1999 Beetle Overheating

OK, so about an hour would put her at my house. Where are you, anyway?
> (Jaffrey...)

Who ME?? Lost as usual!
(03225)
Wanna buy a Cabriolet?? Strong clutch, but it does chatter now... ; ) I
thinks the inspection hole is designed to catch coolant overflow as it comes
out from under the cap! No more of that, now that the fan works(how do you
think I found this thread? ) Hoping it will improve (fat chance). Now I'm
welding cracked in front exhaust pipe...
In2

On Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:17:34 -0500, "In2hoppn" >
wrote:

>
>
> OK, so about an hour would put her at my house. Where are you, anyway?
>> (Jaffrey...)
>
>Who ME?? Lost as usual!
>(03225)
>Wanna buy a Cabriolet?? Strong clutch, but it does chatter now... ; ) I
>thinks the inspection hole is designed to catch coolant overflow as it comes
>out from under the cap! No more of that, now that the fan works(how do you
>think I found this thread? ) Hoping it will improve (fat chance). Now I'm
>welding cracked in front exhaust pipe...
>In2
>
>

Well, I was going to offer you my Cabriolet! We got it new in 88,
automatic, has about 45K miles on it now. Always stored in the winter,
so zero rust, but needs a good cleaning and new paint.

I mostly am having electrical problems right now. Sometimes I try to
start it, and don't get anything. Appears the starter is bad, but I've
not worked on it yet. (bypassed the neutral safety switch, and the
ignition switch, so they are not the problem).

> Well, I was going to offer you my Cabriolet! We got it new in 88,
> automatic, has about 45K miles on it now. Always stored in the winter,
> so zero rust, but needs a good cleaning and new paint.
>
> I mostly am having electrical problems right now. Sometimes I try to
> start it, and don't get anything. Appears the starter is bad, but I've
> not worked on it yet. (bypassed the neutral safety switch, and the
> ignition switch, so they are not the problem).

Experience dictates I buy cheaper than I'd care to insult you with... ; )
Being an automatic is a double whammy for your starter.
It's much more difficult to access (although a small club will stab at it
from passenger side wheel well if you need to try tapping on it), and it's
also gets much more cooked back there. Especially if the heat shield is
missing off the exhaust pipe.
The small spade connector to the solenoid typically gets corroded.
Obvious and easy thing to check out or jumper a hot wire to when it's manual
transmission!

On Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:28:28 -0500, "In2hoppn" >
wrote:

>
>> Well, I was going to offer you my Cabriolet! We got it new in 88,
>> automatic, has about 45K miles on it now. Always stored in the winter,
>> so zero rust, but needs a good cleaning and new paint.
>>
>> I mostly am having electrical problems right now. Sometimes I try to
>> start it, and don't get anything. Appears the starter is bad, but I've
>> not worked on it yet. (bypassed the neutral safety switch, and the
>> ignition switch, so they are not the problem).
>
>Experience dictates I buy cheaper than I'd care to insult you with... ; )
>Being an automatic is a double whammy for your starter.
>It's much more difficult to access (although a small club will stab at it
>from passenger side wheel well if you need to try tapping on it), and it's
>also gets much more cooked back there. Especially if the heat shield is
>missing off the exhaust pipe.
>The small spade connector to the solenoid typically gets corroded.
>Obvious and easy thing to check out or jumper a hot wire to when it's manual
>transmission!

I'll have to check that spade connector. Yea, it is a royal PITA to
get at, tucked between the engine, firewall, rack, exhaust, and gosh
knows what else.

"In2hoppn" > wrote in message
news:UIOdnVVZzcOFNZ_WnZ2dnUVZ_oednZ2d@metrocastcab levision.com...
> Hello Diane!
>
> I'd love to have a look at it, but won't be near Orlando for awhile...
> probably mid to late winter.
> But if you come north, follow the east coast until you hit Hampton Beach
> (NH) then turn left and go inland for about an hour... : )
>
> OK, kidding aside... I just figured out my new computer wasn't downloading
> all the posts. Hopefully, I've backtracked and not missed anything...
> well, unless posted it is fixed... that would be great.
>
> Sounds to me that you are describing that you are overheating only when
> the radiator fan should be coming on.
> This would be a problem only when running and stuck in stopped or slow
> traffic, (or sitting idling when working on stereo system).
> And since you say the fan does run with A/C on, that would narrow it down
> to temp sensor, related relays/controls, wiring,... OK not that
> narrowed... but I would be finding the temp sensor (most likely in the
> radiator but not sure at this point) and unplugging it and jumpering it to
> see if the fan then runs. If so, bad sensor. This assuming (dangerous
> word) that you do not have overheat problem at all when driving. So it's
> full of coolant, not air bound, thermostat is opening, and the water pump
> is pumping. When driving, the air comes through the radiator and keeps it
> cool so the fan doesn't have to come on.
>
> You did say you tried changing heat sensor. Are you sure it was the right
> heat sensor? I'm sure it has more than one.
>
> In2hoppn (old school but watercooled)

I have been gone a while it seems.. Had pneumonia ..

