Mk2 Coolant Reservoir Part Numbers
Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2024 8:34 pm
I’m putting this here in case it helps someone else to avoid the slightly embarrassing mistake I made.
For over a year I have been planning to replace the coolant reservoir in my Mk2 GT2 both because it is badly discoloured and because of a mysterious slow leak which causes it to empty if the car is left parked up for a couple of months.
This type of coolant tank appears to be widely available at all price points. The original part number is 171 121 407 E.
Now, if you Google that part number, you quickly find Febi Bilstein 02205 offered as a non-OEM alternative. I bought one of these last year for when I got around to this job. Unfortunately, there is one little detail that it is quite easy to overlook.
171 121 407 E is the part without a large hole for a coolant level sensor
171 121 407 F is an identical part with just such a hole
The Febi Bilstein part seems to be advertised under the same shortened part number as either with or without the sensor hole. Unfortunately, the point at which I noticed I had the wrong one was when I turned the engine on to check for leaks!
My, at least interim, solution was to order a sensor on Amazon Prime. So hole now plugged. Worth mentioning that if you actually have the wiring for the sensor there is an early and late style of connector. This detail doesn’t matter if you’re just using it to plug the hole. Judging by some of the Amazon reviews I am not the only person to have encountered this issue.
For over a year I have been planning to replace the coolant reservoir in my Mk2 GT2 both because it is badly discoloured and because of a mysterious slow leak which causes it to empty if the car is left parked up for a couple of months.
This type of coolant tank appears to be widely available at all price points. The original part number is 171 121 407 E.
Now, if you Google that part number, you quickly find Febi Bilstein 02205 offered as a non-OEM alternative. I bought one of these last year for when I got around to this job. Unfortunately, there is one little detail that it is quite easy to overlook.
171 121 407 E is the part without a large hole for a coolant level sensor
171 121 407 F is an identical part with just such a hole
The Febi Bilstein part seems to be advertised under the same shortened part number as either with or without the sensor hole. Unfortunately, the point at which I noticed I had the wrong one was when I turned the engine on to check for leaks!
My, at least interim, solution was to order a sensor on Amazon Prime. So hole now plugged. Worth mentioning that if you actually have the wiring for the sensor there is an early and late style of connector. This detail doesn’t matter if you’re just using it to plug the hole. Judging by some of the Amazon reviews I am not the only person to have encountered this issue.