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Focus Temperature Gauge Issue


kingfisher1967
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Its booked in for Monday, I've waved the white flag.

If I knew what was wrong, I'd get my mechanic to fix it.

Ive told Fords about everything Ive changed and at what point it over heats. Cant say I tried

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I think you did test it more than enough! i hope they find it within seconds for you, it would be irritating, but at least your not waiting days while they scratch their head and charge you for the privelage!

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That you jeebowhite, but you was half right, they have scratched their heads and they have charged me for it.

I got a phonecall this morning at work to tell me that they had taken it for a test run and could find nothing wrong.Apparently that was a short trip of a couple of miles or so. I told them that they needed to take it for a longer run and gave them a couple of examples of the journeys I have done that Ive seen the gauge go up. I asked them if the fans had some on after this short journey, ' oh yes. the fans are working fine' and apparently thats normal.

I got another phonecall about 3ish to tell me that they had 'driven it around the block a few times' which included a hill, and they could still not get the gauge to rise. They asked me how high had it been to

'118C' I said

'where are you getting those values from?'

'theres a diagnostic trick on the dashboard, didn't you know?

after a little explaining on how to get the temperature display up, I had to switch to layman's terms and said

'almost into the red, but not quiet'

There were a few suggestions as to would it might be, the CHT senor sending a duff signal, or maybe even the head gasket,yeah right, I'm 95% sure its not that, as Ive said in previous posts, Ive killed to cars in the past due to head gaskets, I'm pretty sure I'd know the signs, so disappointingly I told them, well thanks, I'll pick the car up tonight.

So, for £51.00 they've done 2 road tests,(and driven about 7 miles ( I made a note of the mileage before I dropped it off)) plugged it in to their diagnostics and yes scratched their heads.

I have got the part number for the CHT senor, I may change it as its easy, but I cant see how changing that would improve the pressure in the expansion bottle. (theres little or now hiss when I crack it open).

'we dont know whats wrong' really wasnt the answer I was looking for, and I doubt if I had taken the car to them in the first place, the bill would had been higher, and the answer would had been the same.

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Yeah, sorry to hear that, its a nuisance when everything seems it should make sense, but clearly doesnt. And when you take it to the pro's you expect they should know.

In circumstances like that I think car owners should have a right to say "change the parts, and I will pay ONLY for the one that fixes the problem...

I did this once and its amazing how much more effort they put into diagnosing, spent a lot of dedicated time on it, and replaced several parts but only paid for the one in the end which was about £50. - Cant remember what it was though...

I find it amazing they dont know the dash trick lol!

Question is would you rather continue to diagnose or are you getting to the point of giving up?

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Though I had a theory today.

The thing thats been constant is when Ive opened the expansion tank, theres been little or no hiss, that means theres little or no pressure in the cooling system, which apparently is something that the cooling system needs to work.

My theory was that maybe air was getting in somewhere, and the only thing I could think of was the expansion tank itself, so I had a look tonight when I got home. As per 'normal' the fans where on ( which for a 15 minute journey is redeemed as OK by Fords)when I pulled up outside my house. I opened the bonnet and had a look around the bottle,as far as I could tell, it looked OK so I ( slowly) undid the cap. To my amazement there was a long slow hiss as I unscrewed the cap, and the bottle started to fill with coolant (looked a tad dark, but that could be me being paranoid). I didn't take it off at that moment but did it back up, and I swear I could hear a bubbling/air being sucked in sound coming from around the thermostat area and the bottle itself, not sure it thats normal, but I did have a check of all the hoses, all felt warm to hot apart from the bottom one to the rad which felt cold.

This is my last weekend if I want to do anything, and if I need to buy anything, it has to be Saturday. I thought that air was getting into the system via the expansion tank, but after tonights experiment, I'm not sure.

I'll check the collant tomorrow before I goto work and see if the level has changed

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Though I had a theory today.

