Looking for advise on bleeding cooling system

tbailey4

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Location
Livonia, Suburb of Detroit
TDI
2006 Jetta, 6spd conversion. 2001 Jetta, Alh, wife's car.
I am in the middle of doing a timing belt and water pump on my 2015 TDI, manual 6spd, EA88. I get my parts tomorrow and I'm just now thinking about how to fill the cooling system. I notice some people are using VCDS to "bleed" system and others are suggesting a manual fill with warm up and refill. Other links suggest a vacuum tool of some sorts. I have VCDS but not sure what that procedure is. I suppose turning the various pumps on and off etc. I know little about the vacuum method. I'm used to the low-tech systems where we filled it up drove it until the thermostat opened and refilled. This EA88 is new to me, and any advice will be appreciated.
 

tbailey4

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Location
Livonia, Suburb of Detroit
TDI
2006 Jetta, 6spd conversion. 2001 Jetta, Alh, wife's car.
I was worried at first due to complexity, but I did my normal fill, massage hoses, fill, drive, repeat and have had no issues
Good to hear, the Golf SW is new to me, and I am anxious to start enjoying it. After a few days of study, I realize I bought a car with a fairly sophisticated power plant. I've had a bunch MK4 and one MK5, so this for me is a big jump.
 

dataiv

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Location
Ottawa, ON
TDI
2015 Golf Wagon TDI 6MT
Agreed, had no issues.

My process in April when I did my TB change on the EA288 ... refilled as much as possible into the expansion tank, over a period of probably 30 min to an hour. Then in VCDS, ran each electric coolant pump (one for the intercooler, one for the heater), each of which sucked a little bit out of the expansion tank. Added more. Repeated. Once gravity wasn't taking any more in, and running those pumps did nothing obvious, ran the engine, drive around till the lower coolant hose was pressurized, let it cool down, added a bit more. Done and no issue since.

Roughly I used this procedure as described on the Ross-Tech forum by a post there by "NETech" a VCDS distributor.

This is not exact procedure, maybe it helps someone testing.

EA288 can be many different engines and cooling system layout, different pumps etc!
Information from erwin is needed and right equipment, VAS 6096..
Just a few engines: CLHA, CRBC, CRKA, CRKB, CRLB, CRUA, CVCA, CUNA, CUSA, CUSB, CUTA, CUAA
We have not seen an Autoscan from your A5.

1)
Ignition ON - Engine OFF
[16-Security access] Shown (maybe not needed for all systems/engines)
[10-Adaptation]: "IDE08287-Bleed cooling circuit" > Active > [Do It!]
Wait 10 sec. > Start engine at idle
[16-Security access] Shown
[04-Basic Settings]
[Show measurement Data]
values/information:
IDE00021 / IDE00085 / IDE00322 / IDE00450 / IDE00451 / IDE00787 / IDE07725
[04-Basic Settings]: "IDE08087-Test - Bleed cooling circuit" > [Go!]
About 6 min. Idle > 2 min. 2500 Rpm > 6 min. Idle > Look at measurement values/information's:
"Finished correctly" and IDE00322 = "was ended"
[04-Basic Settings]: "IDE08087-Test - Bleed cooling circuit" > [Stop]
Stop engine > Ignition ON

2)
[16-Security access]
Shown
[04-Basic Settings]
[Show measurement Data]
Search and load measurement values/information's:
IDE00021 / IDE00085 / IDE00322 / IDE00450 / IDE00451 / IDE00787 / IDE07725
[04-Basic Settings]: "IDE04795-Test - Bleeding of low temperature circuit" > "4 sec." > [Go!]
Time: maybe 5-10 Minutes? Look at measurement values/information's
[04-Basic Settings]: "IDE04795-Test - Bleeding of low temperature circuit" > [Stop]

Repeat 2) 3 times total ?
 
Last edited:

tbailey4

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Location
Livonia, Suburb of Detroit
TDI
2006 Jetta, 6spd conversion. 2001 Jetta, Alh, wife's car.
Agreed, had no issues.

My process in April when I did my TB change on the EA288 ... refilled as much as possible into the expansion tank, over a period of probably 30 min to an hour. Then in VCDS, ran each electric coolant pump (one for the intercooler, one for the heater), each of which sucked a little bit out of the expansion tank. Added more. Repeated. Once gravity wasn't taking any more in, and running those pumps did nothing obvious, ran the engine, drive around till the lower coolant hose was pressurized, let it cool down, added a bit more. Done and no issue since.

Roughly I used this procedure as described on the Ross-Tech forum by a post there by "NETech" a VCDS distributor.

This is not exact procedure, maybe it helps someone testing.

EA288 can be many different engines and cooling system layout, different pumps etc!
Information from erwin is needed and right equipment, VAS 6096..
Just a few engines: CLHA, CRBC, CRKA, CRKB, CRLB, CRUA, CVCA, CUNA, CUSA, CUSB, CUTA, CUAA
We have not seen an Autoscan from your A5.

