1985 Volkswagen Jetta VW Jetta Diesel

TMCKINNEY

MEMBER
1985 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA
4 CYL
FWD
MANUAL
100,000 MILES

I have a 1985 VW Jetta Diesel. The thermostat and the radiator fan sensor both failed at the same time. The car got hot. I took it to a mechanic and we removed the thermostat. It still gets hot and water boils out of the water reservoir. He said it must have a cracked head or head gasket problem. He added block seal and this worked for a few hours. But now it boils out again. I need to know step by step how to remove the head to check the gasket. Or any advise you feel is necessary. Can you help? Thanks.

1 Reply

DR LOOT

MECHANIC
2,311 POSTS

First question is how hot did you get the engine? Diesel engines are not like gas engines, if you overheated it too bad, it will ruined, the easiest way to determine that is how easy it starts up. If it starts up the same before you overheated it, is probably okay, if it's hard to start "Houston we got a problem" before I move any further, let's try to diagnose this;
1. The first thing I want you to do, is removed The radiator cap, start up the vehicle, look inside the radiator reserve tank, and tell me if you see a little stream of water flowing from the small hoes looked up to the reserve tank.
2. If there is no water flowing into the tank you have a bad water pump.
I need to know these things before I can direct you any further.