Cooling System Symptoms

[Onesix]

Hi the mother in law was driving her 2000 1.6 focus and it started to shudder hardly any revs and waddled home. I was the called apon to have a look. The hose had disconnected from the top of the rad. New clip sorted. Secondly it started over heating and stalling. Looked again no coolant / water topped it up but not sure how long it was driven for like it. no pipe/hose leaks she had a mechanic look at it he thicks gasket but have not sure could it be water pump??? Besides that its a nice little runner be a shame to scrap for £165

but to save the hastle she's replaced it and wanted to scrap it so Ive put it in my garage for the time being to make sure before deside what to do. Thoughts on this matter would be very much appreciated

[jeebowhite]

certainly need at the minimum the cooling system flushing and then topping up. The gasket could have gone if there was little to no coolant, so you would be best to replace that as a matter of course if you feel confident enough to do it!

That would be the starting point and then diagnose further from there.

[Onesix]

Hi just had a look under the car there is fresh coolant (slight drip) dripping of the lowest point before the ground next to the oil filter looking from underneath. but trom above if you follow the water pump towards the windowscreen inline with the belt spinning looks moist but it is a clear coolant drip any ideas only while the engines running ?

just read some info could it be the water pump if so how can I find out for sure ?

just taken the cap off the engine mount and its brittle worn creased does this all add up ?

if I replace the water pump will it be ok ?

[vince_13]

normally if the water/fluid is on the outside of the engine block it is more likely the pump gasket, what is the cap that you have taken off?

[Onesix]

there was a black plastic round lid to the motor mount as in the pic

when driving all seems ok when the coolant level is full the temp runs at half way.

there is no leak when the engines off

theres no gunk anywhere

if I fix it I keep it if not its scrap but my gut feeling is its werth fixing

[Onesix]

think ive made somewhere now another day fiddling. after visit to the local ford breakers ive now found that after a coolant pressure test the HG is ok. phew!! The coolant leak is coming from where the two rubber hoses join from the radiator is it thermostat housing?

is it easy to change?