1 year later … and my 1.6 CLHA mk7 golf manual blocked again (even with new matrix) and I think I know why.
I only drained the front main radiator and intercooler radiator last year when changing the matrix. I was also happily squeezing all the hoses afterward to get rid of air … which might of accelerated stuck sludge straight into the new matrix! You live and learn.
Anyway, spent the Saturday morning fixing it. This time also removed pipe from rear electric pump when draining coolant and loads more coolant came out. Bought the heater matrix (linked somewhere on this forum) which has bigger ‘holes’ etc. about £110 incl delivery. Idea of bigger holes sounded good as I don’t think I’ll ever flush it properly on my drive or pay VW thousands to do it!
Well, in the end I had to properly flush and refit the oem part I installed a year ago! This other new matrix I had bought was a pain! It was hard to slide into the matrix hole and then I couldn’t for the life of me get the pipes on past the o-rings! Seems like the oem one has a chamfer to slowly squeeze the o ring into it and this one is just 90deg edge. I gave up in the end as it would be my luck that the o ring would be damaged on reassembly!
Tried doing the bleeding via OBDeleven and just couldn’t get any of it to work. VCDS definitely seems like a good option for this.
I did vacuum fill and the golf only took 4.7 l of G12Evo. I see sites quoting 8l capacity so I must of missed some coolant somewhere!
Heating now back in the drivers side ready for the colder days in UK.
Some top tips
- Get a pair of long wire hose clamp pliers! It’s tight when you need to remove pipes from pumps (as they’re not quick release clips)
- If possible, get vcds or find a friend that does have it!
- Replace coolant reservoir. I did mine last year as it had so much bad stuff in it !
- use OEM or similar part. If you’re doing it on your driveway, last thing you want is to be effing and jeffing with a matrix that doesn’t fit or is awkward!
- I bought a cheap vacuum kit on eBay for £30 last year and it works really well.
I only drained the front main radiator and intercooler radiator last year when changing the matrix. I was also happily squeezing all the hoses afterward to get rid of air … which might of accelerated stuck sludge straight into the new matrix! You live and learn.
Anyway, spent the Saturday morning fixing it. This time also removed pipe from rear electric pump when draining coolant and loads more coolant came out. Bought the heater matrix (linked somewhere on this forum) which has bigger ‘holes’ etc. about £110 incl delivery. Idea of bigger holes sounded good as I don’t think I’ll ever flush it properly on my drive or pay VW thousands to do it!
Well, in the end I had to properly flush and refit the oem part I installed a year ago! This other new matrix I had bought was a pain! It was hard to slide into the matrix hole and then I couldn’t for the life of me get the pipes on past the o-rings! Seems like the oem one has a chamfer to slowly squeeze the o ring into it and this one is just 90deg edge. I gave up in the end as it would be my luck that the o ring would be damaged on reassembly!
Tried doing the bleeding via OBDeleven and just couldn’t get any of it to work. VCDS definitely seems like a good option for this.
I did vacuum fill and the golf only took 4.7 l of G12Evo. I see sites quoting 8l capacity so I must of missed some coolant somewhere!
Heating now back in the drivers side ready for the colder days in UK.
Some top tips
- Get a pair of long wire hose clamp pliers! It’s tight when you need to remove pipes from pumps (as they’re not quick release clips)
- If possible, get vcds or find a friend that does have it!
- Replace coolant reservoir. I did mine last year as it had so much bad stuff in it !
- use OEM or similar part. If you’re doing it on your driveway, last thing you want is to be effing and jeffing with a matrix that doesn’t fit or is awkward!
- I bought a cheap vacuum kit on eBay for £30 last year and it works really well.