Golf 1.4 cooling system pressure - islandman
About 4/5 months ago my daughter's Golf mark 3 1.4 had a new rad fitted as the old one had been leaking for some time. Ever since then I've noticed that the system doesn't seem to depressurise when it cools -- even overnight. When hot the top hose is noticably hard to squeeze and still is in the morning.
Undoing the expansion bottle cap releases the pressure with a surge and then the hose is all soft again.
Any ideas on this as I don't think it's normal. Head gasket looms to mind but the coolant has no signs of oil nor any water in oil. Nor mayonnaise round oil filler cap. Doesn't appear to lose coolant either.
I thought I might get another expansion bottle cap from a breaker in case this wasn't releasing any pressure ------- believe me that top hose gets very hard so there must be alot of pressure building up.
Ant thoughts very welcome -- thanks

Golf 1.4 cooling system pressure - jc2
Buy a NEW cap.
Golf 1.4 cooling system pressure - RichardW
If there's pressure in the cooling system when cold, then it's odds on a HG problem... try these:

1. remove cap (engine cold) refit cap and run engine for a minute or so then stop it. Remove the cap. Is it already pressurised?

2. With cap removed start engine again, and look into the header tank - are there bubbles rising up into the tank?

Answer to either (or both) is yes, then the HG is gone. You could also take it along to your local garage and get them to stick their exhaust gas analyser in the header tank.
--
RichardW

Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....