2001 Ford Focus Coolant Leak Question
Just been shopping with the missus and when we returned to the car there was a great big coolant puddle coming from the car. I checked the resevoir and there was coolant just below the minum mark so I decided to drive it to the nearest garage and top it up. I got to the garage, keeping a beady eye on the temperature gauge which didn't go above the normal midway point, and filled it up with coolant and water. I nursed the car back home with the heater on full wack just to sap as much heat away from the engine as I could. When I got home I looked underneath the car and noticed coolant dripping from the gearbox casing onto the drive. I looked under the bonnet and although not 100% confirmed it looks like it a leak in coming from somewhere near the thermostat housing on the right of the engine. Coolant was still in the resevoir just slightly below the level that I had topped it up to. Anyone know what the problem might be and if so what the fix is?
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Just been out again as its cooled down now. Squeezing the main hose that goes into the top of the thermostat housing and you can here a watery sloshing sound as though air is getting in. When squeezing the hose continuously the leak is much more prominant.
If I top the coolant up again tomorrow morning will it be ok to drive the 14 miles to the garage that I use? |
if its the 1.6 or 1.4 the most common is the water pump, if its the 1.8 or 2.0 petrol the most common are the thermostat housing leaking
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Common problem, either the O ring needs replacing at the front of the thermostat (few pence) or you need a new thermostat (£72):thumb:
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Cheers for the replies chaps. It's a 2ltr petrol by the way.
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Is it going to be ok to drive tomorrow? It seems to only leak when it's cool/cold as it didn't leak any when I initially filled it back up.
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If u have breakdown cover Id use that to get it to the garage. I speak from experience as my Astra had problems losing coolant but was a leaking head gasket and destroyed my cylinder head - £1k+ bill and I dont know this day if driving it the few extra miles to the garage caused the most damage.
Simon |
they tend to leak till the thermostat opens then normally ok just keep an eye on coolant level
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I had a 1.8 Zetec, which leaked in what sounds like the same place, turned out to be a cracked thermostat housing (plastic), can't remember how much a new one was (about £40 I think), easy 30 minute job to replace though.
Other than this, car was faultless for over 3 years. |
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