The thing thats been constant is when Ive opened the expansion tank, theres been little or no hiss, that means theres little or no pressure in the cooling system, which apparently is something that the cooling system needs to work.

My theory was that maybe air was getting in somewhere, and the only thing I could think of was the expansion tank itself, so I had a look tonight when I got home. As per 'normal' the fans where on ( which for a 15 minute journey is redeemed as OK by Fords)when I pulled up outside my house. I opened the bonnet and had a look around the bottle,as far as I could tell, it looked OK so I ( slowly) undid the cap. To my amazement there was a long slow hiss as I unscrewed the cap, and the bottle started to fill with coolant (looked a tad dark, but that could be me being paranoid). I didn't take it off at that moment but did it back up, and I swear I could hear a bubbling/air being sucked in sound coming from around the thermostat area and the bottle itself, not sure it thats normal, but I did have a check of all the hoses, all felt warm to hot apart from the bottom one to the rad which felt cold.

This is my last weekend if I want to do anything, and if I need to buy anything, it has to be Saturday. I thought that air was getting into the system via the expansion tank, but after tonights experiment, I'm not sure.

I'll check the collant tomorrow before I goto work and see if the level has changed

by openeing it when hot and closing it youve let air in which can cause the hose to collapse leading into the rad so yep a check am is a good idea the coolant will look darker as its warm you dont need to take the cap off to check for pressure just squeeze the upper hose if its soft and easy to squeeze then its under pressurised wouldnt expect a long slow hiss after only 15 minutes though so it does sound like the engines getting too hot after that time a short slow hiss yes but not a long slow hiss the fact it did hiss means its not air getting in as there would be no pressure at all and the slightest air gap would show a leak under pressure i think its time for a sniff test to get done as it may be a head gasket issue engines getting too hot too quick. as for wether it needs pressure yes it does up to 15 bar the pressure raises the boiling point of the coolant without it the coolant would simply boil up

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Ive heard about sniff tests ,I'm guessing its not as simple as a technician sticking his nose in the expansion tank and having a sniff, maybe I'm in slight denial, but its been going on for 6 months, wouldn't had the head gasket had gone by now?

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Ive heard about sniff tests ,I'm guessing its not as simple as a technician sticking his nose in the expansion tank and having a sniff, maybe I'm in slight denial, but its been going on for 6 months, wouldn't had the head gasket had gone by now?

well youde have thought it would have gone by now sniff test is a chemical in a tube they run the engine and using a syringe looking device suck some coolant up if there are gases in the coolant from a leaking head gasket the coolant mixed with the chemical in the tube changes colour its one last thing to rule out if it comes back clear then a compression test is the last route before removing the whole lot pump hoses etc and starting again which costs. its a very odd one mate to be honest but it does sound from youre description that either the engines getting too hot too quick or theres over pressurisation which also shows a head gasket issue yet no coolant loss or mayo in the oil suggests its not the only other option is either the thermostat wasnt fitted correctly there are holes that need lined up or its not opening fully causing a pressure build up

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I was hoping to post some good news by now, but Ive had a few delays

My plans for repairing the car at the weekend weren't to be, but mainly down to my own fault. I called into the car spares place on the way home on Saturday, I had called them a few days before hand and made sure that A: they did that part I needed and B: it was in stock. Apparently there are two types of Cylinder Head Temperature Sensor for my car, a black topped one and a grey topped one ( don't ask me, I have no idea either). Ford had given me a part number, but ( again, no idea why) I didn't give them it, but they said they’ll have a look when I popped in. As they closed at 12:30 on Saturdays,I made it just in time after leaving my work place at 12:00. Here was the first of many ‘walls’ that I was going to hit over the next few days. The sensor itself is a bit of a bugger to get to because its deep in a socket between 2 spark plugs, so to get to it a long tool is needed to unclip a wire and a ‘deep socket’ to unscrew the bugger out. My first wall was that the assistant wasn't 100% convinced that the bit I pointed to was the CHT sensor and ‘was not insured to touch the customers car to inspect it’. As I was now becoming unsure about it I said I’d have to look into it and maybe find a part number.

