Red blinking coolant light, Fans wont run.

[weaselg2004]

My fiancé has a 99 VW beetle 2.0L, with almost 100,000 on it. This Friday coming home from work the coolant light came on but in red, beeped and started flashing. I just looked at it today, checked the reservoir and it was for the most part dry. So just to test to see if it was low on coolant and kicking the light on, I filled it with straight water. Started let it run for a little bit and revved it up some. No light sounded fine. Drove it maybe 2-3 blocks light came on beeped and starting flashing. Turned around pulled back in the garage and turned it off. I got out the owners manual to see what it had to say. It states if the red light flashes while driving check the coolant. Well that part is out of the equation. And it also states if the red light does not go off, “which it did after filling” or should start blinking again the car is either low on coolant or the temperature is too high, ok obviously. Then it states if after topping of the coolant symptom and problem persists check the radiator fan fuse. But I remembered when I had the hood up after filling the reservoir, the A/C was on and the fans were running. But I double checked this to make sure what I remembered was true went back out started it, turned the A/C on, and both the radiator fan and condenser fan were both on. So I took it out again same problem couple blocks light on and flashing, as soon as it did this, A/C light was still on but stopped blowing cold air out the vents. Pulled back in the garage shut it off, popped the hood and the reservoir was boiling over from underneath. Let it sit for a little bit. Turned the ignition on to run, switched the A/C and the fans kicked on. So the fuse should also be out of the equation. But being the German engineered car it is “No offense to you VW guys, I’m just a die hard Chevrolet / Ford truck guy” I checked the fuse and it was fine. This time I let it run in the garage until the light came on with the A/C on. Sure enough as soon as the light came on flashing, the A/C compressor clutch kicked out and it shut down both fans? “Why the freak would it shut the fans down especially the radiator fan, if it’s detecting a cooling problem?” Then the owner’s manual states if the fuse is not blown, the belt driving the water pump is not broken and warning light continues to flash stop driving see your dealer. Well I don’t know what’s up with the water pump, but if it’s driven off of the timing belt and the thing still runs fine, I’m guessing the belt is fine. Otherwise there would be no camshaft movement, “am I correct?” But after it does its thing with the light, I checked the coolant hoses and intake from the radiator, and return to the radiator are both hot. So with all of that info anybody else seen anything like this. I’ve read the other forums about the blinking red coolant light but none went into detail of what was going on completely. I just don’t understand why its not kicking the radiator fan on, when It comes on with the condenser fan running with A/C on but then stills gets hot and shuts the fans down.

[weaselg2004]

My fiancé has a 99 VW beetle 2.0L, with almost 100,000 on it. This Friday coming home from work the coolant light came on but in red, beeped and started flashing. I just looked at it today, checked the reservoir and it was for the most part dry. So just to test to see if it was low on coolant and kicking the light on, I filled it with straight water. Started let it run for a little bit and revved it up some. No light sounded fine. Drove it maybe 2-3 blocks light came on beeped and starting flashing. Turned around pulled back in the garage and turned it off. I got out the owners manual to see what it had to say. It states if the red light flashes while driving check the coolant. Well that part is out of the equation. And it also states if the red light does not go off, “which it did after filling” or should start blinking again the car is either low on coolant or the temperature is too high, ok obviously. Then it states if after topping of the coolant symptom and problem persists check the radiator fan fuse. But I remembered when I had the hood up after filling the reservoir, the A/C was on and the fans were running. But I double checked this to make sure what I remembered was true went back out started it, turned the A/C on, and both the radiator fan and condenser fan were both on. So I took it out again same problem couple blocks light on and flashing, as soon as it did this, A/C light was still on but stopped blowing cold air out the vents. Pulled back in the garage shut it off, popped the hood and the reservoir was boiling over from underneath. Let it sit for a little bit. Turned the ignition on to run, switched the A/C and the fans kicked on. So the fuse should also be out of the equation. But being the German engineered car it is “No offense to you VW guys, I’m just a die hard Chevrolet / Ford truck guy” I checked the fuse and it was fine. This time I let it run in the garage until the light came on with the A/C on. Sure enough as soon as the light came on flashing, the A/C compressor clutch kicked out and it shut down both fans? “Why the freak would it shut the fans down especially the radiator fan, if it’s detecting a cooling problem?” Then the owner’s manual states if the fuse is not blown, the belt driving the water pump is not broken and warning light continues to flash stop driving see your dealer. Well I don’t know what’s up with the water pump, but if it’s driven off of the timing belt and the thing still runs fine, I’m guessing the belt is fine. Otherwise there would be no camshaft movement, “am I correct?” But after it does its thing with the light, I checked the coolant hoses and intake from the radiator, and return to the radiator are both hot. So with all of that info anybody else seen anything like this. I’ve read the other forums about the blinking red coolant light but none went into detail of what was going on completely. I just don’t understand why its not kicking the radiator fan on, when It comes on with the condenser fan running with A/C on but then stills gets hot and shuts the fans down.

