Mk5 Golf R32 Silicone Coolant Hoses Info and Review

Wile doing a recent oil change, I discovered that the original rubber coolant hoses had started to bubble. This meant that the car was getting parked until I could replace the hoses because I knew they were ticking time bombs. These bubbles were more than likely caused by oil within the coolant lines, which I know was caused by a failed DSG cooler last year. Even though I did a very thorough flush, the damage had already been done and not all of the oil was evacuated.

Once I looked up the prices for the OEM replacement hoses, it was an easy decision to purchase silicone hoses. The OEM hoses were well over $500 at my wholesale cost…hell no. Now, for silicone, there are two companies that offer a kit for the Mk5 R32: Forge Motorsport and Addiction Motorsport. Both companies are located in the UK (Forge has a US location) and both offer the kits in three different colors. However, Forge’s kit is meant specifically for a manual transmission R32 (Europe only option) but AM’s kit is for a DSG R32. Seems like a simple solution, right?

Wrong. Addiction Motorsport was out of stock of their black kit, which is the color I wanted, and through speaking with them via email (very quickly I will add), I was told that it would end up being about 3-4 weeks before they had it back in stock. With Wookies in the Woods fast approaching (4 weeks from when I contacted them), they were no longer an option for me, which is unfortunate because I really do like the look of their kit and the fact that is meant for a DSG car. Instead, I ordered a black Forge kit, knowing that it came with no instructions, additional data, and that modification would be necessary to work with a DSG car.

The kit showed up quickly and did include nice hose clamps. I had called Forge Motorsport US when I ordered them to see if they knew what else was needed in addition to the kit and was flat out told no and that they don’t know. I mocked up all the hoses to start figuring this out since there aren’t any documented DIY or informational posts that I could find. This leads us to what you are reading now. Because Forge doesn’t tell you what is what, I am here to help you save time.

Each hose has a three digit stamp on it (I really hope they all do and that they are all the same) and I made a spreadsheet showing each hose and it’s corresponding OEM part number, location, and which hoses are missing from the kit.


 
 

Now, I am not going to do a full actual DIY because, well, it is a lot and not a small task. What I will say is that you will need to put the radiator support into the service position at a minimum in order to get two hoses (one from the oil cooler to the block and one from the aux water pump to the block). In addition, you will need remove the thermostat housing and water pipe (aka the crack pipe) in order to get to those same hoses. Everything else can be accessed with just the intake out of the way. You will notice that there are four lines that say “needs to be cut” and it is not that intimidating so long as you have a sharp knife. You simply need to lay the hose next to it’s corresponding OEM hose and mark where the breaks need to happen. Also, don’t forget to transfer any heat shield, bumper, or sleeves from the OEM hoses to the new hoses: they’re there for a reason.

I will also mention that the longer oil cooler hose (goes to the block) is not the same shape as the OEM hose but can work, once the larger end is trimmed. I would have to look up why this is…possibly the manual R32 has a different cooler if I had to guess. I was also told by three people that they were able to modify one of the Forge hoses to work with the DSG cooler but no matter what configuration I tried, I could not figure this out. This is why I have the OEM hoses for that listed, as well as a new heater hose (really weird that it wasn’t replaced with the Forge kit), and one smaller hose on the lower radiator line that connects the DSG cooler to the system.

For me, since everything was open and there was still residual oil in the system, a full flush using Volkswagen’s Clean Sol (G-052-188-A3) will be done. I used this last year and I will say that it does a really good job. It is tedious to do a full flush but I don’t want to do any of this again for a long time.

Time to talk turkey: the Forge kit costs $400 (sales, free shipping, and hose clamps are available depending on where you order from) and the four missing hoses will cost $145.27 MSRP from a dealer. The Addiction Motorsport kit is listed on their site 315.99 £ ($458.44) but that does include their VAT for UK buyers. In talking with them via email, they will remove the VAT for US buyers with proof of residence. This makes their kit 263 £ ($381.56) plus shipping (25 £ or $36.27) and this means (in theory) you will not need to buy the extra OEM hoses, although I cannot verify this because I do not have their kit in front of me. Perhaps I will buy their kit just for a comparison, though I will not install after I have already gone through all this trouble.

If time wasn’t an issue, I would have waited for the black Addiction Motorsport kit to get back in stock (yes, even if the prices were identical). I also do not know if they provide clamps and any further information or instructions with their kit but I think it is worth the savings in price and hassle of having to modify. I hope this helps and if you need any more information, don’t hesitate to ask.


UPDATE!

