vw golf 1.4 1999 mk4, water loss?

Help I have a water leak coming its behind the cam belt core any1 have any idears

Jolf 1.4
May 2012

You could have a problem with your cylinder head gasket and be losing water via the cylinders. That could account for the tick over and cutting out problem. Water and fuel don't mix well. Any steam from the exhaust? or any bubbling through the water filler.

Tom
May 2008

I have just had a pump failure on my 1.9TDI 2001 Golf, get the water leak investigated asap. if the pump packs up, the cam belt will jam or worse - snap. This happened to mine. if that happens the timing will go out and if your unlucky, the pistons can hit the open valves, bending them and causing about £1k+ worth of damage. If the car is due a cambelt change in the next 10'000 miles soon and its diagnosed as needing a new water pump, then get the garage to change the belt with the pump now. This will save on labour as its all in the same area. I cant comment on the clutch but the idle speed should be easy to sort. Good luck.

Steve
April 2008

The water loss must be going somewhere - look for crusty stains around the hose joints and radiator, smells from the heater matrix etc. If nothing obvious, then it could be from the water pump, behind the timing belt cover. Regarding the low tickover, have the coolant temperature sensor replaced - not the one that feeds the gauge, but the one that gives the ECU information to control the tickover speed.

John
March 2008