sicknote

Managed to do it this weekend and wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I haven't fastened it with the clips yet as I had put them in a 'safe place!' but I figured that there are so many pipes, wires etc surrounding it that it can't possible go anywhere :) Just got to sort out various little leaks and drips left after the head gasket change :( , will it ever end?

Thanks again but I meant how wide the spanner needed to be so I know how much to grind off, unfortunately my work time is limited so I am trying to get as much ready before hand as possible.

Thanks for that, any idea of size so I can get one ready?, I believe this is where the problem came from as the friend that I was working with has now said that he tried to remove the pipe but couldn't, it now appears that it has twisted and fractured!

After changing the Head Gasket on my 1.9tdi it has developed an oil leak. The feed pipe to the turbo has fractured by the union. Wondered if anyone had any experience/tips on how to change the pipe with the turbo still in the vehicle?

Just one last question regarding the pressure in the system, if all of the pipes are pressurised surely this would also apply to the coolant pipes at the rear??? The reason I ask is that after a run today the system is running hot and the pipes solid, however the pipes in and around the aux. heater are cold and soft, when they are squeezed you can hear water 'sloshing' in them, the metal sections are also cold. I know that the electric pump isn't running and this is to aid circulation to the rear heater but surely the water pump should be able to provide enough circulation to reach the rear of the car. So this would now lead me to think that there could be some sort of blockage or the water pump is slipping?

Yeah I'm hoping to do the Water Pump etc over the christmas holidays so will see what happens then. I have noticed something this afternoon, the expansion cap has a lip on it to prevent it from making a flush seal with the expansion tank, however this has been flattened (I would guess by previous owner) so when the expansion cap is tightened it goes past the lip and makes a flush seal (if that makes any sense?), I would guess that this would have some effect on the pressure in the system as well?

Thanks again both for the replies. I have had the chemical test done and all is fine so will arrange to get it pressure tested. I am all geared up to replace the head gasket, water pump etc in one go, however I have also noticed (since it overheated) black deposits in the expansion tank (not oil), is it common for deposits to gather near the rear matrix and thus cause a blockage???, the black deposits have only appeared since the overheat and subsequent thorough bleeding of the system and I can now hear/feel the coolant passing through the rear pipes? I have searched through the forum and on google and can see that this is quite a common problem, however there is no pattern with the symptoms and the car has only overheated once

I have posted about this before and been advised that it is probably the head gasket or water pump, however just wanted to be sure as the car isn't giving consistent symptoms. It started 3 to 4 weeks ago when I noticed the coolant level light come on, when I opened the expansion cap the coolant rushed back up (under lots of pressure), this happened several times over a week or so. I was then advised that it might be a small leak on the head gasket and Kseal would cure it, so this was tried. Two days after the car was taken on a run and all was well until the heaters suddenly went cold, after lots of pipe squeezing and pressure release the heaters were o.k so we went home (at no point did the car overheat). I spoke to a mechanic and they advised that the thermostat should be checked as the pipes to the rad and the rad was cold, so the stat was removed and left out to see if this rectified the problem. Over the past two weeks the car had been running cooler and the heaters have been intermittent hot and cold (would usually loose heat on a run). Last week we took the car for a run and it overheated (the first time) after 80 miles of 70 mph driving. The heaters were stone cold and the expansion tank was full to the top of coollant (would point to air/blockage in system). I have bled the system and it has been o.k on short runs for the past week, however today we took it for a 20 mile run, when we got to our destination the heaters were cold and the top and bottom pipes on the rad were solid. I waited for it to cool and released the pressure in the expansion tank, then on the same run home I took and detour and ran it for another 10 miles or so to see what happened. The coolant level had dropped (between min and max but no sign of coolant loss) and the pipes top and bottom of the rad were hot but no pressure!!!!! During all this time the rear heaters have always blown cold and the pipes in and out of the rear matrix/aux heater have only been warm once (when it overheated), they don't pressurise like the front coolant pipes, the aux heater has never worked and the electric run-on pump doesn't work either. I am now at a complete loss as to the problem. I am still thinking that the head gasket has gone/is going but it can't get to grips with the differences in pressure in the system and differences in heat. Sorry for the long thread, I am usually quite competent when it come to vehicles and maintenance but this is really grinding me down!

Thanks for the replies, will have a look at the Haynes. Seatkid thanks for the link, I downloaded it but it won't open for some reason so the search goes...

Hi, I am having to replace the Head Gasket and figured while I am there might as well do the Water Pump and Timing Belt. I had the TIS for the old MK1 but wondered where I might be able to get the TIS for this model? Thanks

Thanks for the reply. I have removed the stat and checked the water pump at the same time, the car is now running without the stat. It overheated last night and when I checked the pipes at the Aux. Heater were all cold (even though the engine was red hot!). I bled the system again and also squeezed all the pipes into and out of the Aux. Heater then left it overnight. I have taken it for a run today and it does seem a little better, it came upto temperature and the heaters are blowing constantly hot but the pressure in the coolant pipes is such that they can't be squeezed and the water level in the expansion tank has dropped to below minimum (when the cap is opened the coolant rushes back to max). I have also cleaned and checked the return pipe and coolant is flowing through that (although it can be quite frothy!). I would assume the froth, pressure and constant air locks (this is the 4th time the system has been bled in 2 weeks) would point towards Head Gasket?

Hi I have a 1.9tdi MK2 Galaxy. I have been having problems with intermittent overheating, heaters blowing hot then cold etc, etc, etc. After several checks I now believe that the Aux Heater and Electric Run On Pump are not working and thus causing problems with air locks. Is it possible to disconnect and blank off the Aux Heater so no coolant runs to that part of the car and then remove the electric pump until I can service/repair all the parts etc.

Hi, I have a 1.9tdi Galaxy MK2 115. I noticed that the coolant level would drop but when I opened the expansion cap it would rush back. I have done some investigating and have since checked the thermostat and when that was out checked to see if the water pump moved. I have now re-filled and ran it without the expansion cap to remove air etc but I took it for a run yesterday and the pressure that is building up in the coolant pipes is frightening. There has been no loss of performance and it hasn't overheated although the heaters did stop working for a short time and the rad stayed cold but that was before I changed the coolant. Any ideas would be gratefully received........

Thanks for that, the gearstick moves the selector etc but it just doesn't engage into any gear so think something has sheered inside, just didn't want to take it off incase the while box has to come off first.

I have a 1999 1.9tdi Galaxy. I knew the salve cylinder needed changing but I have now lost all gears. After hours of investigation it appears that the fault is with the selector thats mounted on top of the gear box. Has anyone had any experience of this?, I have managed to find a replacement but didn't know if I would need to take the box off to change it etc.