Once the Addiction Motorsport hoses in black were available, I did order them, for science. Man, I really wish these would have been available when I was doing the job but now I know for the future and so will all of you.

I see no physical issues with the kit and they also come with no instructions or information as to what is what. One major downside to this kit is there are no identifying marks like the Forge kit so there is no way for me to list what is what like I did with them. What I can do is get as close as I can to comparing them:

As you can see from the chart, I am clueless as to the locations of three hoses (24, 25, and 28) and honestly, I am not taking my car apart to figure that out. If you purchase this kit and figure it out, please let me know. I also could be wrong but I do not see a hose to replace one of the two heater core hoses, which the Forge kit also does not provide.

I hope this helps and I do have the hoses listed for sale (click HERE for the listing) for someone that needs the kit in the States. I am losing a little money in the name of documenting as much as possible for the Mk5 R32 coolant hose replacements.

Mk5 Volkswagen R32 Brake Caliper Rebuild

I recently bought a set of front Mk5 R32 and rear Mk6 R calipers so rebuild and refinish for the AWDTAXI. The original ones are starting to look pretty tired and they have 151,000 miles on them. I bought a second set so that the car wouldn’t have any down time during the process. I stripped them all down and sent them to powder coat (which that is another story) and figured I would document the reassembly for others that may want to do the same thing. The main things I want to highlight here are the rear caliper seal kits, of which there are none listed as actually fitting the R32/R, and the process for install new front piston boots, which is a pain without the proper tool.

One thing to mention, I installed the TyrolSport front caliper slide bushings and I don’t detail that process because it has been done many times already. I have them on my existing calipers and love them so it was a no brainer that I would use them again.

If you have any questions, please comment below or shoot me an email. Please share with anyone that might be on the fence about doing this job because I am sure it will help a little.


Front R32/R Calipers

The front calipers are pretty simple to take apart and it is safe to assume that if you took them off the car, then you are capable of taking them apart. I didn’t document the dismantling but its straight forward and the one thing that you can find online is removing the piston using air (please be careful doing that).

Needed:

1K0-698-471-A - This is the OEM piston boot and seal for one side, so you will need two. You can be my guest to try aftermarket boots and seals but I had zero luck getting any of them to fit properly. I mostly had problems with the boots and not the seals. I know the OEM ones are expensive, but they fit right.

T55 torx driver

T30 torx driver

7mm allen driver

11mm wrench

T10145 - This is the OEM brake tool used for compressing the front piston and it is also used for installing the front boots. Believe me when I say that I went through several boots trying to get them on without the proper tool and tore them. Just go to your local dealer and ask if they have it and if they can just have someone press it on for you. Or you can buy the tool…it isn’t cheap though.

T10146/2 - The OEM brake tool has six different cups for different purposes. This one is specifically used on the front boot.

Brake slide lube - I am a big fan of Permatex and it is available HERE from Amazon.

Piston compressor tool - I have an old Matco tool but there are so many others out there on Amazon, like THIS one

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You are going to start by putting the two pieces together. There isn’t much room for error here and put the bolts into the holes. The longer two go in the inner two holes and the shorter two go in the outer. Go ahead and tighten them down. Also make sure the brake line is installed with the 11mm wrench.

Next is attaching the dampers with the T30 bolt. Make sure the washer is on there first.

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Once the inner piston seal is in, it is time to address the piston boot. This is different from most piston boots that sit into a groove. This kind is pressed over a lip.

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Using OEM VW tool T10145 and T10146/2, spray a lot of silicone lube on the inside of the boot and insert it into the cup.

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The tool is hand threaded to push the boot over the lip. Make sure it is sitting as level as possible before applying pressure.

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Once the boot is on, you carefully insert the piston into the boot. Make sure nothing is twisted or pinch and once it is in, you can press in the piston. You may need to use a piston compressing tool but I was able to press it in by hand (if there is enough lube it should be tight but still move).

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Now that the piston is all done, let’s move to the carrier. The slide pins are put on with a 7mm allen driver and lubed up. I put a very small amount of high temp anti-seize on the threads of the pins before installing.

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That’s it! The hardest thing to do is the boot so as long as you get that handled, the rest is cake.

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Rear R32/R Calipers

The rear calipers are more in depth than the front and for the Mk5/6 R32/R calipers, not nearly as much information available as other models. I did not document the tear down but I hope you are smart enough to realize you can just reverse my installation photos.

