Are Gates brand parts for 1.8 cooling system quality?

[duk3]

I've pulled out all the cooling system parts and am pricing replacements. I know that the Gates timing belts are not frowned on but how about their other parts for the 1.8?

I like the prices I see for many Gates hoses and thermostat. Any feedback welcome.

If it would be useful to anyone, I can make a thread or a reply here to list out all the parts and the prices paid that I use to fully restore my cooling system, though I will be cleaning and reusing heater core, radiator, top hard pipe and coolant flange (because it's only a year or two old.)

As for why I'm doing this: I did my timing belt/water pump and then had no heat. I let the car sit for about 2 months before trying to troubleshoot and then saw it was leaking coolant near the thermostat. As I worked on making sure it was bled of air in cooling system, It stalled and now refuses to start. Many DTCs. Thermostat does not open in boiling water. "Lower hard pipe" as I named it aka #06B121065AB was rusty AF.

[jpulll]

Behr Hella is the OEM thermostat. I confirmed this during removal. Behr Hella is stamped on the Audi thermostat and the Audi rings are ground off on the Behr Hella thermostat.

I've heard of problems not necessarily with gates but with aftermarket, non-OEM, thermostats. Either the thermostat leaks or the thermostat is non functional.


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine

[maurizio]

Gates is an oem manufacturer, i would absolutely trust their products.

I prefer to stay with VW manufacturers depending on how critical the item is. ECS is a good place to compare an original VW units vs an after market.

[duk3]

OK thanks to you both!

[jacobsen]

Graf has the best water pump for our car

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[rocket1420]

Coolant hoses themselves I wouldn't sweat too much. Whatever you get should be fine. I would replace the J plug with the metal ECS one. Thermostat, as others have said, should be Behr Hella. If you're going through all of this effort, I would get the metal coolant flange and replace both temp sensors (funds allowing). I haven't seen too many people have success cleaning the heater core. Save yourself the headache and get a new one. You don't want to flush it, put everything back together, bleed the system, and then have heat for only two days.

[old guy]

Coolant hoses themselves I wouldn't sweat too much. Whatever you get should be fine. I would replace the J plug with the metal ECS one. Thermostat, as others have said, should be Behr Hella. If you're going through all of this effort, I would get the metal coolant flange and replace both temp sensors (funds allowing). I haven't seen too many people have success cleaning the heater core. Save yourself the headache and get a new one. You don't want to flush it, put everything back together, bleed the system, and then have heat for only two days.

I flushed my OEM heater core three times. The interval between great heat and mediocre heat decreased between each flush. It cured things maybe three or four years after the first flush. I think the second flush lasted maybe two seasons. I did the third flush last October when I replace my head and it still was marginal after a few months. I finally replaced the heater core and now it's back to all the heat I need. Hopefully this will last as long as the original core before the first flush.

[jacobsen]

That's why I recommend the muriatic acid flush. I did it a few years back and I had 180 degree Heat at the vents until my head finally cracked. I think a person has to flush the cooling system before they do anything to the heater core though unless you want I repeat, a three-peat or even a four-peat of no heat.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk