98 Golf GL Overheating but fluid looks ok

[flutterbyegirl72]

Help please! I'm having transmission issues w/my golf gl (1998). I have noticed lately that the car seems to run hot when I have to stop in traffic for even just a stoplight or 5-10 minutes. The engine gets hot FAST and even goes into the blinking red temp light mode just stopping for short amounts of time. I have had to turn the heat up on high and blow some heat off of the engine which is not fun in 95 degree weather and 2 kids in the back!

I checked the fluid and it appears to be at the max line...maybe a hose is busted or something?

One other thing I've noticed is that when the AC is running, if I go around a curve or make a sharp turn a TON of water pours into the passenger side floorboard. Not a good thing.

Can these issues be related?

Any advice is helpful...I'm a newly single mom and can't afford for this to happen now. If there's any way I can fix it myself I'm willing to!
Thanks!

[kesga]

Well, it sounds like your radiator fan is not coming on when you come to a stop, when it overheats next time, check to see if the fans are running, they should be at high speed. If only one is running, the belt between them is broken, if they both arent running, you may simply have a blown fuse or a bad fan($$$$). You can check the fuse for your fan's, theyr'e in a black box looking thing by your coolant resevior(where you check your coolant level)

Your floor getting wet with the a/c on is caused by a blocked evaporator drain tube. you need to clean it out, It is in the firewall behind the exhaust manifold. It's a simple fix if you can get to it.

Hope this helps

[flutterbyegirl72]

it was a bad thermostat, bad fan, bad hoses, and a bad water pump, it was just bad bad bad.
all in all (once i paid for 3 separate bills) it was over $3,300 to fix. not even sure the car is worth that at this age, but it's better than buying a new car.

[Rhino666]

$3,300 dollars - surely more than the car is worth ?

Shame you are not living near to me - currently unemployed and could have sorted this out for you for much less money - at least the car is OK now !