Intercooler icing

nhraracer90

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Location
WV
TDI
2010 Jetta Sedan
Hello,
I believe that I experienced the intercooler icing problem today. Started the car up to run for a few mins and then shut it off. I went to start it up again about 10 minutes later and it started, then stumbled. So I tried to restart it and it acted like a dead battery, at that point I believe I had a problem. So I jacked the car up and pulled the intercooler hose off on the passenger side and water came out.

is it safe to put the intercooler hose back on a start the vehicle up? Do I need to drain the water from anywhere else?

I am assuming that I should invest in the cold weather intercooler kit?

I have a 2010 Jetta sedan. Thanks!
 

peobryant

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2014
Location
Kentucky
TDI
2010 Jetta TDI
If you've removed the water from the intercooler hose (and reconnected it) you can start the car.

As far as the cold weather intercooler kit, it is a waste of money, there are many people here who have had icing issues after that kit was installed by VW. If you haven't yet, take a look at this thread, there is a ton of great information.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=302863
 

nhraracer90

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Location
WV
TDI
2010 Jetta Sedan
I saw where some ppl are deleting the emissions and that will solve the issue. What emissions are ppl deleting?
 

DerekG

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2013
Location
Oklahoma
TDI
'13 4dr Golf TDI 6-speed manual
EGR......I'll find out this winter if my intercooler icing is fixed after deleting the egr system.
 

nhraracer90

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Location
WV
TDI
2010 Jetta Sedan
Is he EGR delete hard? Do you need a software tune as well to go with it?
 

DerekG

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2013
Location
Oklahoma
TDI
'13 4dr Golf TDI 6-speed manual
Yeah, you'll need some kind of tune. It's not very hard to remove though.

*I should clarify actually. The physical parts of the system are still in the car, but the low pressure egr is blocked off and the high presser egr is tuned out with a Malone tune. I just haven't removed all the pieces yet.
 

Conrad -JSW

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
Location
Northern Illinois
TDI
2012 JSW DSG
Hello,
I believe that I experienced the intercooler icing problem today. Started the car up to run for a few mins and then shut it off. I went to start it up again about 10 minutes later and it started, then stumbled. So I tried to restart it and it acted like a dead battery, at that point I believe I had a problem. So I jacked the car up and pulled the intercooler hose off on the passenger side and water came out.

is it safe to put the intercooler hose back on a start the vehicle up? Do I need to drain the water from anywhere else?

I am assuming that I should invest in the cold weather intercooler kit?

I have a 2010 Jetta sedan. Thanks!

Draining the water from your IC removes the water from the IC but you will still have water in one or more cylinders in the engine.
 

nhraracer90

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Location
WV
TDI
2010 Jetta Sedan
Draining the water from your IC removes the water from the IC but you will still have water in one or more cylinders in the engine.
Okay but the car should be okay to start right? Will it just run rough on startup then clear up?
 

roadlust

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2004
Location
Yakima, Washington
TDI
2003 golf gl reflex silver (sold) 2013 TDI 2 door Golf Blue Graphite Metallic 6MT Premium Package.
Pull the glow plugs and hit the starter to blow the water out of the cylinders.
 

FiremanTDI

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 2, 2013
Location
Chatham, Ontario
TDI
2013 JSW/Golf Wagon TDI, 2013 Audi Q7
When I had my problems (I was outside of warranty) I just got mine towed to VW and the dealer installed the intercooler kit for free. Didn't pay a dime and had a rental car for the day.
 
Last edited:

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
Pull the glow plugs and hit the starter to blow the water out of the cylinders.
After a few min the small amount of water will weep past the rings into the crank, pulling GP is not really needed. Just don't sit with the starter locked hoping its gonna over come that water.

Its something like a tablespoon of water to hydrolock, not a game changer to get out of the oil the CCV system will handle it.

BTW even after draining the IC, water will still come and go depending on EGR and % moisture of the air.
 
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