Dirtysanchez 0 Posted June 9, 2012 Report Share Posted June 9, 2012 Hi all,Would someone mind taking a pic of the front of their radiator? I discovered something on mine today which I'm pretty sure isn't supposed to be there! I don't have a pic to hand, but basically, my rad has what appears to be another, slightly smaller radiator bolted to the front of it. It has a small inlet and outlet (one at the top, passenger side, one at the bottom driver side). The passenger side one is a screw in type fitment, the driver side one is cut and crimped shut. I'm wondering if this is an aircon condensor or something? My car doesn't have aircon (well, there's no button for it), but that's not to say the bodgetastic previous owner hasn't removed it at some point. I also wondered if it could be an oil cooler, but it seems too big (it's nearly the same size as the rad).Whatever it is, I definitely think it's aftermarket as I don't imagine VW would have used big wood screws to attach it to the car :@ (one of which actually passes through the thing, which could possibly be the reason it's been disconnected and crimped shut.I've a good mind to track Captain Bodge down and break their fingers :@. Link to post Share on other sites
russj249 2 Posted June 9, 2012 Report Share Posted June 9, 2012 Sounds like an air con rad.. let me see if I have any pics with my front end off... Link to post Share on other sites
Dirtysanchez 0 Posted June 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2012 If you've got one that would be great Thinking about it, you could be right, I've noticed there are 3 or 4 cable unplugged around that area, but that doesn't surprise me too much given the state of the wiring (which is a whole new nightmare entirely). Link to post Share on other sites
russj249 2 Posted June 9, 2012 Report Share Posted June 9, 2012 Sorry mate I ain't got one I thought I did but only have them after it was removed my air con to stick an intercooler in its place.It does sound like it though. It will bolt directly to the front of the coolant radiator with 4 x 8mm screws, one in each corner. What kind of plug is it? and even though you don't have a button, does it have any air con pipes or compressor in the engine bay? Link to post Share on other sites
Dirtysanchez 0 Posted June 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2012 Well, there's a couple of different plugs, I'll get some pics of them tomorrow. I haven't noticed a compressor, but then again I've not been looking for one lol. There is one thing though, I noticed this in the engine bay after I got the car:I searched for the company and they seem to make aircon testing equipment/stuff. However, the wire that comes from this thing goes to a plug on the passenger side of the radiator, about half way up. I'm 99% sure it's got nothing to do with lighting.The wiring in the engine bay is genuinely the most confusing thing I've ever seen, but I'm going to start tracing tomorrow to see what it's actually all for. Link to post Share on other sites
russj249 2 Posted June 10, 2012 Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 Hmm.. sounds odd.. have a look for the compressor,its directly underneath the alternator if you have one..Here's a pic of mine.. can just see it under the alternator. Link to post Share on other sites
Dirtysanchez 0 Posted June 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 Cool thanks! Ok, mine doesn't have an AC compressor. I'm just waiting on a few pics to upload (they're not great, it's a little dark for my cameraphone). I did just notice something though - if you look straight down between the middle two runners on the inlet manifold, you can see a metal thing with what looks like two plugs on the top of it? (In your pic it's directly below the front middle cylinder). Well, that has some green liquid which has obviously leaked on to it. I'm not sure what the liquid is, I know it's not coolant (wrong colour) and I seem to recall that PAS fluid is red. Any ideas what this could be?Here's the pics of the unknown rad:Passenger side fitting:Driver side fitting (you can just see it at the bottom, it's been cut and crimped shut): Link to post Share on other sites
russj249 2 Posted June 10, 2012 Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 The metal round shaped thing with the sensors on the top is the oil filter housing, and the sensors are oil pressure switches. As for PAS fluid, it could be mineral oil, which is green... However there are no power steering pipes by that, unless you have a leak which is spraying, but then you'd notice that on the floor. I can't see very well in the pics, but does look like an air con rad. Link to post Share on other sites
Dirtysanchez 0 Posted June 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 Excellent, thanks for your help mate. I'll investigate the fluid tomorrow when I've got the front end off I think. Link to post Share on other sites
the3mcc 0 Posted June 10, 2012 Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 I hope you get it sorted pal.. it sounds like an aircon rad to me... im taking the aircon system outa mine.. has some one began to install aircon and given up or started taking it out and given up..? Link to post Share on other sites
Dirtysanchez 0 Posted June 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 I'm not sure really. I can't see anything else that points towards it having A/C from the factory. Thinking about it, my car has a sunroof, did sunroof cars also have A/C?I'm thinking that someone has started to install it and given up, mainly because of the way it's fitted (woodscrews) and also, the fittings on each side don't look like pics I've seen of genuine VW fittings. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to do anything with the car today due to the weather, but all being well, tomorrow it's getting taken apart and anything that's not connected/required/supposed to be there is being taken off the car. Link to post Share on other sites
the3mcc 0 Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 Mine has both ac and a sunroof if that helps.. good luck with it hope you get it sorted. Link to post Share on other sites
Dirtysanchez 0 Posted June 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 Thanks! Hopefully this weather will clear soon so I can actually make some progress! Link to post Share on other sites
BigDaddy 0 Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 mates i know dont have aircon but had sunroof, dunno if it was an option or std tho Link to post Share on other sites
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