2 mk4 Golf 1.6 petrols in our house and both run at 90deg all the time, even in very hot weather with air con on,

At least you fan is coming on, when was the coolant last changed? VW recommend every 2 years and refill wil a 50/50 mix of VW G13 coolant and water, maybe you cooling system need a flush and new coolant

Also when the Fan comes on it will blow alot of hot air from the radiator under the car

sorryaboutmywife

cb1979 wrote: »

Hello we have 2 mk4 Golf 1.6 petrols in our house and both run at 90deg all the time, even in very hot weather with air con on,

At least you fan is coming on, when was the coolant last changed? VW recommend every 2 years and refill wil a 50/50 mix of VW G13 coolant and water, maybe you cooling system need a flush and new coolant

Also when the Fan comes on it will blow alot of hot air from the radiator under the car

Mankysteve, temp gauge is same as usual - sits happily in the middle once the engine is warmed up.

I've topped up the coolant but it was nicely over the min level, the coolant that's in there is not even a year old, it's 50/50 water/G12.

Have had engine coolant sensor or temp sensor replaced before, can't remember which, maybe I'll have to go down the garage and get them to plug it in the VAG thingy. LOL, the AC hasn't worked for ages, given up with that. It occasionally won't start first time, then eventually cuts out when idling, that's the throttle body getting clogged up/cover coming loose so I get that sorted periodically. Other than that great car! If I can get another couple of years out of it I will be very happy.

Tobster86

When it's cool, check the oil and water levels and condition.

If there is a brown/white mayonaissy sludge in either it could indicate head gasket problems and the car will need to be looked at. I'd say it's unlikely unless there's a combination of high mileage, abuse or neglect. Head gasket failure on a 10+ year old car is generally beyond economical repair.

The coolant should be reasonably clear and blue. If it isn't, have it serviced. If the oil and filter haven't been changed in the last year or you don't remember, have them serviced too.

Both of these service tasks are very straightforward to do and the parts, tools & Haynes manual are significantly cheaper than paying a garage to do them.

sorryaboutmywife

Tobster86 wrote: »

When it's cool, check the oil and water levels and condition.

If there is a brown/white mayonaissy sludge in either it could indicate head gasket problems and the car will need to be looked at. I'd say it's unlikely unless there's a combination of high mileage, abuse or neglect. Head gasket failure on a 10+ year old car is generally beyond economical repair.

The coolant should be reasonably clear and blue. If it isn't, have it serviced. If the oil and filter haven't been changed in the last year or you don't remember, have them serviced too.

Both of these service tasks are very straightforward to do and the parts, tools & Haynes manual are significantly cheaper than paying a garage to do them.

Thank you, it's a little sludgy round the oil cap, always has been, it gets though a bit bottle of oil a year but I can never work out where the oil goes as there are no spots on my drive. Maybe it's burning oil (though it doesn't smoke or smell like that). Average mileage, is serviced regularly.