After work on Monday, I went again to the spares place armed with the part number that Fords had given me and a print off of where it sat ( I was right). Having the part number didn't help 100%, there was still choice of colours, but while looking for instructions on replacing the senor, I checked on the colour, given the choice I went for black. This is where I hit the 2nd wall, my part was not in stock, but I could pick it up the following day.

Tuesdays rush to the parts shop was a little better, but I still hit a wall, my part had turned up, but I now need to get a ‘19mm deep socket’ for it,the shop didn't have anything suitable, I didn't have anything in my collection of sockets, and even rummaging through my dads collection resulted in disappointment. My plans were now falling 3 days behind schedule, and every journey home was becoming a rush to try a get to the shop before it closes, I was going to try my local Autoparts centre place during my lunch hour on Wednesday, but my dad said he’ll get the deep socket for me from the autoparts superstore close to home.

So, Wednesday, H minus 2. my Dad kindly buys the deep socket set, but they are the wrong sort, On the sensor there is a small plastic lump that a cable plugs into, so the socket was the right size, but the inside it wasn't deep enough for the plastic bit to sit in. Its going back tomorrow and he his going to take the CHT sensor with him.

Thursday is my last change before we go away on Friday, I'm not 100% sure replacing this sensor will work, but I'm going to try. If it works, I'll be the happiest guy alive, if not, I'll be the most cautious driver alive.

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Finally got the right size socket.

Unplugging the sensor was a bit of a pain, unscrewing it was very easy ( I was expecting a little leak of coolant, but the sensor sits in its own socket.

everything went in very nicely, a little struggle to replace the plug, made sure everything was plugged back it right and went for a test run.....

.....

Its still the same as before :(

See you all in a week.

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Finally got the right size socket.

Unplugging the sensor was a bit of a pain, unscrewing it was very easy ( I was expecting a little leak of coolant, but the sensor sits in its own socket.

As the name suggest, the CHT sensor actually measures the temp of the metal and not the coolant so thats why you didnt see any coolant :)

shame it hasnt fixed the problem though.

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As the name suggest, the CHT sensor actually measures the temp of the metal and not the coolant so thats why you didnt see any coolant :)

shame it hasnt fixed the problem though.

looks like its time for a sniff test if it passes then im sticking with faulty pump or incorrectly fitted thermostat

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  • 2 weeks later...

I would like to first of all thank everyone that has helped me with this car, but I am happy to inform everyone that the problem, sorry issue, has been sorted...

I'm part exchanging it for a newer model.

I've gone as far as I can with the car, short of fitting a new engine, which wouldn't be financially viable for me, I am biting the bullet and its going to a better place.

My new car?

A 2008 (so its a mark 2.5) Ford Focus Zetec in 'Avalon',with about 20k on the clock. its from the same Ford dealer where I took my (old) car to be diagnosed, and as some will recall, they couldn't find anything wrong, so I haven't mentioned anything ;) nor that are a couple of leaks, or only one side on the windscreen defrosts in the winter, but hey I'm getting £250 for it. B)

Fingers crossed I can pick it up on the 10th of next month as they have to order it, They didn't have anything I liked in stock.

Thank you all once again.

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  • 8 years later...

Hi, I have a Ford Focus Cmax, 2005, petrol 1.6 , I have a new thermostat and even its not working likes it must works, when I set on the heater the temperature from the engine goes down, when I close, the temp goes back normal +-97 degrees ?? I see now with all those comments that even new Fords are very bad quality, also I know someone buyed a 2019 new one last year, everywhere lights goes on on the cluster !!I've got before Fords years 70ies, also american one, 90ies, I never had any problem with😬😕 very disappointed about new Ford ...

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