Who here really has cooling figured out for the Mk7?

[PureWhiteMk7]

I have followed a few builds and read about different approaches to cure the
the achilles heel of the MK7... cooling. But the solutions are all over the place
and since the car has so many cooling problems, maybe it's time to start a thread just about that.
And if there is one already then laugh hard now and show me where it is!
If not then who here thinks they have cooling this vacuum cleaner of a motor
as much as possible for daily driving with some aggressive every now and then and an occasional track
day? All cars vary so I would like to hear where you started, where you ended up,
and which components you replaced. It would also be great to hear tips you
learned along the way.

 

[jimlloyd40]

Stock cooling system and I haven't had any problems in Phoenix driving 8 hours of city driving in Phoenix at 115 degrees. Haven't tracked it though. But I am thinking of getting the aluminum radiator just for preventative purposes.

 

[Litespeedgti]

For 77000 miles on my 2015, I kept an eye on the reservoir and would occasionally smell coolant. I thought it crazy for so many of use to have to deal with this. My new 2019 has 7500 miles and requires the same thing but I haven't really smelled coolant very much. I understand that the new Atlas eats it too. I keep the VW coolant around and top it off. My cooling systems have always been stock fwiw.

 

[shortyb]

The only real Achilles Heel problem with the cooling system is the obligatory waterpump/thermostat housing leak issue. Don't know too many that do anything to the OE system. There are some pretty high strung, hard used engines out there using all stock components with zero issues. Don't forget, oil is a major cooling medium on this platform too. Keep it in good shape . Cooling-wise, save your money for a better intercooler if anything.

 

[PowerDemon]

If you are talking about the engine water cooling system, it has proven itself on the street at various power levels. It does become limited once you start pushing more power (stage 3) on track, but for your situation you will be fine with the OEM radiator. If you did want to push higher horsepower on track the common upgrade seems to be the CSF radiator which solves the on track heat problem. I am at stage 3 currently and going through the summer in VA with 85-95F temps and I have not seen my coolant temperature go above 225*.

If you are talking about inter cooling then the solution for that at the stage 1&2 power level is an upgraded FMIC or direct fit intercooler. Stage 3 and up (hybrid turbos) cooling is a bit more difficult but the best picks there seem to be the AMS and APR direct fit intercoolers. For more information about the various types, designs, and brands of intercoolers see this thread.

 

[MSchott]

I don’t understand the OP’s premise. It makes no sense.

 

[Jovian]

I don’t think anyone would have cooling figured out. Because once you get it cool enough then you know there is more room to push it and now you are back to the start.

The general consensus is that these cars need and intercooler when upgrading. I have seen radiators, oil coolers, even DSG oil coolers but very few opt for these.

 

[replicate]

Brakes - RS3 ducts and remove the stone shield. If you need more then replace calipers to 4 pot or more to improve heat dissipation.
IATs - as mentioned direct replacement intercooler
Coolant - CSF
Oil - racingline with larger setrab core.

 

[jimlloyd40]

Why can VW 's run at 220+ degrees and not overheat? I know that antifreeze raises the boiling point but any other car brand I've owned would have overheated at that temperature. Also in another thread a few guys said that the coolant gauge is a dummy gauge. So if my car is actually starting to overheat the gauge won't show it?

 

[JC_451]

VW won't put in a hood liner but they'll put in a coolant gauge just for show?

That seems....incredibly unlikely.

 

[jimlloyd40]

VW won't put in a hood liner but they'll put in a coolant gauge just for show?

That seems....incredibly unlikely.

I agree but that's what was said in that thread.

 

[JC_451]

I just can't even wrap my head around the idea that someone thinks the gauge isn't real.

Anyway, don't mind me. Just havin a laugh.

 

[Subliminal]

I think the people that don't trust the coolant gauge is because they think it's for oil temps

 

[bentin]

BMW's have had dummy coolant gauges for years. My M Coupe would show coolant as totally normal, but you could watch the oil temp rise during track sessions and know that coolant was going to come up too. Usually I'd run until oil hit 260 and then do a few cool down loops of the parking lot. I only saw the coolant gauge come off normal once, and it immediately spiked to the very top of the range and the red light popped on for a few seconds before I got things back to normal. I'd assume VW uses a similar setup. Say, assuming it has a range that shows normal and then just hops to Holy Shit from there, nothing in between. Also the hood liner would be the first thing to go if I were tracking this car, VW saved me the trouble on this one, the 17 had it, but I debated tossing it on principle anyway, no reason to have that thing in TX heat.

 

[sprinks]

Why can VW 's run at 220+ degrees and not overheat? I know that antifreeze raises the boiling point but any other car brand I've owned would have overheated at that temperature. Also in another thread a few guys said that the coolant gauge is a dummy gauge. So if my car is actually starting to overheat the gauge won't show it?

You just stated why they don't overheat. Antifreeze and coolant circulates as controlled by the water pump to pull heat build from the block and dissipate with the radiator. Water is a great heat transfer medium. Antifreeze/coolant increases the operating ranges (BP and FP) of water. However, antifreeze also increases viscosity of our engine coolant. VW offers guidance on how operating conditions can determine what blend of coolant should be used with g13. 50/50 blend covers majority of operating ranges (-35F to 264F) while a 70/30 blend coolant to water protects more against freeze and boilover (-83 to 277F) at the expense of working the pump more and not cooling as efficiently.

The coolant gauge only shows the warmed up state, not the fluctuations of the coolant. Your onboard oil temperature gauge does a better job at the instantaneous readout of engine temperature. There is a critical value i believe built into the coolant temp that it will peg the overheat system, but i imagine that's well after the car has pulled timing and other safety measures are in place, as well as many EPC lights.