Coolant hose kit

csstevej said:

Why break into the system if you don’t have too…..it’s 4 screws and it’s separated from the radiator.
Unless you have issues with the AC system leave it alone.

I just changed the rad in my 2000 NB has 320,xxx miles on it. Daughters 2003 NB went out at 280,xxx my other car is a 2001 golf and that radiator went out around 380,xxx miles….cars now at 447,xxx miles.
The other two in the family are original, a 2001 NB at around 270,xxx miles and my sons 2000 golf that has 400,xxx miles on it.

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Maybe I just had an extra difficult time changing my brothers radiator and that's why I made my suggestion above.... I know if my radiator requires replacement, I will also change the condenser at the same time.

anahata said:

Good to know! That's a lot of ALH TDIs there! Must be some kind of record. My mileage may vary of course. Did any of those failures cause significant damage, or did the cars give a warning in time?

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Lol , No record here , there are others with more milage than me.

I did have plenty of warning on the ones I’ve changed….. usually would get the coolant low light . I than would top it off then start looking for where it’s seeping . At least that’s how it was happening to me. The leaks always started where the aluminum and plastic where crimped together.

When I noticed it was starting to leak I’d order everything I needed to change out the rad.
If you do it get extra bolts as at least on mine most time the heads wren rusted out and the torqx bit wouldn’t work and I’d have to cut them off , get new radiator support brackets ( I think that’s the name , 4 of them ).

Radiators and condensers are not high failure items. More times than not, crash damage is what causes a need for replacing them.

Some day, if you are bored and have the time, you can take the front bumper cover off, support the radiator/condenser/fan assembly (leave all the hoses and lines attached), unbolt the lock carrier assembly and slide it straight OFF the car, headlamps along with it, and then you can blow out with compressed air and a blow gun the space between the radiator and condenser. There will be a lot of build up of filth in there especially if the car has covered 300k+ miles.

Also a good time to completely remove the front fender liners and clean out under them, and if you haven't already, trim or remove the stupid rust causing foam blocks under the fender lip.

Note: NBs are a little more involved, but certainly not hard. If you can replace a headlight bulb, you can R&R the NB's front clip, as getting the headlamp assemblies out is literally the most difficult part.

Every one on my radiator leaks was at the aluminum to plastic joint , none of them were from accidents.
Same with my Toyota sienna’s.

The 2004+ Sienna has an all aluminum radiator, and was the subject of a recall/warranty extension (as was the RX330 and Highlander). I've done lots and lots of those. Silly thing is, they still leak... LOL... My sister's 2006 Sienna is on radiator #4 (it has over 300k miles). First was done under the campaign, then I've done the rest.

But ALH (and all the gas versions sold alongside them) cars, hardly any. Maybe you guys in the bowels of the rust belt have some issues, but not around here.

I replaced the original rad on my '03 last summer. 20 years isn't a bad run for salty upstate NY. And yes, was leaking at the crimp, on the left (driver) side at the bottom. Crusty.

It’s funny….. as Zak said …… all of my leaks on the golfs and NB’s I have they all started leaking on the LH side of
radiator at the crimp.
And yes our 05 Sienna was replaced under warranty and was totaled by some kid late to school with my wife and kids on board.I replaced that 05 with another but an AWD version , that one too leaked and was out of warranty , I replaced it with an aftermarket market one at around 100,xxx miles And haven’t had an issue…..van now has 260,xxx miles .

oilhammer said:

The cooling hoses VAG uses are typically fine indefinitely so long as they do not become contaminated with any oil or fuel.

See post #11... I still have that same 383k mile Golf. Only it now has 600k miles. The same coolant hoses that were on it then in 2009 are still on it now.

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I just replaced the Tandem Pump on my 2005 Jetta TDI MK4 Auto 235,000 miles. While doing this, I barely touched some small coolant hoses and the plastic T-Connector snapped inside one of the hoses (EGR/Upper Radiator/Reservoir Hose T-Connector). The plastic also crumbled as I worked to get it out of the hose.

After a few days, the plastic nipple/connector on the Upper Radiator Hose going to the same small hoses broke.

I replaced just the T-Connector but was thinking about replacing the whole Upper Radiator Hose instead of just the plastic coolant distribution pipe 1J0-121-087-C

oilhammer said:

Why do you need to replace all the hoses? Shoot, my 1991 Jetta has all its original hoses... should I be worried?

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Maybe. Hoses, like people, can wear out and deteriorate. I just replaced the upper radiator hose on my ‘03 because the plastic end piece cracked and was leaking.

Like most non-engine parts, VW uses only the best

found this thread looking for coolant hose info (fuel contamination brought on a leak at the hard pipe to block under the fuel pump, and the hose from there to expansion tank is splitting; this particular 2000 model year patient has had another hose replaced for swelling a few months ago as well), but it's the radiator comments that have me replying. I have had to do half a dozen Mk4 radiators among a fleet of maybe 10 cars I've dealt with. They all start to leak as the aluminum rots at the plastic side tanks. Clearly a salt climate issue.

Most of the radiator hoses have been holding strong. None of these are übermileage cars, all under quarter million, most in the 100's.

If I'd found an "all hoses" kit for an automatic car, I'd have bought it. Instead I'm evaluating which differ between all my manuals and this sole low mileage automatic with the hose issues that I've probably changed most if not all the coolant in 3 times between 130k and 150k between water pump with timing service, radiator, and now 2 rounds of hose issues.