Head gasket or not...

[tom33pr]

Change thermostat for new from dealer spares -- not an aftermarket item
Use the second mechanic.

Absoutely - It's booked for next Tuesday.

What colour is your coolant?

Red.
Clean, can see right through to the bottom of the tank.

Remove coolant reservoir cap. Run engine until up to full working temperature.
Do you see coolant being pumped back into the reservoir? Simple water pump check.
While there "burp" your system -- place heater on full and leave running for 10 mins
with occasional blip on throttle. Prepare to increase coolant level to bottom mark
on reservoir if necessary

Think I will leave it for the mechanic, I'm totally retarded when it comes to cars

When was cambelt last changed? Water pump should've been changed with it.
If there's hardly any flow back get your water pump changed too with an exchange
item, again from dealer spares -- don't use aftermarket -- there's credit to be had
on your old one when returned

I have the receipt from the seller - looks like it was done at 60k miles... But you never know...
Guys, thanks for your advice. I've my fingers crossed and hope it's thermostat or water pump as you guys suggested... but I'm kind of preparing meself for the worst...
I'm just wondering if it will be possible at all to get this fixed (in case it is head gasket) or my car will end up in the scrap yard again... How unlucky would that be... second car in a row... (Mondeo previously... but different symptoms: overheating, coolant loss, coolant gurgling, boiling like...)...
Will have to see if there are any garages in Belfast that repair head gaskets. Ah well....

[RichardSEL]

If you're still concerned that you've got a head gasket leak, your coolant can be checked by a blue chemical fluid for the presence of gasses. If it stays blue (I've just had a Jag done with this procedure at 122k miles with a faulty water pump) when a sample of coolant is added then there's no exhaust gases leak into coolant therefor likely there's no head gasket leak.
Block Tester Kit Fluid for Head Gaskets & Cylinder Heads BT500: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

There's also Lisle and other makes around

Let us know how you get on?

[tom33pr]

Richard, yea I'm aware of that test kit

Will defo let you know next Tuesday... fingers crossed!

[tom33pr]

Went to that guy back then... He rang me after a few hours and said it was a thermostat problem, so he replaced it and the car is running 100%.
I picked it up and yea after a few mins the temp. was showing 90 sharp.
But a week later... things went back to bad. Rang another VAG mechanics and explained the problem. They took the car in the next day...
I asked them to run a thorough check on it. Just
Again, afetr a few hours they rang and said the car is sound and its the thermostat. They couldnt explain why it failed after just a few days.
Anyways. its been runnign perfectly fine since then... Fingers crossed.
Thak you all for help.