# Coolant system blocked



## sbass (Aug 25, 2014)

98 vw beetle 2.0 overheated. Towed it home. Found a bad leak from the coolant hose flange. Replaced with new gasket and flange. Still overheated with no heat from heater and cooling fans never kicked on. Replaced the thermo, gasket and housing. Also checked the fans, ran with a/c on and I jumped them at the switch to engage at both low and high settings. Both worked properly. Filled with fluid and bleed system. Still overheated with no heat from heater and no fans. The upper hose gets hot first and then lower hose got hot. Not long after, the red "overheat" light came on. Next, Checked for flow from the return hose to the coolant resevior, no flow. Thinking a bad pump.

I blew into the return hose to check for blockage. Could not force any air into it. Removed the hose from the nipple above the flange into the head and blew into the return line. Air went thru so no blockage at the TB. Connected hose to head and removed other end at the TB and blew. No air could be forced in. I removed the flange again and blew, no air could be forced in. Using a paperclip, I attempted to dislodge any blockage right at the nipple. Didn't seem to be any right there and the clip seemed to hit a wall inside the head so I'm guessing it turns not far inside the head from that nipple. 










Obviously thats not my engine in the pic but I want to give an idea of where it was I was talking about. I'm assuming I've got a block somewhere behind that nipple in the head. Any ideas (simple) for removing this block?* I was thinking of using compressor to force the blockage back from the nipple, then using a very good flush to break down the buildup. Flushing several good times then filling back up with proper fluid. Does this this sound like a good idea?
*
Could I still have a bad pump? I reached in from where the thermo is mounted and felt the impeller. It didn't feel cracked or broken and I couldn't spin the impeller at all. And considering the flow of the coolant through the system, if the pump work and the blockage was behind that nipple in the head, wouldn't the pump still flow fluid up through the engine and out through the flange and back to the pump? Its the most complicated cooling system I've ever seen. Freaking hoses going everywhere for everything. 

It could likely use a new pump anyway but I would very much like to get it running properly and do the pump and belt change when I have more time and money.


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## billymade (Jan 29, 2008)

Hey, check out this thread for similar; ongoing issues. No heat and fan operation; is the classic sign of air in the cooling system/block, a vacuum fill tool like the Uview airlift would eliminate this problem in seconds. After you confirm; that all the air is out of the system and you're STILL getting a overheating condition, checking return stream and possible blockage would be the next step. Still getting a overheating issue; no blockage but reduced return coolant flow? Then, waterpump is mostly likely the problem; get a high quality timing belt and waterpump kit; try www.blauparts.com, for a great price and the most complete kit in the market. Read the link and the steps; info below, very similar to what you are dealing with at the moment. 

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?7014355-Coolant-temp-questions-and-fan-issues-!!

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthre...l-Pressure-and-Cooling-questions-post-rebuild


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