Well I tried it again out in the garage let it run till the light came on again no fan engagement and re-felt hoses. Upper radiator hose was very hot lower radiator hose very hot from engine block until it elbows down then was cool, room temperature. So I’m pretty confident it is the T-stat. But where the h_ll is it? I’m assuming that block deal between the block and the upper radiator hose.

[weaselg2004]

Well I figured out that the thermostat was behind the radiator hose that bolts to the block right next to the alternator, and belt tensioner. And got the 2 bolts off fine without removing anything. Brought the thermostat in and boiled it. Started opening around 170, at 190 it was fully open. Cooled it down and checked again and did this several times. So bad news is theres nothing wrong with the thermostat. So again why does the fan not come on. And obviously its not because it doesnt overheat, because it will start to overheat with the A/C on and both fans running, until it gets off then shuts the A/C off and both fans.

[hako]

Originally Posted by weaselg2004

Well I figured out that the thermostat was behind the radiator hose that bolts to the block right next to the alternator, and belt tensioner. And got the 2 bolts off fine without removing anything. Brought the thermostat in and boiled it. Started opening around 170, at 190 it was fully open. Cooled it down and checked again and did this several times. So bad news is theres nothing wrong with the thermostat. So again why does the fan not come on. And obviously its not because it doesnt overheat, because it will start to overheat with the A/C on and both fans running, until it gets off then shuts the A/C off and both fans.

Sounds very much like the water pump has shed some or all of its plastic impeller blades...common after about 80-100,000km. Pretty sure you can eyeball the impeller thru the hole where the thermostat sits (after you remove it). Another way to check is to leave the thermostat out and run the engine and see if the radiator gets as hot as the hoses. Good Luck.

[weaselg2004]

Originally Posted by hako

Sounds very much like the water pump has shed some or all of its plastic impeller blades...common after about 80-100,000km. Pretty sure you can eyeball the impeller thru the hole where the thermostat sits (after you remove it). Another way to check is to leave the thermostat out and run the engine and see if the radiator gets as hot as the hoses. Good Luck.

yeop your right. Right after I got done messin with the thermostat, and reading other threads, I went down to look at the pump. Couldnt really see much, so I stuck my fingers in there. And it definately didnt feel right, the impeller was wobbling around in there. Then i turned it and tried looking around in there, and you could see a chunk of fins broke off all the way down to the shaft. So I got a generic procedure from all data, on tear down and install. Probably not as good as the shop manual is, but I've got to get this thing back up and goin. And I got a new pump, timing belt, and timing belt tensioner. I got a big ass pair of snap ring pliers, with a set of 90degree tips i think I can use to adjust the timing belt tensioner. IF any of you guys have done this water pump, and timing belt set install, any tips or helpful information would be great. Thanks -Justin G

[weaselg2004]

Originally Posted by weaselg2004

yeop your right. Right after I got done messin with the thermostat, and reading other threads, I went down to look at the pump. Couldnt really see much, so I stuck my fingers in there. And it definately didnt feel right, the impeller was wobbling around in there. Then i turned it and tried looking around in there, and you could see a chunk of fins broke off all the way down to the shaft. So I got a generic procedure from all data, on tear down and install. Probably not as good as the shop manual is, but I've got to get this thing back up and goin. And I got a new pump, timing belt, and timing belt tensioner. I got a big ass pair of snap ring pliers, with a set of 90degree tips i think I can use to adjust the timing belt tensioner. IF any of you guys have done this water pump, and timing belt set install, any tips or helpful information would be great. Thanks -Justin G

Well I have the alternator, belt tensioner, both pieces of the engine mount, timing belt cover, and whatever else few things out. I'm ready to take the off the vibration dampner/pulley. But I need to put the engine at Top Dead Center #1 cylinder. And im not seeing this arrow in the instructions. As soon as I can get this figured out the belt can come off tension can come off, water pump can come out and then put back together. And I'm not seeing these TDC marks that are suppose to be on the cam gear or dampner pulley. Any one done this before. That arrow pointing to the line that im soppose to see, I can see that and the ring gear or whatever that is turning in that hole but everything is lightly rusty in there.

[hako]

[quote=weaselg2004]Well I have the alternator, belt tensioner, both pieces of the engine mount, timing belt cover, and whatever else few things out. I'm ready to take the off the vibration dampner/pulley. But I need to put the engine at Top Dead Center #1 cylinder. And im not seeing this arrow in uote]


Sounds like you're doing well mate, all I can offer is to pull the number one sparkplug and rotate engine till at the top on the firing stroke and then look at the pulleys....should be at TDC then. My Haynes manual has pix similar to yours so wouldn't be of help. Good Luck.

[veedubmechanic]

check the fuses on top of the battery, the flat pannel fuses. If ones open replace the top fuse pannel on top of the battery.

[weaselg2004]

yeop it was definately the water pump, really was pretty easy. I took pictures of the tear down and everything, so I'll post a guide for teardown, and specs sometime this weekend. Because its BS to pay some dealer $1300 for something in total probably took me 5 hours, and $200 in parts