# QSW running hot! Also sluggish start-ups...



## jeroland (May 29, 2010)

Hello fellow VWvortexicans. I am new to this forum... and to the QSW as well. I bought an '87 recently here in Colorado and although I can't get enough of how cool this car is with the syncro and the Audi heritage and all, I am also a bit apprehensive about a few things. I am hoping one of you can help, however small this Quantum community is... I will try to be as descriptive as I can. The car has all sorts of cosmetic issues. rust, dents, bad paint. Electrical seems good minus a few minor details. Maybe I'll get to these things some day, but for now I wanna keep this thing running as long as I can on my own and it's been acting HOT and GROGGY lately!

The hot:
The engine runs really hot! The temp gauge runs high and the light blinks a lot, the fan runs a lot, the heat runs ALL the time. When I touch any of the engine components they are scalding hot. The engine hasn't burned up yet but I am afraid it will if I do nothing about it. I have read that these things have cooling issues so I'd like to know what some of you have done to resolve this. My thoughts were that I could strip it of all AC components, since they will probably never be used, and the AC radiator appears to blanket the engine radiator. Whats up with that? Seems like a bad design 23 years later... Or else is it a week water pump, poor flow, bad temp sensor, bad thermostat? The oil is clean, and so is the antifreeze, so I know they're not mixing... I dunno, somebody please give me some ideas here!

The Groggy: 
The other main issue I'm having is the idle upon start-up seems very sluggish. It rumbles under 500rpm before slowly cranking up to 1200. The idle then occasionally dips for a second at a time. This always happens every engine start-up regardless of start-up engine temperature, hot or cold. What could this be? Fuel/air mixture, idle stabilization, some sensor somewhere?... And sometimes when the car is parked on a slant I have to give it gas so it'll start.

Also I am trying to locate a used Bentley Repair Manual for this car if anyone knows where to find one. Thanks! I look forward to reading your replies...


----------



## TheWolfsburg (Sep 22, 2007)

From what it sounds like, your definatly searching for a mechnically malfunction rather than a simply electrical misread or the like. My Q typically runs just above the half mark on the temp gauge to 3/4.... I have found this is normal for it. For good measure, you might be looking to replace t-stat and water pump. I would not keep running it like that, or you will soon be finding your self replacing the head gasket as well. Once you remedy the mech defect, they do run a little warm... to help this you might be looking a puting fresh coolant and real good flush. Perhaps debris in the radiator (maybe rusty) I have recently replaced my radiator and it wasnt too bad. the hard part was locating one...lol. you might also add a product called "Water Wetter" ... it is a pink coolant additive that claims lower engine temps by about 20deg... realistically I have seen about 10-12deg... also switch oils to AmsOil... that really helps. The euro blend will run lower oil temps by about another 10-20deg... combind, it all helps.

As far as start up issues... LMAO... Ill get back to you when I figure out my cold start issue. Mine acts similar but only on cold start. I fixed it for about 2weeks by repairing some vacuum lines but the issue returned with the repair holding fine, so i have no idea. 


A bently manual would be a good idea, buy me one too:laugh:


----------



## jeroland (May 29, 2010)

Thanks for your help! Shes still running now, but not well. I am not a mechanic but I like working on my own stuff to save some dough and learn a thing or two while doing it... so thanks again... So I know I'm going to have to replace the radiator cause its leaking. I found some guys parting their QSWs out on the Samba so hopefully that'll work out. I think the previous owner also tried to fix it with stop leak and maybe ran the wrong coolant in it... bonehead maneuvers. So I think I have bad flow too... hopefully not too much corrosion. I might as well do the t-stat and water pump too as you said. Clean fluid with the "water wetter" additive and I should see a difference, right? And by Amsoil do you mean I should switch over to full-synthetic to help lower oil temps? I'm also thinking about doing the head gasket because I think it has already been compromised so synthetic probably is a good idea. Now there is always a first time for everything so would you attempt to do a head gasket by yourself if you had never done it before? I have a pretty limited array of tools too. but I've got the will to do it! 

And deff let me know what you find out on the idle thing. I have no idea where to start on that one... Man! this beast in going to need some work.


----------



## TheWolfsburg (Sep 22, 2007)

Yes the Amsoil is a synthetic, but it runs cooler than say a Mobil 1 or the like. Its kind of Amsoils claim to fame. They pride themselves on a little extra preformance than competing oils. Its basiclly the different additives they have mixed in thier product lowering the boil point, or something to that effect, its been a while since I read all that literature. Either way, as well as others in my area have had great results with it. I run it in my jetta 1.8t. 

As far as the running rough, start tracking down vacuum leaks, CIS (the engine management system) on these cars I have found are suuuper sensitive to vacuum leaks. I would bet you you have at least a handful... just move hoses and listen for them. 

If you are fresh to doing heavy mechanic work I might not suggest doing a head gasket, unless you can get some one whom has done one before on any car and you will be will to buy a few more tools, and the car is able to have plenty of down time. Its a pretty straight forward deal, but it is time consuming and rather involved.


----------



## jeroland (May 29, 2010)

Okay, I guess I'll have to wait on the head gasket till I have some experienced help... I have plenty of work to do before I get to that anyways. I'm having a used radiator in good condition sent to me for $100. I assume this is a good deal as these are hard to find. I found a Bentley for $60 so that should help me in my endeavors... I'll start working on the vacuum line leaks as well. I'll swap it over to AMSoil too. I use AMSoil in my 2-stroke dirt bike so I am familiar. I have heard it is the best stuff from several sources but never thought about putting it in my car... the stuff's a bit pricey... but if it's effective then it's worth it... I'll keep you posted as to what the outcomes are along the way. Cheers!


----------



## eurowner (Jan 26, 2002)

Have you verified the temps in the radiator with an IR thermometer? They do get clogged up and do not flow well.


----------



## jeroland (May 29, 2010)

No I have not. I don't have an IR thermometer. But if I did, what temp is ideal at its hottest? And how do you measure the temp inside the radiator anyway? There's no cap on the radiator, only on the expansion tank... But, I'm going to replace the radiator anyway because it has a leak and I'm pretty sure it has poor flow on account of the previous owner dumping stop leak in there. I'll let you know how it turns out... 

By the way, your QSW is one of the best I've seen. Super clean. Love the pics of it in covered in snow. Gives me inspiration...


----------



## jeroland (May 29, 2010)

So I finally got around to checking for CIS vacuum leaks today... and low and behold, I had several! I performed what was like open heart surgery on that aorta lookin' vacuum hose today trying to get everything connected back together correctly. After that it started right up strong like it never has before, and now idles quite smoothly right on start-up... So that was good. Thanks for your input on that, Wolfsburg. I'll have to keep an eye on those CIS hoses...

I've also received the replacement radiator I bought off a dude on the Samba. He did a pretty poor job packaging it for shipping and it got a bit damaged but I think it will still work, and hopefully not leak like mine is currently. You never know what you're gonna get on this danged internet sometimes... I also got a used Bentley though so now I have a better idea of how to take stuff apart, what certain parts are, and more importantly... how to put it back together. 

I don't always know what to look for, so you're help is really great:thumbup:!!! I'm sure I'll be posting a bunch more questions about this car... :laugh:


----------



## jeroland (May 29, 2010)

*One thing leads to another*

I replaced the radiator successfully today. Striped all the never-to-be-used AC components in the process including the condenser. Gave her a test drive and she seems to be running cooler... or I guess I should say it cools down faster than it used to... it still heats up on the highway pretty good but not as bad as before... so you'd think everything's a-okay then, right?... WRONG!!! 

I think the water pump is leaking now. Probably O-ring...but even worse than that I discovered in the process that the drive belt only runs between the camshaft and the water pump sprockets, and NOT around the V-belt pulley like it shows it should in the Bentley. I'm surprised the damned thing even runs that way, but it's probably been that way for a long time now. You guy's got any ideas on this? How difficult is it to install a new drive belt on these things with the engine installed? Will it mess with the timing if I install a new drive belt correctly like it shows in the manual, or will it make it run better? I need some help...


----------



## eurowner (Jan 26, 2002)

I have a spare Bentley Quantum manual if you need to buy one.

When you do the water pump, also replace the t-belt, roller, cam and crank seals! 

Have you done a leak down test to see if the coolant is being heated through a bad headgasket?


Get an IR thermometer, or at least borrow one to make sure the coolant out of the head to the upper rad hose is within spec. The gauge and or sending unit could be bad.


----------



## jeroland (May 29, 2010)

Thanks Eurowner, but I just bought a Bentley. Surprisingly, it hasn't been of great use to me yet... The pictures do not match my vehicle perfectly and so have been a slight source of confusion. When I removed the t-belt cover I found that it is indeed routed properly. However, it goes around a roller that is not pictured in the Bentley. I also checked the water pump in the mean time and was able to confirm that it is leaking from the bottom of the o-ring. It leaks a lot while the engine is running... I was just going to replace the o-ring and the t-stat, but you're saying I should do the pump itself and the roller, crank and cam seals too? I'm not sure I have the know-how to do the seals... but I will attempt it if you think this is something a novice mechanic can do.

I'm pretty sure the head gasket is okay. It looks dry and does not look cooked. I'm not quite sure what a "leak down test" is, so perhaps you could elaborate? I think it was a good thing to replace the radiator and get rid of the AC condenser any how. I'm missing all of the shrouds that go around the radiator except for the engine divider. It would probably help to have the rest of them... I noticed you live in Salida and have a QSW graveyard. Would you be opposed to us coming down to buy some parts off you? I live in Carbondale and we like to go camping at the sand dunes once a year... We could stop by... I totally understand if you're not down with that sort of thing...

I will get an IR thermometer. I'm guessing you just point the thing at the large return hose before the radiator... Is that where the coolant is at it's hottest? Thanks for your help!


----------



## squabbles (Jun 27, 2010)

*Similar issues!!*

Hey there,

I'm new to this forum and i also just picked up an 85 QSW for cheap. It definately needs some love, and i'm going to try my best to deliver... despite my lack of knowledge when it comes to cars. I just changed the oil with 10w-30 and the oxs light has already come on only after a day of driving it. It seems to run sluggish when i start it in the morning... idles low until i give it gas. I want to give it a radiator, transmission and coolant flush to see if this will help things, and am wondering if there is anything important i should know before i do this. Any good tips on how to get this beater running a bit smoother.
I would appreciate any advice at all.
Thanks!


----------



## eurowner (Jan 26, 2002)

Jero, 
We used to be able to buy the oring new, not too sure now
Hit me an email off my profile.


squabbles, 
make a new post with your problems.


----------