The mechanic tried 2 heat sensors. Neither worked .. He said he was going
to try something else, forget what he said, but he said he couldn't find
whatever it was. He is NOT a VW mechanic .. I haven't driven it in a few
weeks .. I think I will this weekend and maybe text Jan Andersen .. he is
close by .. maybe I can make an appointment with him .. I don't think my
mechanic will be my VW mechanic .. I will leave changing oil and american
made cars etc for him ..

These are my 2 best clues ...
When the a/c is running the fan comes on every few minutes ..
I do NOT have any heat ...

>

"PeterD" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:41:42 -0500, "In2hoppn" >
> wrote:
>
>>Hello Diane!
>>
>>I'd love to have a look at it, but won't be near Orlando for awhile...
>>probably mid to late winter.
>>But if you come north, follow the east coast until you hit Hampton Beach
>>(NH) then turn left and go inland for about an hour... : )
>>
>
> OK, so about an hour would put her at my house. Where are you, anyway?
> (Jaffrey...)
>

I live in Deltona but work in Orlando.

"PeterD" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:48:00 -0600, "dave AKA vwdoc1"
> > wrote:
>
>>Yeah I guess you are right since this is Jan's reply...........
>>
>>
>>Hehehehe
>>
>>I'll stay away from the watercooled VW's thank you very much....
>>
>>Jan
>>
>>
>>Sorry that he does not want to touch the water cooled VWs. :-(
>>
>>
>
> I bet he'd know someone locally who will and can do them however.
> THat's what I did when I needed some help and only knew an air-cooled
> expert. He sent me to the right guy immediately!

My mechanic took forever trying to fix a stall problem .. Jan fixed it in
about 5 minutes. He is a aircooled whizzz ... I want my bus back !!

'whatever' wrote:
> "In2hoppn" > wrote in message
> news:UIOdnVVZzcOFNZ_WnZ2dnUVZ_oednZ2d@metrocastcab levision.com...
>> Hello Diane!
>>
>> I'd love to have a look at it, but won't be near Orlando for awhile...
>> probably mid to late winter.
>> But if you come north, follow the east coast until you hit Hampton Beach
>> (NH) then turn left and go inland for about an hour... : )
>>
>> OK, kidding aside... I just figured out my new computer wasn't downloading
>> all the posts. Hopefully, I've backtracked and not missed anything...
>> well, unless posted it is fixed... that would be great.
>>
>> Sounds to me that you are describing that you are overheating only when
>> the radiator fan should be coming on.
>> This would be a problem only when running and stuck in stopped or slow
>> traffic, (or sitting idling when working on stereo system).
>> And since you say the fan does run with A/C on, that would narrow it down
>> to temp sensor, related relays/controls, wiring,... OK not that
>> narrowed... but I would be finding the temp sensor (most likely in the
>> radiator but not sure at this point) and unplugging it and jumpering it to
>> see if the fan then runs. If so, bad sensor. This assuming (dangerous
>> word) that you do not have overheat problem at all when driving. So it's
>> full of coolant, not air bound, thermostat is opening, and the water pump
>> is pumping. When driving, the air comes through the radiator and keeps it
>> cool so the fan doesn't have to come on.
>>
>> You did say you tried changing heat sensor. Are you sure it was the right
>> heat sensor? I'm sure it has more than one.
>>
>> In2hoppn (old school but watercooled)
>
> I have been gone a while it seems.. Had pneumonia ..
>
> The mechanic tried 2 heat sensors. Neither worked .. He said he was going
> to try something else, forget what he said, but he said he couldn't find
> whatever it was. He is NOT a VW mechanic .. I haven't driven it in a few
> weeks .. I think I will this weekend and maybe text Jan Andersen .. he is
> close by .. maybe I can make an appointment with him .. I don't think my
> mechanic will be my VW mechanic .. I will leave changing oil and american
> made cars etc for him ..
>
> These are my 2 best clues ...
> When the a/c is running the fan comes on every few minutes ..
> I do NOT have any heat ...

1) something is wrong with your fan circuit; if the A/C is running, the
fan should be on. period.

2) not having any heat is bad, I assume you have checked coolant level?
Changed thermostat? When refilling coolant, fill block through upper
rad hose before connecting and filling rad?

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel