audi tt overheating problem

[holdinfoldin]

hi all first post so be gentle. my cousins son was selling his audi quatro tt so my son decided to buy it, we looked at it a few weeks back and being a relation didn't expect any problems and left it on his drive to pick up today when we had all the money. this morning i was told by my cousin that the car was started yesterday (first time for ages) was left to run on the drive but overheated and cousins son actually burned himself releasing the cap . anyway took the car home and after driving the car for 30 minutes car overheated allowed the pressure to escape not much water lost and on driving again overheated again. the car is now sitting outside my house with brown water in rad/expansion tank and i have no idea where to look first... possibly fan not working,water pump etc. so basically has anyone had same problems and what should i do first. cheers

[TankRizzo]

You can surely check the operation of the fan by letting the car come up to temp on the driveway and then listen for the fans kicking in?

The water pump went on my Alfa 147 a few months ago; the way I could tell was that the temperature would increase with speed on the motorway.

[holdinfoldin]

apparently the fan doesn't kick in atall, sorry secondhand info i haven't been in car.

[Cupramax]

1.8t's are renowned for water pumps failing, they have plastic impellars which break up with age. That would be my first stop.

[Dr G]

...and the coolant temperature sensor and the thermostat.

[Gren]

Temp sensor went on mine (dash warning light).....and one of the radiator fans went - high temp if you sat still for more than a minute.

[holdinfoldin]

thanks for the replies, had a audi fella round and he is gonna start at the cheap end with the thermostat and at same time check the water pump. he managed to get the fans working, apparently the fuse had slightly corroded.

[SMB]

Cupramax said:

1.8t's are renowned for water pumps failing, they have plastic impellars which break up with age. That would be my first stop.

My monies on this too, brown coolant suggests a lack of antifreeze at some time, = corroded internals including the water pump spindle = broken impeller. Doesn't sound like it was well serviced so I'd change the pump, cam belt and coolant, and whilst it's apart the thermostat.

[Justin Cyder]

The thermostat problems on those usually see them run cold rather than hot. Water pump for me too. Routinely changed when the cam belts are done because of access problems.

[holdinfoldin]

hi all just an update car fixed this evening the water pump impeller completely broken. water pump changed along with cam belt at the same time anti freeze new thermostat at a cost of £460 think i got a bargain as all in all the fella was on the car 5 1/2 hours. appreciate what you think.