Please Help....is my heater core going out??

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Sep 15, 2005 | 07:53 PM

1NewA6owner

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Please Help....is my heater core going out??

O.k so we have a 1998 Audi A6 2.8 with about 125k on it and all services up to date.

Since we have owned it which has been about 7 months the car would start up and the needle would move up to about half on the temp gague and stay there basicly no matter what. Even when it was 85-90 degrees out and we were sitting in traffic the needle would only move slightly up but then return to half once we started moving again.

Now when the car is started the needle will just slightly move up and stay there until we come to a stop and sit for more then a couple minutes. Then the needle will move up to half where it normally use to set all the time until we start moving again. Then the needle will fall down or in some cases it will stay at half.

I am kinda freaking out with winter coming up that the heater core might be going out, or do you think it might be the thermostat?

Has anyone else had anything like this happen to them, or am I just freaking out over nothing? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

TIA!

Sep 15, 2005 | 07:59 PM

6ULDV8

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Most likely a thermostat stuck open. Get it checked soon before it sticks closed.

Sep 15, 2005 | 08:06 PM

1NewA6owner

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Gotcha, now is the thermostat hard to find or replace?

Sep 15, 2005 | 08:12 PM

6ULDV8

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By the book its about 3.5 hours and really something you dont want to do unless your very handy.

Sep 15, 2005 | 08:15 PM

1NewA6owner

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Thanks man, any pics I could see as to where it's located?

Sep 16, 2005 | 03:34 AM

4Driver4

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I'd replace the temp sender before you do anything else.

Cheap, easy, and probably the problem.
If you still have the problem, them do the t-stat.

Sep 16, 2005 | 03:49 AM

JimR

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Check out the procedure for the 2.8 timing belt replacement.

<center><img src="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/pics/eng39_4.jpg"></center><p>It's a pretty big job.

The thermostat is in a housing under the black cover above the alternator in the above pic.<ul><li><a href="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/eng39.shtml">1999 A6 2.8 Timing Belt and Water Pump</a></li></ul>