And the patient is...a 98R Passat 1.8S 20V manual with Climatronic and 77k on the clock.
Symptoms: red temp symbol sometimes lights up on start-up from cold, but shutdown and re start immediately and it disappears. Oil/coolant levels have been checked and are okay.
More recently, the ABS warning light has occasionally flickered (but never stayed on permanently).
One unrelated item. For tens of thousands of miles now there has also been a high-pitched 'yowl' when the engines cold and I'm either accelerating in low gears. Doesn't occur when cars is warm. Has supposedly been checked by VW dealers on several occasions; theyhave been unable to find the cause.
Any doctors out there with ideas on what's causing these symptoms?
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No Doctors, just a grumpy old s** who works for one of the relevant corporations.
Your fan belt is slipping, your electronics are sensing it and VAG Com is showing you alarms.
Dynamic Dave (a clever chap who knows things here, and a Doctor, probably) will almost certainly tell you this very soon.
Yes, yon Passat has an auto tensioner. Only if yon belt is not well and truly goosed.....
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Your fan belt is slipping...you don't mean the dreaded timing belt do you, that belt which can go 'snap!' between 70-80K?
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Your fan belt is slipping...you don't mean the dreaded timing belt do you
No, Sean means the belt that drives your alternator and power steering pump (if fitted). The timing belt is the one under the cover that drives your camshaft.
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Just double-checking, DD; I have nightmares about the timing belt taking the engine with it.
Does this explanation take in the high-pitch yowl I referred to above and the ABS light flicker?
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The high pitch yow *could* be the belt slipping.
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One way to diagnose a squealing belt is to dribble some water on to the belt. It will act a lubricant and the squealing will momentarily go away. 'Poly-V' belts operate at a very high tension and have to be in good shape to work properly - you usually notice the squealing with the onset of colder weather - there is more load and the belt is less flexible when cold.
Whether it is causing your warning lights to illuminate is another issue. If would have to be slipping quite badly for this to happen (i.e. system voltage would have to be dipping by quite a lot).
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If 'fan' belt is worn tread carefully: I was told that if it snaps it may interfere with timing belt, thus causing the other problems you fear.
Although I suppose this MIGHT be an old mechanics tale. Any views anyone?
Tim{P}
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Certainly not a tale - if the belt breaks it can get behind the crank sprocket and pull off or disrupt the timing belt, with the usual results.
RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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How can my local spannerman ascertain if the cambelt is ready for replacement? When I spoke to him on the phone today he seeme dto suggest you couldn't really; you just had to replace at a certain time.
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Ox,
If I remember an HJ thread, Passat 20V engines need cambelt changes at 60k. If not done previously DO IT NOW!!!
I had a Pug 605 2.1DT. Fanbelt snapped, wrapped round pulley, yanked the cambelt and snapped it. Costs of repair including skimmed heads, 12 new valves, new water pump and labour - £1,500. And it was never the same afterwards.
If you change the cambelt now you should change the pulley and the fanbelt as wel, if the noise is still coming on.
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