Needed:

Centric Parts 143.33032 - this rebuild kit is available HERE on Amazon and includes the piston boot (41mm piston), piston seal (41mm piston), donut seal for inside the piston, snap ring for inside the piston, donut seal for the parking brake actuator shaft, and the crown seal for the parking brake shaft and lever. This kit is for one side so you will need two.

Lube - I used some leftover Lucas assembly lube and silicone spray lube that I had in my box. Feel free to use what you have.

T30 torx driver

13mm socket and ratchet or 13mm wrench

11mm wrench

Master cylinder snap ring pliers - I got mine HERE from Amazon. I am sure I will need them in the future for other projects.

Small straight head screw driver

Brake slide lube - I am a big fan of Permatex and it is available HERE from Amazon.

Piston compressor tool - I have an old Matco tool but there are so many others out there on Amazon, like THIS one

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First, you will need the crown shaped seal that fits into the rear of the caliper where the parking brake lever sits. Put a little lube around the seal to allow it to press in.

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The actuator for the parking brake goes in next. There is a hole in it that matches up with the nub inside the chamber. After replacing the donut seal, put a little lube around the grooved section of the shaft and insert it into the caliper.

Putting the snap ring back in can only be described as a royal pain in the ass. Using master cylinder snap ring pliers helps a lot but you will also need a small and long straight head screwdriver to push the ring down while compressing the ring AND making sure the actuator stays seated. It sucks and takes some time. I am sure part of the difficulty comes from the brand new donut seal.

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I know it is a terrible photo and even looking at it now, I see that it does not show the snap ring fully seated. I did get it seated after this photo was taken but for ease, I tried to put the ring back in the same spot from when I took it out. I don’t know if it matters but I used the punched numbers on the actuator as a reference point.

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When putting the parking brake lever and line brackets on, make sure you have the correct ones for the correct side. Start with the larger one and don’t tighten the T30 all the way. You will need a little movement for putting the lever on the grooves.

Make sure the lever is on the grooves so that when no tension is applied it is resting against the stopper. Tighten the 13mm nut by hand to press the lever all the way down. I put one dot of Loctite on the threads.

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The spring can be kind of tricky if you don’t go in the correct order. You want to put the non hooked end in the lever first and then put the hooked end into the groove. It will naturally click into the small part of the L. Make sure the T30 is now tightened since all is in place.

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The brake line is put in with an 11mm wrench and make sure the other end lines up with the bracket, centered in the hole.

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Time for the piston. I used silicone spray lube on the piston and boot and what I did was slid the boot all the way to the open end of the piston and put the boot into the caliper grooves. It will take a little work to get it seated right but this is better than everything I read about it seating itself once the piston is fully compressed.

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Once the boot is in, use your typical caliper compressor tool to push in and twist the piston all the way in.

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Use your brake lube of choice to lube the slides to go back into the carrier. I prefer Permatex’s purple ceramic lube since it has a super high temperature rating. One thing to note, if you have two different style slide pins (a tapered and a non tapered) the more solid one, or non tapered, will go in the bottom position. My original R32 pins are identical but the Mk6 R calipers I got have different ones.

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There you have it! I hope this helped in some way and saved you from having some of the same headaches that I had throughout the process.

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Volkswagen Golf R32

The #awdtaxi was way overdue for a washing since going to Pocono Raceway one month ago and so I treated it the same way I treat all of my clients’ cars. I started with Optimum FerreX on the wheels, hatch, and exhaust, and then spray on Optimum Power Clean (3:1) with a foam cannon. Then washed with Optimum No Rinse and dried/sealed with Opti-Coat Hyper Seal. It is really that simple. It may not be the most perfect car, but it remains easy to clean and looks glossy.

Track Day - Pocono Raceway

Had the awesome opportunity to attend a track night at Pocono Raceway and this time did the Full Infield. Much different feel and larger run than before but it was fun. I now have to decide what to do for brakes. Fluid I know what I am going to do but three times in one day I had heard that "there is no such thing as a warped rotor" and that pad material can build up and cause the rotor to vibrate under hot braking. I don't subscribe to this yet because it doesn't seem completely plausible to me but I know that when hot, these two year old Adams Rotors and EBC Redstuff pads vibrate and I usually am an all or nothing kind of guy when it comes to tires and brakes. Welcoming any input on this.

I have one quick video from two laps on session 3/4 and I was using Harry's Lap Timer that day and my best lap time was 2:03.75 in the Novice Group (someone in the Advance Group had 1:58 so that made me feel pretty good).

A few laps from session three of Track Night in America at Pocono Raceway. Full infield track in our 2008 Volkswagen Golf R32.