Thermostat problem, Urgent help needed please!

[crxvtecvti]

Hello all, My freind has a P reg Polo saloon classic 1.6
it overheated and i need to fix it ASAP.
Heres the problem. it was leaking water from the thermostat housing, so i undone the 2 10m bolts and removed the sensor and the two rad hoses and another pipe. I took it off and there is no thermostat in there??!?!?!?! she has had the car for 3 years and never had any problems. unless the thermostat is located elsewhere?!?!?!?
Here is a pic of what i removed







It is located right infront of you when you open the bonnet, Just above and a little to the left to the distributor. it bolts into the head and has the bottom and top rad hose going into it aswell as a sensor and another pipe.

Like i said there is no thermostat in there. should it be there? if not where is it?

Aslo now that the coolant is completely drained, where do i top it up from as there is no radiator cap, do i use the overflow resevoir? and where does it drain so i can bleed it properly or is there a bleed nipple.

I bought a new thermostat housing from VW however it is Different to the one i took off. they both has the same part number stamped on them apart from the new one has another hole where the sensor goes (see pic) They both have the same part number on them which i dont understand. What do i do?


Sorry for so many questions its just that i need to fix this asap and im stuck.

A bit much to ask but if anyone has a pic of the engine and wouldnt mind labelling it as to where stuff is that i need i would really really really appreciate it its unreal just how greatful i would be. otherwise just some answers will be more than enough.
Thanks again
Dean

[LeMeph]

they probably updated the thermostat housing at some point. Wouldnt worry about that too much. My housing has a blanked hole in it though mines a 1.4 8V on a hatchnback, no the classic. Though im pretty sure the engine in that is not too dissimilar from it. Im also fairly sure its probably the same engine found in the golfs, which my mate has got so i know a tiny bit about them.

There should indeed be a thermostat in there if im not mistaken so for a start get one in there! If there wasnt a thermostat in there then it would only keep the engine cooler with a constant flow of coolant i would imagine. I know my thermostat seems to get stuck open and is leaking a tiny tiny bit. not worried as if its open its not gonna cause to much damage at all. What ahrm can a cold engine really do anyway? lol.

The thing thats got me is if her car is overheating then why? If there was no thermostat then in theory the engine would be running cooler then with one.
Im pretty sure you have to fill the coolant from the tank... Though im no expert on that part by faaaaaaaaar.

Hope ive helped a little bit with my amatuer evaluation...