Anyone clued up on radiators/cooling?

[flacko]

Hello guys. 

 

I have a 1.4 ibiza 6L (BBZ engine) and i’ll be changing the radiator very soon due to a leak. I wanted to change the radiator hose and coolant pipe, but i’m unsure of the correct part numbers. does anyone know which ones i’d need? 

 

 

Thanks 

[Breezy_Pete]

Where's the origin of the leak?

On contemporary polos and Fabias it's common for them to leak around the thermoswitch/fan switch. Fixable for free by just tightening it up a bit.

 

I can look up part numbers for you later, but they tend to be printed on the hoses.

[flacko]

58 minutes ago, Wino said:

Where's the origin of the leak?

On contemporary polos and Fabias it's common for them to leak around the thermoswitch/fan switch. Fixable for free by just tightening it up a bit.

 

I can look up part numbers for you later, but they tend to be printed on the hoses.

 

 

good morning mate, i don’t feel comfortable taking the front end off my car, otherwise i’d have a look for the part numbers on my car- i’m taking it to a garage to have the work. 

 

in terms of the origin of the leak? i got the car almost 2 years ago and it’s been leaking coolant very slowly, it took

more than a year for it to start leaking to the point where it leaves a patch on the ground. the coolant leaks from the passenger side and when i took it to the garage for an inspection, he found it on that side too- bottom of the radiator he suspected. 

 

 i have read the water pumps are an issue but i had that and the timing belt done around 20k

miles ago

[Breezy_Pete]

Passenger side near the bottom is where the thermoswitch is. You don't need to take the front off the car to see this, although it is in a bit of a busy area. Just look down (with a good torch) vertically below the top hose about 30cm and you'll see something with an electrical connector and three wires. If the body of that something looks wet with coolant, you've probably found the problem.

Same applies to coolant hoses, all are accessible from under the bonnet, or under the car, no need to take the front off.

 

[KenONeill]

2 hours ago, flacko said:

Hello guys. 

 

I have a 1.4 ibiza 6L (BBZ engine) and i’ll be changing the radiator very soon due to a leak. I wanted to change the radiator hose and coolant pipe, but i’m unsure of the correct part numbers. does anyone know which ones i’d need? 

 

 

Thanks 

No, but it's quite possible that the described leak is from the lower radiator hose end.

 

If you look at Wino's drawing, he's marked the thermoswitch; I'm talking about the union just below that (radiator installed). Either (or both) of us could be right, but it needs inspection to determine further.

Edited 23 January, 2020 by KenONeill
Addl info

[flacko]

thank you both for the replies, especially for the picture @Wino

 

ill get under the car tonight after work and see what i can spot. i will try to take some photos too 

[flacko]

i have this photo from when i took it for inspection. this is the general area the leak is in, but i’m not sure exactly where. will get more info later 

[Breezy_Pete]

You've just caught the electrical connector of the thermoswitch at the top of that pic, but can't see the body of it for the obscuring lower radiator hose.  

 

 

[flacko]

3 minutes ago, Wino said:

You've just caught the electrical connector of the thermoswitch at the top of that pic, but can't see the body of it for the obscuring lower radiator hose.  

 

 

perfect, appreciate the help Wino. i know where to look now!

[Breezy_Pete]

If it is leaking from there, tell your garage that a deep 29mm socket will just catch the thermoswitch enough to tighten it up (after the electrical connector is disconnected), 30Nm is the torque spec. In my experience that will fix it.

 

[flacko]

2 hours ago, Wino said:

If it is leaking from there, tell your garage that a deep 29mm socket will just catch the thermoswitch enough to tighten it up (after the electrical connector is disconnected), 30Nm is the torque spec. In my experience that will fix it.

 

 

sounds good Wino! i’ll have a proper look under the car and i’ll take it to this garage near me on saturday. i will update you, appreciate your effort so far man. i owe you one 

[flacko]

i won’t be able to get under the car tonight- my neighbour with the jack stands is out and my car is slammed, so it would be realy right for me. going to take it to a garage on saturday morning and give them @Wino’s advice- see if that sorts anything, i’ll also get some photos once the cars lifted up a little 

[KenONeill]

13 hours ago, flacko said:

it would be realy right for me

LHF wheel up a kerb, you in the gutter gives about 8" extra clearance.

[flacko]

sorry for the late reply, but looks like @Wino was on the money. you’ve saved me £140+ mate, i owe you one

[J.R.]

You are not alone, I owe him many and am sure others will too!

[Breezy_Pete]

Another incidence of this found today, on the Polo I saved from the scrappies recently.  Thought the overfilled expansion tank was a tad suspicious but today was the first time I've got under it to have a browse while changing oil and filter.

 

Never seen quite such clear evidence of leakage from the thermoswitch/radiator interface. The thermoswitch metalwork is brass IIRC, somewhere under all that antifreeze residue:

 

 

Coolant drain tap blurred at bottom right corner of pic, radiator fan control unit peeking into shot top left.

 

Wine tokens received from @flacko were very gratefully received BTW.