1)
Ignition ON - Engine OFF
[16-Security access] Shown (maybe not needed for all systems/engines)
[10-Adaptation]: "IDE08287-Bleed cooling circuit" > Active > [Do It!]
Wait 10 sec. > Start engine at idle
[16-Security access] Shown
[04-Basic Settings]
[Show measurement Data]
values/information:
IDE00021 / IDE00085 / IDE00322 / IDE00450 / IDE00451 / IDE00787 / IDE07725
[04-Basic Settings]: "IDE08087-Test - Bleed cooling circuit" > [Go!]
About 6 min. Idle > 2 min. 2500 Rpm > 6 min. Idle > Look at measurement values/information's:
"Finished correctly" and IDE00322 = "was ended"
[04-Basic Settings]: "IDE08087-Test - Bleed cooling circuit" > [Stop]
Stop engine > Ignition ON

2)
[16-Security access]
Shown
[04-Basic Settings]
[Show measurement Data]
Search and load measurement values/information's:
IDE00021 / IDE00085 / IDE00322 / IDE00450 / IDE00451 / IDE00787 / IDE07725
[04-Basic Settings]: "IDE04795-Test - Bleeding of low temperature circuit" > "4 sec." > [Go!]
Time: maybe 5-10 Minutes? Look at measurement values/information's
[04-Basic Settings]: "IDE04795-Test - Bleeding of low temperature circuit" > [Stop]

Repeat 2) 3 times total ?
I noted that I removed a little more than a gallon of coolant, before disassembly, after reassembly I filled the reservoir slowly and was able to get 2/3 into it. I then disconnected the return hose and put some vacuum to it and this allowed me to get the last 1/3 of a gallon in it. I ran the engine for 10 minutes and the level did not change. This morning, I drove the car to the doctor's office and noted reservoir was down a little. I topped it off which brought my total to a little more than a gallon. Much easier than I expected.
 

Datalore

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 13, 2008
Location
Cincinnati,OH
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI- SOLD, 2000 VW Beetle ALH- SOLD, 2015 Golf Sportwagen SE DSG
I had a very capable mechanic friend change my TB a few days ago. A few questions for you guys...
1. He used Peak European coolant. It says for VWs made between 1997-2008. Is this G12 equivalent and if so, is this okay to use instead of my preferred Pentofrost? Should I flush and fill with correct stuff?
2. My coolant temps while stationary idling creeps up to 210 when it used to be a normal 192-198. My oil temps are also elevated (205 idling- 220 on highway) when normal is high 190s or low 200s. I don't believe his Snap On Solus can run the auxiliary pumps, can it?
3. Is #2 a symptom of air in the oil cooler/ other spots in the cooling loops?

Thank you guys for the help as this has been worrying me pretty bad the last 3 days.
 

ticaf

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2018
Location
US Mid-Atlantic
TDI
Stock 2015 Golf SW S Manual TDI
I'd say trapped air in coolant.
Also, you need g12++ at minimum. G13 preferred if you care about the engine. (It should affect operating temperature though)
The air might go away with time and long drives (watch for coolant Level going down as air makes its way up)
Or use vcds to get the air out, and maybe refill with G13.
 

Dieselgeek

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Location
Golden, CO
TDI
2016 Golf TDI
In our experience it is not necessary to use any 'extreme measures' for refilling the coolant after a TB replacement. Just fill the res mid way, then allow the level to drop. Repeat until the level no longer drops. Go for the first test drive then check again upon return.

This is covered in our instructional video for the EA288 timing service.

It is the intercooler circuit that fails to self-bleed. While the Airlift 550000 works well for that, removal of the waterpump doesn't drain the IC circuit.
 

Puget_Mech

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2024
Location
Washington
TDI
2014 Passat, 2015 Golf Sportwagen
I'm doing Timing Belt/Water Pump this weekend (2015 Golf Sportwagen TDI, 56,000 miles, leaking water pump). I hope to have it completed mid-day tomorrow at the latest. I bought a highly reviewed vacuum fill tool on Amazon and I'm going to try that method for coolant fill.
 

Puget_Mech

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2024
Location
Washington
TDI
2014 Passat, 2015 Golf Sportwagen
I'm doing Timing Belt/Water Pump this weekend (2015 Golf Sportwagen TDI, 56,000 miles, leaking water pump). I hope to have it completed mid-day tomorrow at the latest. I bought a highly reviewed vacuum fill tool on Amazon and I'm going to try that method for coolant fill.
Job successfully completed. One caveat: the TDC alignment hole in the block behind the camshaft pulley is 7/32, while the slot in the pulley is 15/64. The result is that the guide pin sent with the kit I bought from ECS did not work and I had to use the solid end of a 7/32 drill bit.
 
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