GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Coolant / oil temps? Sport gauges

M

Mk7noob85

New member
Location
FL
BRand new VW owner (2016 R) and I have a few questions I couldn't easily find the answers to.

First, I have the occasional whiff of coolant outside that I notice when I park. No noticeable drips or level drop although I've only had the car for a week.

Second, My coolant temperature gauge does not move while driving. The small guage in the tachometer stays right at 200, and the digital gauge stays at 194. These values stay constant in traffic, cruising on the highway, and after 1hr of being turned off. Even after spirited acceleration it doesn't move off 194 degrees I have not watched from a cold start but will asap. Every other gauge moves a bit, Oil, Fuel, steering angle, Altimeter. But the coolant temp sweeps on startup then locks in and doesn't change at all.

Third, Oil temp. What is a safe range to be in? I see between 200-225 during my drives.

Fourth, My Golf R currently has the "Offroad" gauges in the infotainment system, but I'd like the "Sport" gauges. I've read that this can be changed back in VCDS but it requires a password. The thread I was reading was ancient, and I couldn't find a thread that had a password specific to swapping back to sport gauges. Is this available, or should I go back to the dealer?

Any help would be fantastic, either thread links or your experience with a MK7 R.
 
R

reallypeacedoff

Ready to race!
Location
Los Angeles
Mk7noob85 said:
BRand new VW owner (2016 R) and I have a few questions I couldn't easily find the answers to.

First, I have the occasional whiff of coolant outside that I notice when I park. No noticeable drips or level drop although I've only had the car for a week.

Second, My coolant temperature gauge does not move while driving. The small guage in the tachometer stays right at 200, and the digital gauge stays at 194. These values stay constant in traffic, cruising on the highway, and after 1hr of being turned off. Even after spirited acceleration it doesn't move off 194 degrees I have not watched from a cold start but will asap. Every other gauge moves a bit, Oil, Fuel, steering angle, Altimeter. But the coolant temp sweeps on startup then locks in and doesn't change at all.

Third, Oil temp. What is a safe range to be in? I see between 200-225 during my drives.

Fourth, My Golf R currently has the "Offroad" gauges in the infotainment system, but I'd like the "Sport" gauges. I've read that this can be changed back in VCDS but it requires a password. The thread I was reading was ancient, and I couldn't find a thread that had a password specific to swapping back to sport gauges. Is this available, or should I go back to the dealer?

Any help would be fantastic, either thread links or your experience with a MK7 R.
Click to expand...

As far as "whiff of coolant" is concerned, I bet you have a leaking thermostat. Mine was replaced at 35k that had been broken since 15k and I had no smell nor any leaking. But it would be at minimum every 5k (6 months). Turns out it had self-sealed but was leaking albeit a drip a day probably. Took the dealership that long to find even using pressure tests etc. Has not lost a drop since (@~44k currently).

Your coolant gauge shouldn't move from 190 or so once up to temp. It's more like a 3 step anyways. Either 0, 190 or 280.

Oil number will show up at 122. Once it is at 122, you can basically rip. I believe you can't launch (DSG) until the oil is ~170 (or 190, can't remember) above so that the trans oil is up to temp but I usually wait until 200 to ring it anyways to be safe. I averaged 225 or so just driving but have seen it go to 280 flogging it on hot days. Not a problem though. Now I'm tuned, it sits at about 210 most of the tim.

Can't help you on the last part.
 
M

Mk7noob85

New member
Location
FL
Cool, thanks for the coolant and oil info. Weird that the oil will update by single degrees, but the coolant doesn’t.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
R

reallypeacedoff

Ready to race!
Location
Los Angeles
Mk7noob85 said:
Cool, thanks for the coolant and oil info. Weird that the oil will update by single degrees, but the coolant doesn’t.
Click to expand...

Optimal coolant temp is 90 degrees C which is about 194 degrees F. Usually between 190-220 is acceptable but it's a good thing if it sits at 194 steady (190 on analog gauge). The gauge is there more for hey, car is cold, or car is running optimally or oh shit, car is too hot at 280.

Oil will fluctuate a lot more. You go from 0 to 280 on a hot day flogging it, maybe more.

I usually start my car, put the dash readout to oil temp, wait for it to get to 122 and gently increase load/rpm until it reaches 200 and then I change the dash to speed and rip.

:D
 
Golfs everyday

Golfs everyday

Autocross Newbie
Location
USA
If the smell doesn't bother you that much and not loosing measureable coolant or causing any DTC's, I'd just leave it unless you're going to do the work yourself and know you will do it right the first time.
 
Urlik

Urlik

Go Kart Newbie
Location
San Angelo, TX
Golfs everyday said:
If the smell doesn't bother you that much and not loosing measureable coolant or causing any DTC's, I'd just leave it unless you're going to do the work yourself and know you will do it right the first time.
Click to expand...


I've only added a cup or two of coolant in three years, but it will eventually get worse. I'm not too worried because my car will be done by my dealerships mechanic that has owned several modified Golf Rs. He always works on the dealership's Rs.
 
A

azthegame

Ready to race!
Location
Arlington, Tx
Should have both gauges, the performance monitors (oil temp, psi, g's, etc) and the offroad ones with compass and steering angle, etc.. the offroad one isn't supposed to be there on the R, whoever owned it last must have added it with coding through either obdeleven or vcds, but don't see why the regular performance gauges would be not there.. just have to press the car button a few more times as it is a separate page from the offroad ones.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top